Winter formal, also called Winterfest, Sweethearts, Snow Ball or Queen of Hearts Dance, is a dance held by high schools in the United States. It takes place between homecoming and prom, usually between December and March. At some schools this dance may supplement or replace a Sadie Hawkins dance.
It has many of the same characteristics as a prom with a band to play music and catering service.
This dance is often provided to high school students as a school-sponsored event for the long period between Homecoming in Autumn and prom in May. The influence of New Year's Eve formal events and St. Valentine's Day may pique students' interest in holding their "own" dance during this time.
It is thought in some cases as a "pre-prom" dance, and is often not held at the school if the school can afford to hold it elsewhere. It might be held at a catering hall or ballroom facility. Students may use this event as a test case to see if their date has interest in continuing the relationship before committing to Prom. There are many ways of asking a date to a winter formal and several websites offer tips on doing it in a unique or unusual way.
Famous quotes containing the words winter and/or formal:
“You can’t get too much winter in the winter.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“This is no argument against teaching manners to the young. On the contrary, it is a fine old tradition that ought to be resurrected from its current mothballs and put to work...In fact, children are much more comfortable when they know the guide rules for handling the social amenities. It’s no more fun for a child to be introduced to a strange adult and have no idea what to say or do than it is for a grownup to go to a formal dinner and have no idea what fork to use.”
—Leontine Young (20th century)