600 gather for annual Penticton, B.C. daddy-daughter Snowflake Ball

Dads and their daughters were invited to a ball in Penticton, B.C., getting the chance to bond through a special night.

The Snowflake Ball returned at the Penticton Lakeside Resort on Sunday night, and it was filled with dads, grandfathers and role models in the lives of the young girls.

“It’s hard for me not to be emotional when the kids walk in that first time. It’s just so cute to see them all dressed up and make them feel special because they deserve it,” said co-organizer Kori Iceton.

Nearly 600 people were back for the annual daddy-daughter dance, which returned in person after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

“Even when I see the number of people that are buying tickets, I wonder, are they actually coming? So it’s really magical. I’m really proud of it. It makes me happy, it fills me up. It’s just so much fun,” said co-organizer Dana Chapman.

The ball was first held in 2017, and ever since, it has grown with more and more people interested. The dance started as a way to connect families in the community through a fun night.

“When I moved here, I didn’t know a lot of women, and one night I got together with a few girls that I had met and asked them if they had ever heard of a daddy-daughter dance,” Chapman said.

“My brother used to go to one with his daughter in Red Deer and it was like the coveted event of the year. Nobody had heard of that before.”

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Besides dancing, dads and daughters were able to make crafts, get their makeup done, and pose in the photo booth — all giving them a chance to become closer to their loved ones.

“We’ve been sponsoring now for the last four years,” Scott Mayhew said. “I find it a great event for the kids and for dads to get out with their daughters.”

With the event being such a success this year, organizers are looking at hosting two dances in one day next year to accommodate everyone interested in participating.