LAKE ORION/OXFORD, Mich. — On Friday, June 14, 2024, Oxford and Lake Orion residents took to their downtowns, dressed in retro leg warmers, fanny packs and bright neon to have a tubular time during the ‘Ladies of the 80s’ ladies’ night celebration.
With the beginning of summer coming up in just a few days, the Oxford and Lake Orion Downtown Development Authorities (DDA) came together to put on a fun event that celebrated not only the decade of the 1980s,
Photo by Joe Johnson
but the women who grew up during that era.
Lake Orion’s neighbor to the north, Oxford, welcomed Orion Area residents to their downtown and vice versa. Local stores celebrated the night with special offers and treats, as well as restaurants serving 80s-themed drinks — there was even a replica of K.I.T.T. from the classic 80s TV show “Knight Rider.”
ONTV’s Joe Johnson spoke to Kelly Westbrook of the Oxford DDA on the evening of the event about the activities people were participating in.
“Our two DDAs collaborated to do another Stronger Together event, we’ve got the trolley running until 10, and all of us ladies are dressed up in 80s,” Westbrook said.
The festivities began at 5 p.m. and spanned for most of the evening. Participants checked in where they were offered fanny packs filled with coupons, as well as a trolley to shuttle the funky-fresh partygoers to and from Oxford.
“It’s nice for our businesses, it brings a lot of business into our retail, and then also into our bars and our restaurants, so just a wonderful way to support the community and have a fun time doing it,” Westbrook said.
Photo by Joe Johnson
ONTV’s Lexi McKinney talked to Debbie Burgess, chair of the Lake Orion DDA, who gave some insight on why the 80s are so beloved.
“I think what I love most about the 80s is the freedom to express yourself, the freedom just to be who you are, you didn’t have to fit into a mold… the pressure wasn’t there,” Burgess said.
The “Stronger Together” campaign has brought the two neighboring municipalities closer together since 2022, supporting each other with events like these.
“So, the fact we can now collaborate together and really offer something to both communities but use our same marketing on just one event is huge… We have so many people who live in Oxford and work in Lake Orion or vice versa so its really important to see us all together, its 2.3 miles downtown to downtown on the trolley, so it just makes sense and I am so glad we formed a partnership and gotten to do this,” Westbrook said.
Photo by Lexi McKinney
For more information and to find dates for upcoming events like this one, visit downtownlakeorion.org.