"This is actually where it all happened," said Kathy Hildre, chairwoman of Juneau's statehood anniversary volunteer group Capital City Celebrations. "It happened in Juneau, the capital of Alaska. Being here my whole life, I'm very happy about this ball."

The all-ages event will include a performance by The Diamonds, the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame group that has sold more than 20 million records with classic songs such as "Little Darlin'" and "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" The event begins at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $50.

Hildre said Capital City Celebrations wants to honor the monumental achievement of statehood and celebrate in similar fashion as they did on Jan. 3, 1959.

"We just want the community to know that we're extremely happy to be celebrating 50 years of statehood," she said.

Volunteer Jackie Honeywell Walden said there will be a variety of decorations and mementos from the era to help bring back the feeling of the time. Along with dancing and music, there will be statehood displays, prizes, a silent auction, hors d'oeuvres from the period and a cash bar. People are encouraged to come dressed in 1950s attire, she said.

"It's for young and old people," Honeywell Walden said. "It's not just for people who were around at statehood."

Organizers are also planning a "nostalgia room," which will include historical newspapers, period clothes, even a 1959 phone book from Juneau, "where you can look up your grandmother's phone number," Honeywell Walden said.

Inside Centennial Hall, Capital City Celebrations will also be recreating Percy's, the local soda fountain and popular '50s hangout for young people where the Viking Lounge presently is located.

"Everyone was there after the movies," Honeywell Walden said. "The girls used to hang out waiting for the guys to drive by, just like in 'American Graffiti.'"

Capital City Celebrations hopes people will come out and have a fun and enjoyable evening in the name of statehood, volunteers have said.

"We don't want to call it a dance, because people can just come and listen to the music," Honeywell Walden said. "We're just calling it a party. ... It's a big party celebrating the 50th anniversary of statehood."

But there will probably be a whole lot of dancing going on, she added.

"We'll probably be doing 'The Twist,' 'The Stroll' and a little bit of slow dancing," she said.

People who attend will also be sent home with party favors, which include a wine glass and a 50th anniversary lapel pin. A lot of local organizations have stepped up to the plate to help pull off the event that has been done on a volunteer basis, organizers said.

"There will be lots of good things going on, so it will be a fun night," Honeywell Walden said.

Capital City Celebrations is also working on a variety of other events throughout 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Alaska statehood. A fireworks presentation sponsored by BP Alaska is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday at Dimond Park in the Mendenhall Valley. Eaglecrest Ski Area is planning a 50th anniversary celebration on Feb. 29. And a statehood themed quilt show is scheduled for March 28.

Perseverance Theatre is planning on two Alaska-themed productions this season to coincide with the statehood anniversary. "Battles of Fire and Water" will debut March 14 and depicts the battles at Sitka in 1802 and 1804 between Tlingits and Russian fur traders. "Eight Stars of Gold," which opens April 4, highlights the memories of the long road to statehood.

There are also a number of events planned for the Fourth of July weekend, including a re-enactment of the 1959 flag raising held in Juneau at the city library, which presently houses the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, to begin at 9 a.m. on Independence Day.