After the unique outdoor homecoming experience last year, Diamond Bar High School’s United Student Body (USB) settled on an indoor venue for 2023, transforming the Orange County Observatory in Anaheim, California into a galaxy; it corresponded with the theme for this year’s celebration: “Written in the Stars”.
The night sparkled with LED games, karaoke, complimentary tacos, ice cream, a dance floor and interactive games like air hockey and foosball. The main planners for the dance, junior Jane Kim and senior Fion Hanaoka, chose a theme that was easy to develop and plan activities.
“We toured a wide variety of venues but the Observatory OC really stuck with us,” Kim said. “We loved the indoor portion and really thought that it would fit our event the best.”
Featuring a twinkling rooftop and colorful lights, the homecoming dance venue featured a huge indoor room—The Constellation Room—with an impressive sound system and high ceilings. Despite being on the smaller side for a homecoming venue, the Observatory was chosen by USB for the quality that it offered.
“I like to manage homecoming because it is one of the biggest and most anticipated events of the year,” Hanaoka said. “Homecoming is a fun event that allows you to bond with your classmates.”
Each year, different commissioners in USB are in charge of planning homecoming. Their job also encompasses planning all of the events leading up to the big day.
“We plan the halftime show, the dance and the nominations for court. It takes a lot of hard work to accomplish such a great task,” Kim said.
A big challenge of the process is choosing theme ideas that are not repeated from previous years or monotonous. Once chosen, the organizers tour the venue to see which best fits the concept.
“Some future theme ideas would be space, under the sea, Hollywood, Mamma Mia, and Disney! Themes are super fun to play around with,” Kim said.
What made the dance a memorable experience for many was how much of the student body packed into one venue, making the environment more intimate.
“I did say hi to people I talk to on a normal occasion, but what made the night extra special was being able to talk to friends I haven’t seen in a while,” senior Erin Joe said. “It’s the type of friends where you may or may not say hi to them in the hallways, but when I saw them all at the dance, it just makes me so proud and happy to see them.”
Not only did the dance allow students to meet new peers, but it also provided a space for friends to get closer and hang out.
“Homecoming was a great opportunity to hangout with my friends and classmates in a new environment outside of the classroom,” junior Ella Davies said.
Although some said the dance floor was relatively small compared to the rest of the venue, the different dimensions of the room still provided an entertaining and unforgettable night.
“One of my favorite memories was taking pictures with all my friends, especially at the photobooths,” junior Sofia DeLeon said. “The venue had many different activities; there were places to sit down and relax or dance.”
