It’s not too early to start shining up those dancing shoes. West Chester’s Uptown! Entertainment Alliance announces their fourth annual fundraiser, a dinner and dance event to be held at the West Chester University Alumni & Foundation Building on Oct. 17. 

Titled “Footlights & Fun Raising,” the evening will feature live music, food, a silent auction and a red, white, and blue theme.

“The theme reflects our love of West Chester," said gala chair Jeannie McGinn. So what to wear? The dress code is “patriotic casual,” so jeans and your favorite dancing shoes will do the trick.

The Sofa Kings will be keeping the music uptempo all night. A high-energy, 10-piece band from southeastern Pennsylvania, they play Motown, R&B, and classic rock, as well as what’s trending on the charts.

In addition to live music, the event will feature all-American cuisine, as well as a silent auction. All proceeds benefit Uptown! Entertainment Alliance, an organization working to bring a performing arts theater to downtown West Chester. The theater will be located in the former National Guard Armory building on High Street, and so far Uptown! has raised half of the $3.75 million needed to start construction, with a goal to open the doors to the public in 2016.

The event runs from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $85 for single or $80 for two or more, and are available now, either online at uptownwestchester.org or in person at Fulton Bank 116 West Market St., West Chester (610-918-8810). The website also has information about being an event sponsor, making a donation, or becoming a volunteer.

Uptown! Entertainment Alliance is a 501c3 organization with a common vision: to bring a theater to West Chester. With an agreement from the state of Pennsylvania to purchase the Armory on N. High Street, the group is currently undertaking a Capital Campaign to transform and re-purpose the Armory into a multi-use theater and educational space.