30th Reunion decoration ideas

July 21, 2009 10:51 AM

My 30 year HS reunion is this Sept. Our Friday night "casual" night is going to be at our old HS. The original building was built in 1926 and closed in 1999 when a new HS was built at a new location. The old HS gym and cafeteria are the only parts still in use by a middle school next door. Everyone is so excited to go back to our old school. I am on the planning committee and need some ideas on decorating and making it a very memorable night.

We graduated in 1979...the Disco era. We will have a DJ spinning tunes from our day. Our school colors are royal blue and white. NO tables, chairs or shoes are allowed on the gym floor! We are eating in the cafeteria and then partying in the gym. We will only have the wooden bleachers to sit on and a wide open gym floor. There is a stage where memorabilia tables will be set up. Thanks in advance! Kam

posted by Rhaomi to Society & Culture (4 answers total)

You can start by looking into renting a portable dance floor that could be put over the gym floor, or at least part of it. Having a disco-themed reunion, but expecting people to dance in their stockings, socks or bare feet is asking for trouble; even if someone hasn't been drinking (and people will be drinking, whether or not you serve alcohol), they could end up going bum-over-teakettle while they're trying to do The Hustle, and that's all that anyone will remember about it. Can people wear athletic shoes, given that it's casual night and it's, well, a gym?

WRT decorations, besides a working dance floor, you need a mirror ball, obviously. If you're going to stick with a 70s theme, you could work in fake wood paneling and shag rugs somehow, although I'm not sure where you'd set that up--the stage?
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:05 AM on July 21, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks Halloween Jack,
Because it is school property, no alcohol is allowed. A bar is available for our Saturday foo-foo shi-shi night at the Country Club. Tennis shoes or sock feet are allowed on the gym floor. They just had it refinished so they are very protective of it. That is the reason for no tables or chairs or shoes on it. My biggest concerns are decorations and lighting in such a large area.
posted by Rhaomi at 11:17 AM on July 21, 2009

Response by poster: [Um, this is the real Rhaomi, here. We've had a little log-in mix-up with different laptops -- this question is actually being asked by kam1761... which would make more sense, since my 30th H.S. reunion isn't until 2036. Sorry for the confusion!]
posted by Rhaomi at 11:30 AM on July 21, 2009

Rhaomi: "[Um, this is the real Rhaomi, here. We've had a little log-in mix-up with different laptops -- this question is actually being asked by kam1761... which would make more sense, since my 30th H.S. reunion isn't until 2036. Sorry for the confusion!]"

Smarty pants whipper snapper!
posted by Kam1761 at 11:38 AM on July 21, 2009