RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - A Night in Paris, complete with the Eiffel Tower and an outdoor Parisian café, unfolded at Cosumnes River Elementary School when the PTA presented the “Daughters & Dates Dinner & Dance” on Feb. 22.

The event attracted over 200 attendees, with daughters elegantly dressed and many fathers sporting blazers, a couple even donning berets.

The event, formerly known as the Father-Daughter Dance, has been a longstanding tradition at the school. This year, the name was changed to include other father figures.

The ticket included dinner, dessert, a corsage, a professional photograph, a video and a dance.

According to Lizzeth Delgadillo, the PTA’s event coordinator, the event was all about creating special memories.

“That may be all that is left after they grow up and move on,” she noted.

Delgadillo said the theme for this year’s event came from fourth grader Callie Coon, the daughter of close family friends when they were chatting last summer.

“She said: ‘What about a night in Paris?’ and I said: ‘You have read my mind.’”

Delgadillo proposed the Parisian theme to the board, which promptly approved it and allocated a budget. Since 2022, she has dedicated significant thought and effort to infusing PTA events with meticulously coordinated décor and special touches.

To craft an authentic Parisian ambiance for this year’s dance, she began with a backdrop depicting the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine at night. She installed lights behind the backdrop to enhance the effect, ensuring the Eiffel Tower continued to gleam as darkness fell.

Other decorative elements included a welcoming archway adorned with a French “Bienvenue” mirror, dried cherry blossom arrangements entwined in the trees, string lights draped over the quad, and various French-themed props and signs throughout the area, including a bench for photo opportunities.

The pièce de résistance was the traditional wrist corsage presented to each girl. Concerned about the rising cost of actual flower corsages, Delgadillo crafted over 100 herself. She adhered wood-fiber flowers onto small fabric pieces, which she then attached with ribbons to pre-made pearl bracelets.

Another first was the decision to hold a sit-down dinner catered by Urban Plates, a new restaurant. Although the main entrée of mac and cheese wasn’t French, the croissants, crème brûlée and macarons complemented the theme. The girls also raised their champagne flutes to toast one another.

Fortunately, the favorable weather allowed Delgadillo and her team to set up dining arrangements outdoors in the quad, effectively recreating the ambiance of Parisian cafés. Had it rained, dinner would have been relocated indoors to the multipurpose room, with half of the space designated for dancing.

The balmy weather also allowed professional photographer Norma Mitchell to set up her equipment outdoors, eliminating the need to use indoor school space. Mitchell, owner of Murieta Portraits, volunteered her time for the event.

Delgadillo expressed gratitude for the invaluable support from fellow volunteers, including PTA Board members, other parents, two teachers and two high school student teachers, who assisted with setup, takedown, food service and numerous other tasks. She also enlisted her daughter, Alessia, an eighth grader, to manage the video booth. The PTA hired Wesley Childress as the DJ, enhancing the event’s lively atmosphere.

Four different fathers told the River Valley Times how much they appreciated the event and the opportunity to spend time with their daughters. One was Daniel Armendariz, who was dining with his daughter, Salina. She wore an off-the-shoulder floral dress and fancy shoes.

“This is out of her comfort zone,” he joked.

She agreed, saying “I normally wear a hoodie and jeans.” 

Delgadillo said many attendees expressed their gratitude as they departed.

“Everybody was very, very happy and appreciative, especially the little girls, who were so sweet,” she said. “And one of them made my night.”

“This beats Paris,” the little girl assured her.