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Hauser’s prom Saturday is set to be an event even the Great Gatsby would envy.

Students wanted to explore different options for this year’s prom location, organizers say, and The Forge was by far the hands-down favorite. And, rightfully so, as the building certainly lends itself aesthetically to the grand gala taking place there from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday.   

“We will use one of the main spaces as the dance floor,” says Alison Wold, director of technology at Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School and junior class sponsor. “We will have decorations in the seating areas and on the dessert table. We aren’t doing a ton.”

The prom theme, “Gala,” framed in a juxtaposition of black and gold with pearl accents, is set to be an evening reminiscent of a scene from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel “The Great Gatsby”.  

“We are going to have a red-carpet walk-in in front of the building,” Wold says.

The evening’s soundtrack will be provided by local DJ Josh Inman and refreshments will be offered by Gramz Bakery for the nearly 200 students expected to attend. Local favorite 812 Photo Booth will also be present throughout the evening to document the special event, Wold says.

Bringing an event like this to life is truly a group effort, Wold says.  

The best part of the whole process has been working with the students, says Kristy Madden, Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School dean of students and junior class sponsor.

“They all have fantastic ideas – way better than both Alison and I have,” Madden says. “And I love just making those ideas come to life for their prom because it is all about them and their night to remember.”

Wold agrees it is fun to see the students’ excitement that evening.

“We are used to seeing them in the hallway in their jeans and hoodies but seeing them all cleaned up and fancy is fun,” Wold adds.   

Tickets for the event are still available for purchase through Friday, April 28, at lunch, Madden says, with single tickets for $20 and couples’ tickets for $35.

Following the glitz and glamor at The Forge, prom-goers are invited to attend the 70’s-themed after prom at the Hauser Fieldhouse from midnight to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Lana Greenlee, Hauser High School after prom committee chair, says after prom themes were brainstormed and as it turns out, disco is not dead – or so the students have declared with their votes.

A curtain-framed walkway with bookend balloons will greet prom goers as they enter the fieldhouse that will be decorated to create the feel as though one just walked onto the set of That ‘70s Show early Sunday. Lava lamps, bold '70s décor and a mix of pop and funkadelic tunes will create a funky fun ambiance, organizers say.

And the evening will certainly be about the games.

“We’ve got Toxic Meltdown, jousting, Wipeout, and an obstacle course,” Greenlee says. “And we are going to have the traditional ring toss, limbo and some giant yard games, like checkers and bowling.”

There will also be plenty of prizes up for grabs as Greenlee says she’s working with a good-sized budget this year. In addition to a plethora of gift cards, freebies and door prizes, additional items up for grabs run the gamut of techy gear, including air pods and laptops, to t-shirts, Greenlee says.   

The evening may be filled with lots of fun and laughter, but the absence of three Hauser students who died earlier this year won’t be far from the hearts and minds of those attending, Greenlee says.

The parents of Sarah Taylor, Josh Chasteen and Jesse Bragg will each be respectively presented with a corsage and boutonniere at a later date, Greenlee says.

“In memory of the students who passed, we are going to do a memory table,” Greenlee says. “And maybe get the class together and take a picture in front of it.”

Though the process of planning an event like this takes some time, patience and a few deep breaths, Greenlee says she is very pleased with how it has all come together. And the students’ help has been tremendous.

“I just like seeing the kids have a good time,” Greenlee says. “I love it when they’re all in there playing the games and running around.”