More than 400 people are expected to descend on Half Moon Bay tomorrow for the third annual Country Dance Day, a full afternoon of line dancing, Texas BBQ, and Old West-themed games spread across a 46-acre ranch. The event runs from 12:30 PM to 8 PM at Long Branch Saloon & Farms, with three separate dance areas set up for lessons and open social dancing throughout the day.
According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, Saturday's gathering marks the third time organizers have brought the event to the coastside, and this year's turnout of more than 400 attendees would make it the biggest yet. The full schedule and venue details, including the address at 321 Verde Rd, are listed on the event page from Coastside Country, the local group co-organizing the party.
The day's programming leans heavily into instruction for dancers of every level. Per RootSeller's event listing, attendees can expect line dance lessons for beginners through advanced dancers, plus country swing and two-step instruction layered throughout the afternoon. Between dances, the same listing notes, guests can wander a mini Western town stocked with cornhole, mini-golf, a slingshot range and gold panning, all fueled by Texas-style BBQ.
Open Bar and a Viral Choreographer
For guests 21 and older, organizers offered an upgraded ticket that includes a four-hour open bar serving beer, wine, hard seltzers and sodas from 3 to 7 PM, the RootSeller listing details. General admission tickets were also available for those who just wanted access to the dance floors and activities without the beverage package.
Adding some national flavor to the lineup is Mark Paulino of The Fine Line Dance, a choreographer known for creating viral line dances, including “Baby Slow Down.” Paulino, who co-choreographed that routine to Jason Derulo's “Slow Low,” has appeared as a celebrity guest instructor at the event, according to The Fine Line Dance post detailing his teaching schedule.
A Sold-Out Precedent
Demand for Country Dance Day has been building fast. The second annual event, held on August 9, 2025, at Long Branch Saloon & Farms, sold out completely. Coastside Country's event page for that gathering shows, with the organization having co-produced it alongside the venue.
The venue itself is part of the draw. Long Branch Saloon & Farms is a 46-acre property in Half Moon Bay run by the Palmer family, built around a 1,700-foot replica Old West town complete with a two-story saloon, a historic chapel, a jail cell and donated Peninsula artifacts, according to Punch Magazine. The property sits near Lobitos Creek off Verde Road, just outside the main stretch of town.
How a Municipal Class Became a Coastside Movement
Coastside Country itself is a fairly young operation. Half Moon Bay residents Hilary Stamper and Carol Hunter formed the group in February 2025 after a municipal line dance class they launched drew 60 registrants and built a waitlist, per Coastside Buzz. That first class was organized in partnership with Half Moon Bay Parks and Recreation.
The city's Parks and Recreation department still runs weekly Coastside Country line dancing lessons at the Ted Adcock Community Center on Thursday evenings, with drop-in pricing set at $20 general admission or $10 for seniors and students. Country Dance Day fits into a broader wave of line dancing activity across the Peninsula, where country nights run three to six nights a week in cities including San Mateo, San Carlos and San Jose, hosted by instructors Line Dancing Lisa and DJ Shivers at venues such as Coyote Point Yacht Club and Highlands Sports Bar.
Half Moon Bay itself sits roughly 25 to 30 miles south of San Francisco along the San Mateo County coast, home to about 11,795 residents as of the 2020 U.S. Census and known for its agriculture, tourism and open coastal spaces. For one Saturday, that quiet farm town gives way to boots, BBQ and a whole lot of two-stepping.
