The music is loud, lights flash across the dance floor, and students fill the space, lost in the energy of the night. Prom is one of the most anticipated events for upperclassmen, and this year, West Chicago Community High School is taking it to one of the city’s most iconic landmarks: Navy Pier.

For years, the school has rotated between the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) and the Field Museum, but neither was available on the needed date. This led student council and activities director Marc Wolfe to look for alternative venues. The decision to return to Navy Pier—last used in 2016—was an easy one.

“We usually try to change it every year, and we’ve kind of rotated between the two museums, MSI and Field Museum, and neither one of them were available on the date that we needed to do it this year,” Wolfe said. “So we looked at some other large venues, and Navy Pier was available, and we’ve done it there before. We did it there in 2016, I believe, and had a really good experience.”

While the venue is set, student council members and advisors will visit Navy Pier next week to finalize details regarding food, seating arrangements, and entertainment.

“We’re going down on February 4 with student council members and the advisors, and we’re going to go over some of those options then,” Wolfe said.

One significant change from past years is the catering setup. Unlike the Field Museum, which required outside catering, Navy Pier will provide on-site catering.

“Field Museum had outside caterers, so they had to bring all the food into the museum, made it off-site, and brought it in,” Wolfe said. “This will be made directly on-site with caterers at Navy Pier. So I anticipate it maybe being a little fresher and hopefully maybe a little better.”

Ticket prices remain a concern, as costs for venues and transportation have risen over the years. However, Student Council is working to minimize expenses through fundraisers and budget planning.

“We’re hoping that we could see a slight decrease in tickets this year,” Wolfe said. “After we go on the fourth and get final numbers from the venue, we’ll see how we are budget-wise, and hopefully, we’re able to bring down those prices a little bit.”

Despite lingering uncertainties, anticipation for Prom remains high.

“I can’t wait for Prom,” senior Lesly Munoz said.

With one of Chicago’s most recognizable backdrops, an evening of dancing, music, and celebration awaits the WCCHS upperclassmen on May 2.

Correction

Updated Jan 28. at 11:32 a.m.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Prom would be held on May 15, when in actuality, it will be held on May 2.