Dancing Deputies take final bow after 50 years at Frontier Days

• The 54th annual Frontier Days kicked off on Wednesday at the Eaton County fairgrounds.
• After 50 years of performances, the Dancing Deputies have taken their final bow at Charlotte's Frontier Days celebration.
• Dancing Deputies take final bow after 50 years at Frontier Days.

Watch: The Dancing Deputies' final show at Frontier Days.

The 54th annual Frontier Days kicked off Wednesday at the Eaton County fairgrounds, marking not just the beginning of festivities but also the end of an era for a beloved local tradition.

After 50 years of performances, the Dancing Deputies have taken their final bow at Charlotte's Frontier Days celebration.

"It's a lot of ups and downs," Granddaughter of Dancing Deputies founder Wilma Campbell Holly Nevins said.

The Dancing Deputies, a group of local women who bring people together through dance, have been a staple of the community for five decades. Wilma Campbell started the performance group in 1975 to enhance the entertainment at Frontier Days.

"She started because she felt like something was missing from the entertainment," Daughter of Wilma Campbell, Lori Coplin, said.

The group became known for their unique performances that combined various dance styles with musical elements.

"The dancing deputies are famous for our spoon playing and we tap dance we do western dances through the year," Daughter of Wilma Campbell, Lori Coplin said.

For Nevins, the Dancing Deputies has been a lifelong connection to her family and community.

"We go through a lot with everyone's weddings, babies, I grew up literally from newborn to now," Granddaughter of Dancing Deputies founder Wilma Campbell Holly Nevins said.

After generations of the Campbell family maintaining this tradition, they decided that 50 years was the perfect milestone to end their legacy. Nevins believes her grandmother would approve of their decision.

"I think she would be here with a huge smile on her face, trying give grandma Wilma the respect she deserves for what she started so many years ago," Nevins said.

As the Dancing Deputies performed for the final time, Nevins reflected on the experience.

"It's been surreal," Granddaughter of Dancing Deputies founder Wilma Campbell Holly Nevins said.

Frontier Days will continue through Sunday afternoon in Charlotte.

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