Swayze Tribute Planned In 'Dancing' Town

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Sep 18th 2009 06:20AM

Residents of the small North Carolina town where dance instructor Johnny Castle practiced lifts with Baby Houseman in 'Dirty Dancing' will remember Patrick Swayze with a memorial this weekend. The Lake Lure locals remember him as a kind family man, said the Rev. Everette Chapman, who will speak at the memorial service about the actor's determination to live life to the fullest.

The town memorial service will be Saturday at Firefly Cove, a housing development that was a summer camp when 'Dirty Dancing' was filmed in 1987. Castle's cabin was there, and it was the setting for many of the film's outdoor scenes. See Where It's At.

Although the service is free, visitors will be asked to donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Organizers have no idea how many people to expect, although they've arranged for law enforcement to help with parking just in case.

Swayze died Monday evening in Los Angeles after fight with pancreatic cancer. He was 57. Among his best-known roles was Castle, the dance instructor at a Catskills resort who charms Baby, an idealistic young woman vacationing there with her family.

Although age and fire have claimed many landmarks from the movie, the film's imprint on Lake Lure, where much of it was filmed, remains. "We've gotten a lot of calls from the community, from people wanting some place to go," said Michelle Whitaker of the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority in the western part of the state. "The idea was born of people calling and requesting, 'What can I do? Where can I go to pay my respects?'"

"We do more 'Dirty Dancing' tours than property tours," said Terry Tincher, the broker for Firefly Cove. "It's amazing the following that movie has."

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Remembering Patrick Swayze

Actor Patrick Swayze has died at the age of 57 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Look back at the highlights of the beloved star's life >>>

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Tags: dirty dancing, DirtyDancing, patrick swayze, PatrickSwayze

Comments

(11)

Friday 18 September

By Hannah

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as a child my family and I went to lake lure several times. What a beautiful town and one year we went in saw the dirty dancing bridge Baby ran over with watermelons and saw the cabin Castle lived in!!! What a wonderful childhood memory, I am so glad they are doing this for him this weekend, what a wonderful way to honor Patrick!!! Havent been to lake lure in 20yrs hopefully can go back one day and revisit the Dirty Dancing memories!!

By Ken N.

Dirty Dancing and Road House are 2 of my favorite films that Patrick Swayze stared in.
Thank You
Patrick you will be missed

By neice

I first saw patrick in north and south, loved him ever since.we all know we live to die, but its dealing with it that hurts so, God has a beautiful Angel now that has a greater purpose now, I think everyone should look at his life, marriage, and try to live as he did, what a great human being he is. I pray for his wife, we know how much pain she is in and the entire family, but after 34 yrs being with a person its gonna be so hard for her,she had him in her arms when he took his last breath god bless her. and God bless all of the good people that have left beautiful posts for the family,Its been so nice to read so many nice posts for a change. bless it be

By Carol

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We will all miss him. I have 2 copys of dirty dancing and the CD. My prays so to his wife. Thank you for sharing him with the world. Carol

Saturday 19 September

By blackk93coupe

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I've lived here in Lake Lure my whole life; Dirty Dancing and Last Of The Mohichans being filmed here has made this area a great spot for tourist. Patrick will always be remembered and loved here.

By Jessie

Patrick and his father were both 57 when they passed away. Given Patrick's obvious love for his father and difficulty dealing with his death, I find it somehow significant that the two of them left their human bodies at the very same age. I will deeply miss Patrick's presence onscreen.

By Lonnie Holton

We should more like him aaaand most of his values a side from smoking,live like Patrick will be missed Deaply so long friend.

By Annette D.

Coincidentally, I lost my father at age 57 as well as my favorite celebrity, Patrick Swayze. I guess heaven needed both these great men to make heaven a whole bunch sweeter!!! Like many other women, I have watched Dirty Dancing 50+ times and will continue to do so. In choosing one of our timeshare loations, we chose Lake Lure, NC so I could visit some of the scenes where D.D. was shot. We also talked with some of the store proprietors who had wonderful things to tell us about Patrick. Several of them brought out autographed pictures and other memoirs. The music and dancing by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey were superb and will never be forgotten!!! Thank heaven for DVDs!!!

By Dick Chaspman

Most Of the Movie was filmed NOT in North Carolina, but at Mountain Lake in Virginia. That was "Dirty Dancing"

Saturday 10 October

By levin

I grew up in the Mountains of North Carolina and Lake Lure is pretty close to where I grew up, Alot of people that I know that were around when he made DD there and they said that Patrick was such a joy to be around and to me he showed that he was exactly like that with the way he acted in all his movies he was so kind (even when he played a tough guy role like road house) I am so thankful that we were blessed with Patrick Swayze and his talent! He will always be remembered as a GREAT ACTOR and AN even GREATER MAN!

When I saw Patrick Being interviewed years ago by Barbara Walters I saw how close he was with his Father, And I saw a recent interview with him and he said that his Father Had died at 57 yrs old and he said that he really never had another person as a father figure in his life until he Met Jerry Orabach who played Babys father in DD. They quickly became close while filming, Jerry Orabach Died some time ago ..Now His Father and Him Died same age and He and his Father like Figure Jerry Died of Cancer... To me thats Something!

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