By Emma WestRasmus

Winter Ball is back this year, and organizer and Program Board Chair Katie Agnew ’11 promises that the second semi-formal dance on Dec. 4 will be “bigger and even better” than ever. This year’s purple and silver-themed dance will take place 10 p.m.-2 a.m. and will be held at Epic Event Center in Minneapolis. Last year’s Ball was held at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis. The change in venue is the result of high levels of student interest in attending the dance.

“Mill City was too small a venue, and some of my friends who really wanted to come weren’t able to since they didn’t buy their tickets before they sold out,” said Sam DelSerra ’12 in an email.

Agnew said over 400 students filled out a survey following the dance last winter, and many expressed their desire to have the event in a bigger venue so there would be no limit on the number of attendees.

“[Epic] has no capacity limit,” Agnew said, which will allow the event to be open to off-campus guests and recent alumni.

Another change this year is that instead of a band and a DJ, Winter Ball will just feature a DJ.

“Students wanted more music they could dance to,” said Agnew. DJ Mixwell, who has provided music for various Macalester events in the past, will be spinning all night, she said.

Though an official date for ticket sales hasn’t yet been released, tickets will be sold online through the Program Board website. Students will be able to purchase one $5 ticket for themselves and one $10 ticket for an off-campus guest.

Students will also have the opportunity to donate the proceeds of their ticket to three different international, national and local charities, or back to Program Board to support future events.

Though the festivities had drawn to a close by midnight last year, this year’s Ball will start at 10 p.m. and last until 2 a.m.

“Students were sad and wished it could have gone longer,” Agnew said. “Last year we were restricted to a midnight closing [by Mill City],” she said, but Epic was able to accommodate a later finish time.

Lisa Barnes ’11 said she is very excited for Winter Ball, especially as winter and finals are closing in.

“I was abroad last winter so I don’t know what to expect, but it’ll be nice just to get off campus,” Barnes said in an email.

“Winter Ball was by far the best night of my first year of college,” said Emma Buechs ’13 in an email. “It was also educational-I learned that one is never too old for prom.”

The event includes free transportation to and from Epic, a dark and milk chocolate fountain and a photographer who will be on hand for all four hours of the dance.

According to Agnew, the Program Board began planning the event much earlier than last year, and have assembled a student planning committee.

“Last year I threw it together in a month and a half,” Agnew said. She believes the additional time spent planning will lead to an even more successful event.