Res halls sponsor annual spring formal

UW-River Falls students celebrated the beginning of spring with the annual Spring Formal that took place on April 3 in the University Center’s Riverview Ballroom. The three-hour event served UWRF students music, food and fun.

Students who were dressed up headed towards the red carpet that would lead them to the formal dance, “A Night Under the Stars.” As students arrived, they were filmed walking down the red carpet and pulled aside to talk on camera.

“It’s fun seeing people dressed up and being able to talk to them as they arrive,” freshman Bill Hager, who was filming the event, said.

This year it was estimated that 330 people attended, Area Coordinator for Residence Life Tracy Gerth said.

“It was very successful and shows a lot of work and effort of the students,” Gerth said.

The ballroom was filled with balloons, lights and music and was split into two main areas. Freshman Ruth Bohnhoff said she enjoyed how the event was set up and how it had a separate place for dancing as well as a place for visiting with friends. 

McMillan and Stratton Hall sponsored the event through advertisement around campus.

“We’ve focused a lot of our energy on promoting this event,” McMillan Hall Manager Mike Bremer said.

The prizes given out were donations from businesses in River Falls. The campus received a large number of donations this year by asking local businesses for their help in promoting Spring Formal. The grand prize of the night was a Nintendo Wii.

This year, the tasks of putting together this event were split between Stratton, which handled the decorations, food and song list for the DJ, and McMillan, which tackled the publicity, advertising, ticket creation and prizes.

“It’s fun getting together with friends and having a great time,” junior Beth DeLong, who was on the Spring Formal committee last year, said.

This year’s Spring Formal was different from previous years.

With more money, the halls were able to spend more on decorations, food, prizes and twists, such as the red carpet walkway, Stratton Hall Manager Jared Acker said.

Spring Formal has been around UWRF for at least 25 years. Traditions of formal dances go back to the 1950s, Assistant Director of Community Development and Education Kristie Feist said. It’s continued on campus “as a social outlet and to have fun and get dressed up.”

The cost of the event was $5 in advance this year, which was considered low, according to Acker, compared to other years when tickets had been as much as $10.

In previous years, Spring Formal was held off-campus and required a bus ticket that added to the expenses of the ticket price. Now that Spring Formal is held on campus, they have been able to charge much less.

“We are really lucky we have such a wonderful building that we are able to take advantage of for our event,” Bremer said.

Tickets were sold in advance at Stratton and McMillan Hall, and for the first time at the UC’s info desk and Stucrew desk which helped to increase sales. Acker said that the Wednesday and Thursday before the event are when most of the tickets are sold. This year it reached a little over 100 sold before the day of the event. However, sales increased on the day of the event. Ticket sales this year were higher than average and were able to cover the loan of $1,300 that the Area Council provided for the event.

“I think one of the best parts about going to college is getting together with your friends and having a fun time participating in campus events,” Bremer said. “It’s a chance to dress up, show your dance moves, enjoy some food and win some great prizes.”