Party Report: Bozeman Prom
Posted on Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
Two weekends ago I headed up to Bozeman with an eager crew of Jackson kids on a mission: Not to shred, not to party with co-eds in Montana State dorms but to attend one of the best nostalgic events in our lives: The Bozeman Adult Prom.
We started the night off right with a table for 20 at our favorite suburban steakhouse. The butchered Australian accents demanding a “bloomin’ onion!” horrified our waitresses and shook up an otherwise cozy Saturday evening for surrounding families and Fosters’ drinking steak-eaters.
But, it was the magical dance that followed that made the evening memorable.
The brainchild of longtime Bozeman resident turned Jackson HD action sports film producer Phil Baribeau, Bozeman Prom takes place at the Eagles club in downtown Bozeman. Like Jackson’s Elks Club, the Eagles Club is a place where you can get a whiskey drink for $2 dollars and swing to honky-tonk all night. This year, Baribeau handed the prom scepter to Bozeman friends Julianne Schuman and Caitlin Magbee, who promise an even bigger party in ‘08.
For ‘07, the girls themed the night “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” and had people line up for Polaroid prom shots with a backdrop of Elvis and a blow up Palm Tree. DJ AJ covered all decades spinning tunes and even allowed Wink Inc’s Sean Campbell to take over the mic to attempt Rapper’s Delight.
A disco ball lit up sparkly get-ups sported by generously served adults while all basked in high school glory years minus chemistry teacher chaperones and the fear of Breathalyzers. Cabs carted corsage and boutonnière-laden prom-goers around town afterward- most weren’t ready to go home just yet. There were King and Queen nominations and a dance-off to determine the winners. Sadly, I did not win, but I danced like an ’80’s queen!
Plans for a Jackson Prom are in the making for the spring. Stay tuned for further information for your own chance to relive the magical glory days. And, Bozeman folks … the prom princesses plan to top this year’s event with more creative costumes, party planning and plenty more people. Get ready!
When not dressed to the nines, Carolyn Gorski works as a Cloudveil seamstress. She recently wrote about college ski clubs for The Mountain Culture.
