At some point in our lives we all have the opportunity to experience that magical night: high school prom. The Berlin Maryland Arts and Entertainment Committee decided to let the 21+ crowd relive that dream a few weeks ago at Zenna Wellness Studio, giving locals a shot at reliving prom night…this time for a good cause, Berlin Arts and Entertainment. Not only did the committee afford us with the chance to relive our youth, they also appealed to us with the nostalgia of the 1980’s while adding to the mix a marvelous DJ. What more is needed? Good vibes, the prefect venue, and great food of course. Appetizers were donated by Watermen’s Seafood Restaurant and Baked Desserts supplied the tasty chocolate fountain.
“Zenna Wellness was the perfect venue! We could not have been more pleased,” exclaimed Heather Layton, the President of the recently re-formed Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee (also Berlin native and owner of in-town store Bungalow Love). Heather pushed for a 80’s theme, explaining, “who doesn’t like dressing up?” The event was free; however, there was a $5 suggested donation to benefit the Berlin Maryland Arts and Entertainment Committee. The funds raised go towards encouraging art in Berlin by providing the public with special events, art projects, and more. The Arts and Entertainment Committee collectively came up with a “fake prom” concept for the February Art Stroll. “We liked that it fell on Valentine’s Day,” Heather stated. “We picked 7-10 pm to give people time to have dinner then come out.” When asked why a “fake prom” and if she had fun organizing the event, Heather replied, “I wanted it to be fun and not taken seriously like a real prom. We also wanted it to be welcoming to couples and singles. We went out the day before to put our 80’s spin on it. Decorating in itself was a blast.” Heather also stated that Berlin would definitely be seeing similar events held in the future by the committee.
The prom ended with a good turnout despite limited advertising, something Heather predicted would definitely be improved upon in the future. “We had quite a bit of feedback and quite a few people commented that they were just hearing about the prom the day of. We never held an event like this before so we didn’t know what to expect.” Heather also pointed out that, “I had a lot of people all night long saying how much fun they were having.” Those who did attend the prom had nothing but high regards for the decor, music, and of course the photo booth. The entrance was illuminated with strings of blue lights and a large hand painted heart on an immense piece of smoothed wood crafted by a Berlin local and community friend.
“I love being a part of the town, as a resident and a business owner. I grew up in Berlin and could not be more pleased to see all the events and activities Berlin has become a host to,” Heather stated. Fortunately for residents of Berlin, we can look forward to similar events in the future.
