On May 2, students at Pacific Grove High School attended Prom 2026 at Monterey Beach Point for a night of dancing, ocean views, and mocktails. Juniors and seniors seemed to enjoy the dance, with the overall sentiment being a seven out of ten, a pretty great night for most.
One of the biggest highlights of the night was the semi-unusual venue. Many students liked being near the beach and said the location gave Prom a fun and relaxed feeling, not like they were cooped up in the Student Union. Students also enjoyed having a bartender and the mocktails that were served during the event. “The mocktails were really good,” one student said, “that was honestly one of the best parts.”
One complaint from students was regarding the DJ. Many people felt the music choices were weak and did not match what students wanted to hear, but the dance floor was populated nonetheless. Several students were upset that not many hip-hop songs were played during the night, since they are generally a staple at most school dances. However, the venue allowed for students to take a break out on the deck or the beach if they got too bored.
As per usual, there were some conflicting opinions on how fun the dance was. Junior Jonah DeLeon said Prom was “one of the more mediocre dances” he has been to because of the music and overall vibe. Not everyone agreed though, as Senior Walter Schramm said it was “the greatest dance” he has ever been to and thought the location and atmosphere made the night special. Regardless of some students not having the best time at the last dance of the year, it’s clear that many had a great time.
A time-honored tradition at Proms across the country — naming Prom King and Queen — occurred late into the night at Del Monte Beach. The competition was between two couples: Milo Nothnagle and Yeva Yevdash, and Garret Kuska and Sara Pisano. Nothnagle and Yevdash were crowned the winners and enjoyed an empty dance floor for the first slow dance of the night before the rest of the crowd joined them.
Even though students had different opinions on the music, most agreed that the sandy venue helped make the night an enjoyable last dance for some and a great first Prom for others. Prom 2026 still gave PGHS students a fun night to celebrate before the end of the year rolls around.
