But unlike the high school prom or wedding reception at which the dress was worn for the first — and often only — time, there’s no need to worry about having a date for the Mom Prom.
“It’s just a fun night to get out with our girlfriends, and dance all night, with no men — no husbands, no boyfriends,” said Betsy Crapps, assistant director of faith formation at St. Thomas a’Becket Parish in Canton Township.
The Mom Prom tradition began in 2006 when Crapps and 11 of her friends went out together to dance. The next year, they moved the event to the St. Thomas a’Becket gym and began promoting it.
Now, the event attracts 120 to 150 women, and other women are copying the idea all over the place — not only in the metropolitan area, but across the country.
The concept has received both local and national media attention, including a segment on “Good Morning America” and a joke or two on “Saturday Night Live.”
“We’ve even received letters from Australia, Japan and England wanting to know how to go about holding a Mom Prom,” Crapps said.
And despite the name, women who aren’t moms are welcome, too, she said.
But what about the tradition of having a picture taken with her prom date?
“We have cardboard cutouts of men such as John Wayne, James Dean or Antonio Banderas for photos,” Crapps said.
Aren’t there even any men in the band? Nope — there’s a female disc jockey.
The music tends to be mostly from the 1980s. “We don’t have any slow songs — it’s more like an aerobic workout,” Crapps explained.
Participants typically go out to dinner before the 8-11 p.m. event, but many of the women bring food to share, so there are some edibles available in addition to adult beverages (“no need to try to duct-tape a flask to their leg,” she said).
There are also competitions for prom queen and tackiest dress, as well as a silent auction to increase the amount for its designated charity beyond what is raised by the admission fee of $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
Of course, the passage of years can mean a prom or bridesmaid dress doesn’t quite fit like it used to. “We just tell them it’s OK to wear a T-shirt underneath it, and zip it up as far as it will go,” Crapps said.
Over the years, the Mom Prom at St. Thomas a’Becket Parish has raised money for a local homeless shelter, to send gift boxes to U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan and for other charities. The most recent one, on April 27, aided the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Two Mom Proms will be held May 18 in southeast Michigan— one in Brighton to benefit the American Diabetes Association and one in Redford Township to benefit Relay for Life.
For more information, go to www.momprom.org or email [email protected].
