A “Witch Dance” will take place starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Scoville Park to raise money for a group called Moms Demand Action.
Locals will gather to dressed as witches holding brooms to learn a dance from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and then perform it at 6 p.m. Donations will be accepted before and during the event. Sarah Corbin, an Oak Park resident, told Wednesday Journal in 2023 that about 25 to 40 people participate in the dance each year.
Moms Demand Action is a grassroots effort that advocates for public safety efforts that protect people from gun violence. There’s a local group of volunteers from Austin, Oak Park, River Forest and neighboring communities that form the Oak Park-Austin Area Moms Demand Action cohort.
Last year, the dance raised about $800 for Moms Demand Action, according to group member Joanna Moran. The funds were allocated to the Mercy Garden of Peace and Healing, a community garden for survivors of gun violence in Austin. A portion also went toward efforts in Springfield related to legislation to end gun violence, according to Moran.
Dance rehearsals will also take place before the event at 2 p.m. Oct. 14 and 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at Rehm Park near the tennis courts, Moran said.