Cal Poly Pomona held a Celestial Gala on Valentine’s Day, providing a fun event for students to partake in, regardless of date status.
The Celestial Gala was lunar themed and took place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Bronco Student Center (BSC) Ursa Major Suite. The intent was simply to have a night party; landing on Valentine’s Day was simply a coincidence.
ASI Bronco Events and Activities team member Arianne Coleto described the gala as “a social event catered to students who want to dress up and party.”
Guests signed in to the gala at the end of the BSC’s upper floor leading to the Ursa Major Suite. Across from the sign-in table was a photo stage where attendees could wear funny props and have their photos taken. In the entry hall to Ursa Major were two tables of food trays, the second of which contained vegetarian options. Cake slices, lemonade and punch were served inside the room itself. Candy was served once the cakes ran out and the music providers switched.
Though Valentine’s Day wasn’t the central theme of the gala, certain attendees, such as fourth-year biotechnology student Stephen Whittington, did arrive with dates.
Due to the lunar theme, the gala had two mediums from Party Psychic with whom attendees could have their fortunes read. Both tables had posters displaying the astrological signs behind them, and on the tables were decorative crystal balls and other various occult decorations.
“Tarot is by far the most popular,” said tarot card reader Lezlie Bernal about Party Psychic’s services.
(STEVEN EVERETT | THE POLY POST)
All night long, music was played for the gala. From 6:30 to 8:07 p.m., the CPP Jazz Band played various songs, each with a different singer and some with a different lead instrument. From 8:15 p.m. to the gala’s end at 9:30 p.m., student DJ Jesse Sommerfelt supplied the music.
The area in front of the Ursa Major stage was turned into a dance floor. It was sparsely occupied by guests while the CPP Jazz Band played, but nearly everyone crowded the dance floor when DJ Sommerfelt took the stage.
Regardless of which group was playing, the mediums had a lot of noise to compete with when reading fortunes to visitors, but they didn’t let the music get in the way of their jobs for the night.
“I would dream things before they happen,” said astrological sign reader Ashley James about her entry into the field of divination, expressing a desire to tap into that ability of prophetic dreams. She also explained about divination in general, stating that it’s all about the things in the world that occur naturally. She also clarified that it isn’t the same thing as extrasensory perception (ESP), but it is possible for the two to cooperate.
As the gala concluded at 9:30 p.m., dehydrated ice cream sandwiches — the variety taken into outer space by astronauts — were given out as party favors.