The Acalanes Parents Club has announced a $100-per-person line-dancing fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 7, with all ticket revenue going to Lafayette Partners in Education (LPIE).

The Holiday Hoedown runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Balestrieri Family Farm. Each ticket includes access to a DJ, a line-dancing instructor and two drinks.

Dinner will be available for purchase separately.

Parent sponsors covered the event's costs, so every dollar from ticket sales goes directly to LPIE, according to the Acalanes Parents Club announcement. The club described Lafayette school funding as built on three streams: state dollars, local parcel taxes and community giving through LPIE. LPIE, formerly the Lafayette Arts and Science Foundation, has directed more than $50 million to Lafayette public schools since 1980, according to the Acalanes Union High School District's foundations page.

The fundraiser lands four days after voters decide on Measure W, a proposed $168-per-parcel annual tax for the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD). District trustees voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to place the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, The Orinda News reported. If two-thirds of voters approve it, the eight-year tax would bring the district's total annual parcel-tax bill to $469 per taxable parcel. Eligible seniors and qualifying residents with disabilities could apply for exemptions, according to the district.

A previous parcel-tax attempt, Measure T, failed in May 2025 with 63.63% support, just short of the two-thirds threshold, according to the district’s election update. Recent district cuts have included a reduction in academic counseling staff and a shift from four high-school librarians to a single district librarian, The Orinda News reported.

Superintendent John Nickerson told the board at its Aug. 5 meeting, as The Orinda News reported, that AUHSD receives "the lowest allocation from the state of all high school districts in the state of California." Students at Acalanes High School in Lafayette rallied in early October to promote Measure W, according to CBS News Bay Area.

The Parents Club announcement includes links to purchase tickets.

Upcoming dates:

  • Nov. 3 — Measure W parcel-tax vote
  • Nov. 7, 6–9 p.m. — Holiday Hoedown at Balestrieri Family Farm ($100 per person)