In every city or town with 100,000 population or less, there is always one big event of the year that makes its citizens feel like they are somebody. In the Hemet/San Jacinto Valley, it takes place in November. It happened this past Saturday night at the Soboba Casino in their monstrous event room – packed wall to wall with locals, many of whom were wrapped in their finery and the family jewels. Autumn Elegance is like an inauguration. It is where the elite meet to dine and show off their finery, where the restaurants and the wineries show off their wares, Lawyers and doctors commiserate with each other, pick up new clients, make new friends and renew old friendships from a year ago and beyond.

The band alternated between swing and rock and roll—business professionals and their wives sharing the dance floor with teenagers and their dates.

It is an actual socializing event. The guests meander around the floor. The wine tables were very popular with long lines stretching out in all directions. One thing that is rare nowadays at large events where fermented drinks flow like a mountain waterfall; there were no brawls, loud drunks or unruly party-goers.

Between six and nine PM, the place was like a college alumni reunion. There were no security guards hovering over the room occupied by hundreds of happy individuals as they welcomed the approach to the holiday season.

In the big cities, they have gigantic balls and enormous parades to welcome in the season. In rural areas of the country, you can find hoe-downs and square dances in barns where the seats are bales of hay with horses and cows in nearby stalls. They had those in West Virginia, where I grew up.

The San Jacinto Valley has the flavor of suburban and rural life with a touch of the larger urban atmosphere.

Our Autumn Elegance is so American you can almost see some of the Founding Fathers with their ladies waltzing across the floors. Makes you proud to be living in a free country. It gives us the opportunity to appreciate what we have and with elections at our doorstep, it makes us hope we can keep it that way.

If you missed it this year, maybe you’ll find your way to it next time. When folks talk about their peaceful life in days gone by, they could well be reliving those feelings. It was Autumn and it was Elegant. Just sayin’.

Rustystrait@gmail.com

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Thanks to the generosity of the Soboba Foundation, the 27 th annual Autumn Elegance will once again introduce guests to some of the best food and wine in the San Jacinto Valley and beyond. The philanthropic arm of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians will host this year’s event at the new Soboba Casino Resort Event Center.

Presented by the Hemet-San Jacinto Exchange Club and Friends of Valley-Wide Foundation, the extremely successful and much anticipated evening of food and beverage tasting will take place on Nov. 2 from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

“Autumn Elegance is recognized as one of the premier events of the year,” said Dean Wetter, Executive Director of the Friends of Valley-Wide Foundation.

Traditionally capped at 600 guests due to venue size, this year’s larger location will allow for more vendors and mingle room for more visitors. About 20 eateries will be on hand for tasting of their signature dishes and more and a dozen wineries will be represented, offering tastes of their finest.

There will also be a beer garden. “The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians has supported Autumn Elegance the majority of the 27 years,” said Tom Wilson, Autumn Elegance Committee Chairman. “Friends of Valley-Wide and the Hemet-San Jacinto Exchange Club appreciate the tribe’s support of this event and other programs.”

Aside from the semi-formal, over 21 evening of fun it also benefits the local nonprofits. The Hemet-San Jacinto Exchange Club offers many youth projects and scholarships throughout the year and the Friends of Valley-Wide Foundation provides scholarships for families who cannot afford the cost of having their children play sports through the many programs that Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District offers for all ages. Funds also help with building and expansion projects of Valley-Wide facilities.

“Autumn Elegance came about when a member of the Exchange Club attended a similar event and brought the idea back to the Hemet-San Jacinto Exchange Club. The community support over the years has been heartwarming and the growth has allowed the event to move from the Hemet Valley Mall to the Country Club at Soboba Springs and now to the outstanding new Soboba Casino Resort,” Wilson said.

Organizers expect a great turnout and tickets are available at the door and online at friendsofvalleywide.org.

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