Students will be stepping into full New York City, Gossip Girl-esque mode on Saturday, April 18, when this year’s prom takes over the Foundry Art Centre. The theme, “Gilded City: A New York Affair,” is supposed to make the whole place feel like a Gossip Girl episode.
Students will start checking in at 7 p.m. at the Foundry’s main entrance, showing their Focus IDs and ticket receipts before heading inside. The attached parking lot will be open, and once people walk in, they’ll see the skyline backdrops, warm lighting, and all the decorations the prom committee has been working on for weeks.
According to junior committee member Kendyl Delosreyes (11), the theme took a lot of work.
“We started by throwing out ideas about what we did and didn’t want,” Delosreyes said. “It came down to Beauty and the Beast, Tangled, and Gossip Girl. We low‑key fought about it for like 30 minutes… calm communication mixed with a little yelling and some passive‑aggressive comments, but we figured it out, and honestly, Gossip Girl was a good option.”
Once the theme was picked, the school announced it in the most dramatic way possible, a full Gossip Girl-style email that basically told students to “arrive like royalty.” Prom coordinator Nicole McFadden said the committee has been leaning into this theme from the beginning.
“The official theme is ‘Gilded City: A New York Affair,’ and the class of 2027 has been working closely with Gossip Girl herself to prepare for the big night,” McFadden said.
Tickets went on sale April 1 for $65 but will go for $75 during the last few days before the deadline. Students can buy them online through Focus or in person at the Perch, where guest forms are also being collected for underclassmen or students from other schools.
On prom night, students will have access to light appetizers, desserts, and a non‑alcoholic drink bar. The Prom court announcement will be at 9 p.m.
Whether students are going for the theme, the photos, or just to make memories before the year ends, Prom 2026 is looking to be one of the best nights of this spring.
