Why You’ll Never See a Flash Mob in St. George…It’s “Footloose” Law

We all know that Utah resembles the movie Footloose in many ways with its liquor store requirements and massive population of LDS followers.  

However, there is a city that takes that even further with a really tight grip on public dancing; St. George. You’ll never see a flash mob here (legally) because according to municipal code 3-2A-4, the city council needs to approve them...sort of.  

Public dance halls are nowhere to be seen in St. George because the requirements are kind of insane. People want to dance into the wee hours of the morning but there's a ban from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. No loud music, no swaying with your sweetheart, and no fun.  

The closest you’ll get is a few bars and the occasional Zion Live Event where you can dance to your heart’s content for a few hours. However, the bars are cramped, and the Zion Live Events are pretty much for the younger crowd.  

The city council must also approve the location of the public dance hall. Basically, you have to have a permit to run a public dance hall the same as you would need a license to sell liquor.  

It's pretty rare to see couples or anyone dancing at the bars as many are lounge or game heavy. It's something I'd like to see changed.  

St. George deserves a bar and dance hall combo that’s fit for both. Closing down at 1 a.m. is pretty much a Utah thing and yes, I know I could move. However, the city is always growing and it's not just for families and LDS individuals.  

Anyway, don’t get your boogie on without a permit.