Thousand Oaks High School students didn’t have to miss out on one of the most memorable events of their school life, the prom, thanks to a creative and generous local business. After Thousand Oaks High School in Thousand Oaks, California, canceled its official prom due to the pandemic, Janss Marketplace management saved the milestone event by staging a prom of its own.
Prom Party 2021 attendees received a professional portrait as a keepsake
The 600,000-square-foot shopping center, owned and managed by NewMark Merrill Cos., gave students a free prom experience on Sunday, June 6, to make up for an event the school had to cancel. The center includes abundant outdoor space and facilities to accommodate social distancing and other pandemic safety protocols. Thousand Oaks High School juniors and seniors donned evening gowns, suits, tuxedos and masks to attend Prom Party 2021 at the open-air center.
The evening started as attendees enjoyed free dinners served by several Janss Marketplace restaurants, including Greco’s New York Pizzeria, Narubento, Ớt Bistro and Sharky’s. Promgoers danced on a multicolor dance floor to a DJ. Adjacent activities included a photo booth, table games jumping sessions at Defy Extreme Air Sports and drawings for prizes like tickets for Regal, which has a location at the center.
By Brannon Boswell
Executive Editor, Commerce + Communities Today