That Big Party — Milligan’s version of prom — took place Friday evening at the King’s Center, a converted event space in downtown Johnson City. At 6 p.m., seniors were ushered in for a banquet that hovered somewhere between nostalgic and sugar-fueled, thanks to the ample amounts of Sweet Tea and Lemonade. By 7:30 p.m., the lights dimmed, the doors opened to underclassmen dressed in a wide range of formalwear — from Rent the Runway to Goodwill glam — and suddenly, there was a vibe.
When asked what made the night memorable, students gave refreshingly sincere answers.
“Hanging out with friends!” said freshman Nikki Louthan.
“Dancing!” added freshman Geneva Schepers.
“They actually had good music — my high school prom didn’t,” said freshman Hailey Crouch.
Junior Bryant Magness was the event’s DJ, and he provided a sonic buffet of pop hits and generational throwbacks designed to trigger dopamine in 18- to 22-year-olds.
“My favorite moment was waving to the guy who sat in the office building across from us,” freshman Ariella Jones said. “and he waved back!”
Tickets — $10 each and sold in the Sutton Lobby — granted access to what was, on paper, a night of dancing. But really, That Big Party was about being the main character in someone else’s yearbook photo.
picture by Chris Cox
by Chris Cox