Dan Mirolli
Mountain Lake Lodge – known as Kellerman’s in the classic movie “Dirty Dancing” – will hold its annual “Dirty Dancing Days Summer Festival” on August 16th.
The award-winning Mountain Lake Lodge – where Dirty Dancing was filmed 39 years ago and known as Kellerman’s Mountain House in the movie – will hold its annual Dirty Dancing Days Summer Festival on Saturday, August 16 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Geared especially for Dirty Dancing afficionados to “have the time of their lives” and go back to where the magic began, the festival is open to the public and attracts both fans within driving distance and those farther away with a special two-night package.
The festival brings the movie to life with dance lessons in Mary’s Barn, the same spot where Baby and Johnny danced; watermelon races; live performances by Cassette Rewind, Flashback and the Party Band; 80’s costume dance party and music bingo; Dirty Dancing trivia contest; drink specials, and screenings of the film. Dirty Dancing was recently named to the Library of Congress National Film Registry for Preservation, forever to be preserved in American cinematic history.
“This is an exciting opportunity to discover a real destination steeped in history and the fun of Dirty Dancing, a nostalgic experience complete with Baby’s Cabin, the famous Gazebo and many more filming locations, normally reserved for our ‘Dirty Dancing Weekends’ held several times throughout the year,” said Heidi Stone, president and CEO of Mountain Lake Lodge.
Tickets for the festival are $75 and available online.
Dirty Dancing Days Overnight Package
Fans can book the overnight Dirty Dancing Days Overnight Package that includes a two-night stay from August 15 to 17, festival tickets, on-site food and beverage options, shuttle service to the festival area, and access credentials. For reservations, contact 540-626-7121.
Located in the center of a 2,600-acre nature preserve and bird sanctuary in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Mountain Lake Lodge mixes numerous activities with nostalgia and reminders of the cult classic scattered around the property.
Highlights of resort venues filmed in the movie include Stone Lodge with its great stone hearth and magnificent mountain views; the adjoining Harvest Restaurant and Patio where Johnny and Baby saw each other for the first time; the Gazebo for salsa lessons, and Baby’s Cabin, the fictional Houseman family home.
In addition, Kellerman’s Gift Shop features official Dirty Dancing® merchandise with its collection of clothing and memorabilia. Fashioned after the studio where Baby first learned to dance, the shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Merchandise is also available at https://mtnlakelodge.shop.
Mountain Lake Lodge is recognized in TripAdvisor’s Travelers Choice Awards 2024, The Knot Best of Weddings for 2024, and was recently inducted into The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame. In addition to Dirty Dancing, activities run the gamut from hiking 12 miles of pristine trails and the new onsite Giles County Trail Center at Mountain Lake Lodge, to the Artist’s Studio; Nature Center; bird-watching; excursions through the mountains; Salt Pond Pub Sunday Mountain Music and Dog Days; golf; fly fishing, and family floats on the New River.
For information, visit www.mtnlakelodge.com or call 540-626-7121. Mountain Lake Lodge is located at 115 Hotel Circle, Pembroke, VA 24136.