Post-prom comes ‘home’ to KMHS

For decades, the post-prom celebration has been a tradition at Kasson-Mantorville High School.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it shut down nearly everything, including that rite of passage.
Five years on, the event will once again be held at KMHS.
“The 2026 event marks a major homecoming,” said Angie Richards, a member of the Post-Prom Committee. “In recent years, we’ve hosted the party at outside venues, but this year the committee made the strategic decision to bring the event back to Kasson-Mantorville High School.
“It’s a milestone that allows us to truly customize the experience for our students right where they spend their most important high school moments,” she said, adding that the core mission of the event “is to provide a safe, celebratory and chemical-free environment for our young adults.
“We want to ensure that the biggest night of their year is remembered for the right reasons — friendship, community and high-energy fun,” Richards said.
She noted unlike some other post-prom events around the country, students do not have to attend the prom dance to participate in the post-prom.
“In fact, we have students every year who skip the formal dance entirely and still attend post-prom,” Richards said. “We’re excited to give those students a fun way to celebrate with their peers.”
She said the goal is to keep the “fun factor extremely high and the ticket prices extremely low so that every single junior and senior feels welcome.”
“With top-notch prizes and high-energy activities, we’ve seen our participation numbers climb every year,” Richards said. “We are expecting around 250 students to fill the high school this year, proving that this is the place to be for friendship and community, regardless of how you spent the earlier part of your Saturday night.”
Richards said the growth in student attendance since the pandemic has been fantastic.
“The biggest pivot for 2026 is our decision to bring the celebration back home to Kasson-Mantorville High School,” Richards said. “Transitioning from an off-site sports and entertainment complex to our own high school required a complete reimagining of the event’s entertainment and decor. Based on the theme selected by the students — Neon-Nightglow — our goal is to transform familiar hallways into a visual experience that is entirely ‘Instagrammable.’ We want students to walk through those doors and feel they’ve entered an event that was designed specifically to celebrate them.”
Richards said they have designed the night to ensure there is something for everyone. Highlights include:
The «Glow Big or Go Home» Tournaments: A student favorite every year. We’re hosting massive brackets for dodgeball, ping pong, and a 40-team cornhole tournament. There are major bragging rights and prizes on the line.
The Glow-Grid Gaming Garage: Featuring the Hyperspace Game Truck outside and immersive VR ‘Expansion Bays’ inside.
Creative & Art Zones: New this year is our Paint in the Dark Art Party, where students create glow-in-the-dark art that pops under the blacklights, plus the Henna Hideaway,.
Blacklight Bets Casino: We have secured the best dealers in the K-M community and are excited for the return of our blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em tables.
High-Voltage Interactives: A mechanical bull, 9-Square inflatable volleyball, and the Fluorescent Fore!, an LED mini-golf course. Yes, all of that will be transformed right inside KMHS.
Low Voltage Lounge: The perfect quiet retreat with comfy seating, BINGO, trivia and board games for those who want to win prizes in a more relaxed setting.
After Dark Fit Contest: We’re encouraging students to ditch the formal wear and show up in their brightest neon or cleanest whites for a chance to win LED room tech and gift cards.
Those interested in donating to the event can do so in the following ways:
1. Join us for Burger Night: Friday, April 10th at the Kasson American Legion.
2. Buy a Kwik Trip Car Wash Card: These are available now through April. Reach out to us here, and we’ll have a student stop by: kmpp204@gmail.com
3. Donate Online: We have a secure portal at 4Giving.com/3C00 where individuals or businesses can contribute directly to the student prize fund.
4. Volunteer: Bringing post-prom back to KMHS is a huge undertaking, and we need a crew of 50 adults to ensure a safe, high-energy night for our students. From set-up to tear-down and everything in between (we’re looking at you, Bingo callers!), your time helps us keep the KoMet spirit glowing: signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA9AB2FAAF9C43-63349494-
kmpost#/
Richards said the hope is to see the same enthusiasm for the post-prom event as they see for the KoMets sports teams at state tournaments.
“We really want to tap into the KoMet Spirit that we saw during the football and hockey teams’ incredible run to St. Paul this year,” Richards said. “That same energy — where the whole town shows up for our kids — is what makes Kasson-Mantorville special.
“Whether you’re a parent, a local business owner, or a community member, your support helps us prove to these students that their community is proud of them and invested in their safety.”