Few things make it past the one year mark in Miami and even less can claim to have lasted for a decade, so it’s a pretty big deal when an event has been going strong here for 17 years. A collaborative production between Sweat Records and Vagabonds at Large (the former owner of The Vagabond, the now-closed beloved Miami staple) ’80’s Prom returns this year to its new home at Gramps in Wynwood.
Old enough to attend prom itself, the event has long been an annual tradition for scenesters looking to let loose and reconnect with friends during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. For those whose families live elsewhere, it’s an opportunity to get that sense of community that may otherwise give the evening a little sting, always the night before the big Turkey feast. With many in attendance (myself included) being repeat visitors, it’s that much easier to get swallowed up in that feeling of familiarity and comfort that makes it that much easier to cut loose and have fun. It really does almost make you feel like you’re back in high school when things were simpler (at least in retrospect).
While all the music is obviously theme appropriate, the highlight for me each year is the “band in residence” The State Of. Threading seamlessly between different 80’s genres, from Madonna to 2 Live Crew, they know how to get the crowd moving and shaking expertly.
I think in the end the success of this event comes down to the same thing it always does for things that stand the test of time: People coming together with genuine intention to unite the community, and doing everything in their power to execute a vision that is true to the spirit of the event.
Get your tickets while you can and see you out tonight!
