How to Decorate for a Pop Music Homecoming

Use school colors for the decorations.

Nothing reflects the razzle-dazzle of the world of pop music like pop music award shows and after-awards parties. Add dash and sparkle to your pop music homecoming by adding a stage and red carpet runway for an awards show photo op. Colored lights and disco balls are festive, as are cheerful dance hall, disco or club effects. The glittering gold of award trophies and gold and platinum records and CD's will complement your school colors and hometown pride.

Instructions

Room Decorations

1. Hang a large banner with your school's name in a prominent place - above the band stand, for example. Decorate the banner with your school's colors.

2. Designate sections of the room for different pop music genres or eras. For example, you can have a section for decades of pop music, or a rock section, a hip-hop section, a disco section, etc.

3. Place a large prop in each section and arrange tables around it. Props can be life-size cutouts of pop music stars, a stand-up bass for a 50's section, disco dancer cut-outs for a disco section and so on.

4. Decorate the walls with large posters or clusters of 33 1/3 and 45 records, record and CD covers. Make posters by hand writing or printing lists of the Top 10 (or other number) hits of the era or genre that is featured in the section near the poster. Give the poster a title, such as "The Top 10 Hits of the 1960's." Outline the posters with twisted crepe paper in your school colors. Embellish the bottoms of the posters with balloons in school colors.

Table Decorations

1. Cover tables with cloths or plastic covers in your school colors.

2. Coordinate floral centerpiece arrangements with your school colors.

3. Select dishes and table wear in your school colors. Choose some gold-tone items to coordinate with the gold records. Use old or blank CD's as coasters.

4. Spray paint 45 records or CD's with metallic gold paint. Place them in a frame with a construction paper matte in one of your school colors. Place two framed gold records on each table, back-to-back.

Section Three - Award Show Photo Op

1. Place a speaker's podium on a small raised platform.

2. Place a large arch in your school colors over the platform. Decorate the arch with album covers and CD covers featuring photos of pop music stars.

3. Place a red carpet runner in front of the podium. Border the red carpet on both sides with a velvet rope and posts. Decorate the podium with gold records and CD's.

4. Make a music award prop by attaching a gold record or a gold gramophone cut-out to the top of a varnished wood box or block.

5. Position a life-size cutout of a pop star in front of the podium, just to the left or right of it.
   Position photo subjects next to the pop star cutouts. Photograph them holding the pop music award prop.

Tips & Warnings

• Hollywood-themed props, such as arches, columns and lighting effects will coordinate well with your awards show photo op stage.

• Overlapping C.D.'s glued together or strung end-to-end make great garland or "chains" for hanging banners and other decoration.

References

• Stumps Spirit Ideas: Decorating Large Areas for Your Homecoming Dance
• Stumps: Find the Right Homecoming Theme
• Party Cheap: Music Party Theme
• All Time Greatest Hits; From 1944 up to the Present Day: Just the Facts, TheTop 20 Lists
• The Great 803; Throwing an 80s Party; 80s Decorations
• The Great 70s; Throwing a 70s Party; 70s Party Decorations