OCTOBER 31, 2025 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | By Allison Garcia
Gaylord Hall in the Worner Center was transformed into a dimly lit, eerie space for one of the Butler Center’s most anticipated annual events: Goth Prom.
Adorned with flashing strobe lights, a hauntingly decorated entrance and students dressed as zombies inspired by the film “Night of the Living Dead,” Goth Prom set the stage for a spooky night of Halloween festivities.
First introduced by The Butler Center in the fall of 2023, the event was created to honor the queer goth community during LGBTQ+ History Month.
This year, students gathered from 8 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24 to celebrate an evening that blended Halloween spirit with a space that encouraged them to freely express their goth identity.
For many, Goth Prom offers more than just another themed dance. “Goth Prom means doing prom in a different way,” said Willa Brooks-Kistler ‘29. “It allows people who don’t really fit into the traditional prom standard to do their own thing and incorporate Halloween [into] it.”
Some students arrived in elaborate outfits, while others came simply to dance and be part of the gothic celebration. For Rachel Dalby, who was visiting her friend at CC, the night carried a deeper sense of community. “My best friend is one of the event planners,” she said. “We went last year, and it’s just a really cool, fun place for people in the goth community to come together, listen to music and just enjoy themselves.”
Behind the frightening makeup as one of the scare actors is Ben Ruddock ‘26, who has helped organize Goth Prom for three consecutive years. “Every year it’s been bigger and better,” Ruddock said. “This year, incorporating zombies and creating a more experiential environment has been really fun to be a part of. It’s brought out a lot more people than in previous years.”
Goth Prom remains a campus favorite for the freedom it gives students to express themselves and dance the night away.