Park revives swing dance at Jackson Square tennis courts

Put on your dancing shoes at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 16, as another summer of dances kicks off on the Jackson Square tennis courts.

They feature swing music from the 1940s.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park has revived the open-air tennis court dances held during the Manhattan Project to entertain the 75,000 war workers and their families contained within America’s Secret City.

The event is at 96 W. Tennessee Ave. and will be monthly on the third Thursday through October.

The dances are an all-ages event, and everyone can participate.

“You might get bit by the jitterbug out on the court,” the National Historic Park stated.

The 2024 summer season of tennis court dances will occur May 16, June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19 and Oct. 17.

The Park Service is looking for volunteers to help with these dance events.

To apply, contact Effie_Houston@nps.gov.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park is part of the U.S. National Park Service and includes Oak Ridge; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington.

These sites all played a part in the creation of the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, to end World War II. In Oak Ridge, the park service has many displays and programs. For more information go to nps.gov/mapr.