Girlfriends are gonna party like it’s 1999

The 13th annual Hill City Girlfriends’ Weekend is taking place Nov. 7-9, and with the 1990s theme, it’s an opportunity to show off a grunge style, listen to some boy bands and enjoy all the great Main Street merchants of Hill City.

Angie Ross, one of the event organizers this year, said Hill City Girlfriends’ Weekend is the one event that the downtown merchants group puts on that does what it’s supposed to do: bring people from out of town into town to see how “awesome we are.”

The event gives women and their friends an opportunity to shop, stay and play in Hill City. 

While the event used to be themeless, organizers note that the year they chose a 1980s theme was the most successful year of the event. Ross said since 1990s fashion and movies are making a resurgence, organizers decided to have a ’90s theme. 

The theme encourages dressing up for the Saturday night costume contest and karaoke night at Tin City Saloon. There will be prizes for best grunge, mean girls inspired and hip hop style. The evening will also feature specialty themed cocktails. 

Women can also show off their 1990s knowledge at the Chute Rooster brunch Sunday morning. The popular event features a hearty brunch buffet, ’90s music, a ’90s-themed trivia game and a bottomless mimosa bar. This is a ticketed event with doors opening at 9:30 a.m.

First Impressions Salon  is sponsoring a new event this year—an hour of free country line dancing at the Hill City Center Saturday from 3-4 p.m. 

The dancing will be coordinated by Heartland Dancing.

Ross, owner of the salon located downtown, said the  line dancing is an opportunity to keep people downtown during the afternoon and have them shop. 

After the dancing, people can come back to First Impressions for the big grand prize weekend drawing. 

The line dancing isn’t the only new event this year. 

Mackenzie Swanson of  Homestead Studio is hosting a charm bar event at Elizabeth’s Coffee on Saturday from 6-8 p.m. 

“The charm bar is a great activity for girlfriends of all ages,” Swanson says. “They can make a necklace, bracelet or anklet, choosing from over 200 charms to tell their unique story.” 

The $35 fee includes the chain and five charms.

Swanson said Hill City Girlfriends’ Weekend is, “a time to shop local for yourselves and the holidays, eat wonderful food, check out the fashion show and reconnect with friends. It’s a sure fire way to have a good time.”

By far the weekend’s most well-attended event is the free Friday evening fashion show. This year it is at High Country Guest Ranch, which has been completely remodeled by its new owners. Ross called the new space beautiful and said it works perfectly for the fashion show because organizers have a lot of freedom. 

Stevie Cummins, owner of Jewel of the West and organizer of Girlfriends’ Weekend, called the space “a site to behold.”

Cummins said, “It’s gorgeous. We are excited for people to see it. We are so grateful for their generous donation.” 

The fashion show doors open at 5:30 p.m. with heavy appetizers donated by businesses throughout Hill City. There is a cash bar offering wine, beer and soft drinks. 

The fashion show begins at 6:30 p.m. and will have one intermission. As always the show is free, but it is also part fundraiser. This year’s cause is the Hill City Boys and Girls Club. 

“The city cut off funding,” Cummins said. “We are trying to help them.”

There are only three stores participating in the fashion show this year— Jewel of the West, Homestead Studio and the Alpaca Store. Cummins and Ross said that despite fewer participants, the fashion show will still be very successful. 

“Jewel of the West has donated a lot of time and energy into the fashion show,” Ross said. “Stevie scrambled when businesses said that they couldn’t be a part of it.”

Cummins said the show will be epic. Her store is highlighting everything from casual to really dressy, country flair to boho hippie. 

“We have some young, hot men lined up to be male models to show off men’s shirts and jackets,” Cummins said. “We’re making them work it.”

The runway will feature lots of hats and winter coats as well. 

“We want guests to bring cell phones to take photos of what they love,” Cummins said. “That makes it easier for people to find what they like when they go to shop downtown the next day.”

Also easy is the free shuttle event organizers have lined up to take women from Hill City to High Country Guest ranch. Cummins said this is a way to encourage women to have fun but not drink and drive. The shuttle, which Cummins called “pretty bougie” will run from 5:30-9 p.m. 

Hill City Girlfriends Weekend Committee members have worked hard to promote the event and hope locals will come out to shop downtown. Cummins said the Hill City Chamber of Commerce matched advertising dollars that were spent on commercials that will run locally the week of the event. Committee members also secured tons of  merchandise from Hill City businesses that will be given away in the form of   gift baskets over the course of the three day event. Many merchants downtown will have specials throughout the weekend, encouraging people to shop downtown Hill City.

Both Cummins and Ross have been on the Girlfriends’ Weekend committee for years and encourage locals to support the event not only this year but next. The committee is always looking for volunteers to help keep the event fresh year after year. Committee members do everything from updating social media pages to marketing and coordinating. 

For more information, check out the Hill City Girlfriends’ Weekend Facebook page.