HAMPDEN — A night of nostalgic music, dancing, shopping and philanthropy is coming to Hampden later this month as “Babes, Brews & The 90’s Boom – Throwing Back, While Giving Back” invites guests to relive the energy of the 1990s while supporting a meaningful cause.
The event will take place Saturday, March 28, from 5-9 p.m. at The Starting Gate at Greathorse, 128 Wilbraham Road. Proceeds from the evening will benefit Shriners Children’s New England.
Organizer Jill Moccio Connors said the idea for the event came to her while helping plan another benefit that featured a live band.
“I looked around the dance floor and saw so many of my generation out there having the time of their lives,” Connors said. “Dancing, enjoying, laughing and just stepping back into a time of feeling free and young.”
That moment sparked the concept for an evening built around the music and memories many adults grew up with.
“It dawned on me that we don’t really have nights out like this anymore,” she said. “The nightlife scene is quiet now, and we are older. Most of us are married with children and in a different phase of our lives. But when we hear that music from the ’90s and early 2000s, something inside ignites and we go right back to those early days when life was just fun.”
Connors said the event will bring an upscale nightclub-style experience to the community, but with a schedule that works for busy adults.
“At our age, starting early and ending early is vitally important,” she noted.
Music will be provided by DJ Dave Costa, who will spin hits from the 1990s and early 2000s while music videos play on a 120-inch screen. Guests can also capture memories of the evening with a 360-degree photo booth from JD360 Photobooth.
Beyond the dance floor, the event will feature an upscale shopping experience through Connors’ Babes Brews & Browsing network, which highlights women-owned businesses.
More than 10 vendors will be present, including BrookMan Candles with a DIY candle bar, Studio By A with permanent jewelry, Tribe Power Bites, The Bra Ladies Boutique, Match Us Collection Boutique, Patty Cakes Gourmet Cupcakes, Birch Design & Co.’s soap bar, Nourish Valley Tallow skincare, Finch Flower Co.’s DIY flower bar and Brims With Blooms hat bar.
Guests can also enjoy complimentary express manicures from Ashlee Nadeau, owner of a new salon in Wilbraham.
Food will also be part of the evening’s offerings. Passed hors d’oeuvres will be served from 5:15-6:15 p.m., including Margherita flatbread, steak and cheese flatbread, chicken tacos with margaritas and steak tenderloin skewers with tater tots and blue cheese drizzle. A make-your-own taco station will follow from 6-7 p.m.
Connors said the combination of entertainment and charity is central to the event’s purpose.
“We understand that giving back is extremely important in our community,” she said. “But we also understand that having a great time while doing just that is a must as well.”
The Starting Gate at Greathorse, Connors said, provides the perfect atmosphere.
“When you step foot into the space you immediately feel as if you are escaping the norm for an evening,” she said. “Between the wow factor of the venue and the vibe of the music, I believe our guests will be very happy.”
Ultimately, Connors hopes the event gives guests a chance to reconnect with a carefree era while helping children in need.
“This is for millennials, Gen X, for us moms who want to put the minivan in the driveway for the night and hang up those mom hats,” she said. “Step back into our 20s where nothing else mattered except fun and making memories.”
Tickets are limited and available at tinyurl.com/39arye8n.
