A local family who love animals, dancing, and savory Texas-style brisket put the three together in a special event on Saturday, April 13.
The third annual Havana Honky Tonk, hosted by Quinton and Sunny Ruby, was held at the event venue located at 102 East Seventh Avenue.
Beginning at 4 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m., attendees were served brisket and Mexican street corn, and given plenty of room to dance the evening away.
While the event was free of charge and open to the public, donations to the St. Francis Wildlife Association were eagerly accepted.
“We like animals, we like dancing, and we like barbecue,” said Quinton Ruby as he made final preparations to serve the brisket which had been cooked for 26 hours. “The last two years benefited the Gadsden County Humane Society, and this year we switched to St. Francis.”
Ruby estimated that past events usually raised around $400 in donations, and was also a way to throw a great party and bring a little bit of Texas to Havana.
“We love being in Havana, and we love having this sort of thing to bring the community together,” Ruby continued. “I wouldn’t be able to do this kind of thing back in Texas because there’s already enough places that have dancing and barbecue. Here I can do it. I know Jose (Tilapia) who rented me the event space. I know the people I buy the meat from. With this being a small town I really enjoy that atmosphere. We look forward to having this for many more years.”
Stephen Klein – Gadsden County News Service