Colorado Centennial Homeschool Ball
22nd Annual Colorado Centennial Homeschool Ball
When: Saturday, January 10th, 2026, 6:30-9:30 pm
Where: Douglas County Fairgrounds Events Center in Castle Rock, Colorado at 500 Fairgrounds Rd, Castle Rock, CO 80104. (See Directions page.)
What: We’re excited to announce the 21st Annual Colorado Centennial Homeschool Ball, hosted by You Can Live History!
This ball began over two decades ago (like many annual events, we missed a couple years around 2020) as an event to provide just plain clean fun for teens and their families who didn’t want to worry about the issues of modesty, rock music, inappropriate dances/movements, nor the whole guy/girl dating issue. The historic period from 1860-1876 seemed to answer all of these issues, since it was from a more formal time period without modern concerns.
We will be celebrating Colorado's bid for statehood from 1860-1876, featuring historic dances, including the Virginia Reel, Grand March, Hat Dance, and Polka. The young ladies will wear Victorian ball gowns or frontier dresses and the young men will be dressed as Victorian gentlemen, frontiersmen, soldiers, cowboys, or in other era-appropriate costumes. (Note: It was the Victorian era in England, which influenced the English-speaking world; in America it is better known as the Civil War era. At a ball in 1876 you would most likely be wearing the same ball gown you - or your mother - had in 1860, since clothes were homemade and hand-sewn. The ready-to-wear industry was just starting to develop. More history here)
You will learn about 19th century American culture and etiquette, all while having a terrific time enjoying a score of authentic period dances – ranging from waltzes to reels – all taught by a professional dance teacher and set to common 1800's tunes played by skilled musicians. Please make sure to plan your day to be available for the dance class in the morning so everyone learns the steps together.
This will be a family event with parents and young adults, thirteen and older, all dancing together. Refreshments of cookies and punch will be provided during the evening. (If you need, or can bring, gluten-free refreshments, contact us at [email protected] to be connected with the volunteer organizing that.)
We will have a maximum of 400 participants, so register soon!
To Register: Click above on "registration" in the menu bar.
Snow Date: There will be NO snow date unless the entire city is shut down by a blizzard (i.e. if DIA is closed down) therefore, partial refunds may be given only under these circumstances. We are sorry for any hardships this may cause. This is because the fairgrounds management will only reschedule our use of the facility, or refund our money, under those conditions.
Pictures from 2024 Ball:
The pictures below were taken by student photographer Owen McGough, and he took many other beautiful pictures throughout the evening. If you were there, look through the whole collection of high-resolution pictures; you may find some fun ones of friends and family, especially if a young lady in your family was introduced. Tips are appreciated for any pictures you wish to download; Owen's Venmo ID is @Owen-McGough
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Pearl Harbor World War II Short Sleeve 6-oz 100% Cotton Gildan T-Shirt Heather Indigo
Young Marines from Division 4 units planned a trip in December 2020 to participate in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade and see the USS Arizona and USS Missouri on the 75th anniversary year of the war's ending.
Due to the shutdown of local schools, their fundraising efforts were limited, and they have been unable to go thus far. This design was made to help fundraise for the Young Marines; all profits from this printing will be donated to their trip, which is currently scheduled to happen in 2024, to support the history education of Young Marines.
At Pearl Harbor, the Japanese "awakened a sleeping giant" on 7 December 1941. Other parts of the world were already at war, but in the years after WWI, Americans wanted to stay out of European problems. Few thought much about the increasing reach of Japan's empire. Military units stationed in Hawaii knew tensions were rising, but several alerts in late 1941 were followed by stand-downs, making true readiness difficult.
Even in Japan, many influential Japanese had spent time in the United States, and doubted war with America would work out well. But orders are orders, and the Japanese fleet headed for Pearl Harbor, hoping to knock out American naval ability in the Pacific with a decisive blow.
Such a massive undertaking was hard to organize both secretly and precisely, and, against the intent of Admiral Yamamoto, the attack happened before the declaration of war was officially delivered, infuriating Americans by what was seen as a sneak attack. Suddenly, America wanted to fight: "They began it, we're going to end it!"
American aircraft carriers were unhurt by the attack, and American industry swung into action. Old ships were replaced by state-of-the-art ships far faster than expected.
By April 1942, the Doolittle Raiders were able to bring the war to Tokyo, but it took three more years of island-hopping campaigns before the Japanese surrender was signed on the deck of the USS Missouri, which is now a museum ship at the site where it all began.
