The band Missing Gray performs Sept. 26 at the Old Galt Dinner Dance on Fourth Street in Galt. 

GALT, CA (MPG) - Music, dancing and barbecue Sept. 26 helped residents and dignitaries honor a tradition here that goes back perhaps more than 100 years.

“Even 100 years ago in Galt, on this same area, they would build dance floors and they would have huge dances with live music and thousands of people would come from all over the Galt area,” City Council Member Shawn Farmer said shortly after the Old Galt Dinner Dance started at about 6:30 p.m. on Fourth Street.

“So that was the idea of bringing back an outdoor, old-timey dinner-dance,” Farmer added.

Galt was laid out in 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad Company, according to the city. Local rancher John McFarland asked that the name of the area be Galt in honor of the Canadian town of Galt, city records say.

The 150-seat event was sold out, Galt Chamber of Commerce Director Kat Seabolt said.

Now in its fourth year, “it’s a great tradition,” she said.

The event started four years ago as the Old Galt Festival, Farmer said, which took people back in time.

“It was a big festival honoring the tradition of Galt,” he said. “We had Old West stuff. We had stuff from the 1950s, and ’30s and ’20s.”

But the festival was a one-time event, Farmer said.

“We couldn’t do the festival again,” he said. “It was such a big endeavor, so we continued the dinner-dance.”

Papas & Wings provided drinks, Todo Al Grill Chef provided the barbecue and several businesses provided desserts to bid on. The band Missing Gray provided music and Galt apparel was on sale.

“It’s just a great Galt tradition,” said Kit Carson of Carson’s Coatings.

People can “kind of cut loose, drink a little, dance a little, especially after the harvest,” Carson added. “We kind of continued that tradition as Galtonians.” 

Tables were set up just north of C Street, between Fourth Street and the railroad tracks. Missing Gray band members, with their back to the tracks, played despite frequent interruptions by passing trains.

“I like how it brings the community together in (a) natural hometown feel,” said Bonnie Estep, commercial development representative with SMUD. 

“We hope to keep continuing it,” Farmer said.