By Parker Soughers
Every year, following the Senior graduation ceremony, community volunteers put on “Benicia Grad Night”. This event provides a wealth of opportunities and fun experiences for students while protecting students from driving under the influence and getting into accidents. Car accidents have a higher frequency of occurrence on graduation night. In an attempt to mitigate this, Benicia Grad Night provides a wealth of activities while locking students on school grounds until bars close.
Why should a senior attend Grad Night? Not only does it present a safe environment for graduates, but it also presents a wide array of activities to participate in. Each year Grad Night has adopted a theme to base its set designs and activities on. Examples of previous themes are Pirates, Pawchella (Music Festival), and Superheroes. The theme is kept secret from seniors every year to ensure that the night is full of surprises.
The range of activities is also a pivotal part of the event. From scavenger hunts to trivia games, poker tables to free food, movie rooms, to escape rooms, Grad Night is jam packed with fun and excitement. Throughout the night, there are large giveaways and raffles for large prizes.
Even alumni from Benicia High School have looked back on Grad Night with fond memories. Comet Ziemer, a graduate from the class of 2024 recounts their experiences from their Grad Night, saying, “I think a lot of people had a lot of fun. I feel like people didn’t really know what to expect but were really blown away.” Ziemer continued explaining their satisfaction in attending the event, saying, “It was a really great way to close out my high school life. I was surrounded by friends, fun things to do, and just a huge sense of freedom. It was an absolute blast.”
This year, Grad Night will be held on June 7th from 8:00 PM to 1:30 AM on June 8th. Tickets are currently on sale. Prices for tickets do increase as the event comes closer, so make sure to buy tickets early. Registration prices are as follows:
$125 – by Nov.1 – Feb. 14, 2025
$150 – Feb. 15 – Apr. 11, 2025
$175 – Apr. 12 – May 16, 2025
$200 – May 17 – June 7, 2025
You can register for Grad Night by using the following link: https://www.beniciagradnight.net/register
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