The Once in a Blue Moon dance weekend is presented by the North Alabama Country Dance Society (NACDS).  It is usually held in late May or Early June.  The weekend consists mostly of Contras, Squares, & Waltzes.  It usually also includes a variety of workshops and other activities, as well as an after dance party on Saturday night.

Contra Dances are usually Friday evening, Saturday morning & evening, and Sunday morning.  There are other various dances and workshops on Saturday & Sunday so it is a pretty full schedule.  There are music jams so bring an instrument.

The bulk of the activities are located in the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) University Center.  The Friday night dance is usually/sometimes held in their regular dance hall, which has a deluxe sprung-wood floor (a church gymnasium, several miles away from the UAH hall).  (Be sure to check the schedule for details.)

The UAH dance hall is MASSIVE!  Well lit with an exceptionally high ceiling (so it stays pretty cool and comfortable) and a very comfortable length and width for big dance sets.  The dance floor surface is wood parquet on concrete.  There is a large stage at one end for the band and caller.  This is a great hall.

The web site does a good job of offering schedules, lodging options, etc.  You will want to have a vehicle handy to get to the places to eat, but they are not far by automobile, and there are LOTS of choices.

The hotel choices are pretty typical.  There is a campground on the outskirts of town, but it is not super close to the dance hall though so you absolutely will have to drive if you stay there.

By far the best choices for paid lodging are at the UAH campus.  The Bevill Conference Center housing is a great deal if split 4 ways and is like a hotel of sorts.  It is a short walk from the dance hall.  The Central Campus Residence Hall (CCRH) dormitory type rooms are the very best deal if you are traveling alone.  They are comfortable enough and offer a modest degree of privacy and best of all the dance hall is just a few steps away and connected to the dorm building.

Hosting by local dancers is usually available, so check the registration form for that option.  Staying with a local host can offer a great opportunity to get to know the local dance culture (and other visiting dancers) better.  If you like traveling on a low budget try inquiring about the "sleeping bag space" hospitality offering.  We recommend you bring your own bedding and towel (and perhaps a gift for the host), and be prepared to provide all your own meals.  You will be assigned a spare bed, couch, floor space in a local dancers home as available.

The NASA Space Center in Huntsville (just a few minutes from the UAH dance hall) is quite an attraction, but you will not likely have time to visit it unless you arrange to spend an extra day there.