Trolley Night Sparks Prom-Funding Controversy
- Cathy Campo
- Nov 23, 2025
- 4 min read
By: Cathy Campo, The Kelloggian Investigations Desk
Kellogg’s annual Trolley Night—one of the most beloved and chaotic fixtures of fall quarter—rolled through Chicago on November 15th, this year culminating at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, a renovated church in downtown Chicago. But before the trolleys even left Evanston, a different kind of buzz began spreading through campus: a mysterious message in the “1Y General” WhatsApp group.
“BUY TIX NOWWWWWWWW these funds will also determine the possibility of us having a 1Y prom in the winter ❤️ hopefully
for freeeeeeeeee,” the post, by one of Trolley Night’s organizers, read.
The implication—that Trolley Night ticket sales might bankroll the class’s potential 1Y prom— quickly made its way beyond the 1Y chat. Within hours, a screenshot of the message circulated among other Kellogg social circles, including the KWEST social chair group, where reactions ranged from confusion to amusement to mild outrage.
Tickets for Trolley Night cost between $45–$70, depending on whether attendees opted for early-bird pricing or a dry or wet ticket. There is no formal rule against using event profits to fund future programming but as one anonymous second-year student put it, “It’s just not usually how we do things.”
When The Kelloggian reached out to a first-year social chair for comment, he offered a diplomatic response: “I can see both sides here. On one hand, I want the 1Ys to have an unforgettable prom night. On the other, I’m a free market capitalist, which feels fundamentally at odds with the concept of subsidies.”
A second-year student, who spoke to The Kelloggian under the condition of anonymity, had a different reaction. “If people wanna make a little money on the side for all the time it takes to plan massive events, then I’m all for it,” he said. The Kelloggian reached out to several social club executive board members to investigate whether they also use profits from one event to fund others, or to cover costs specifically for their executive boards. Three clubs adamantly denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, Trolley Night organizers denied claims of overcharging for tickets. Sources close to the planning committee said they would need to sell roughly 700 tickets just to break even given the cost of the venue, security, and food. Organizers confirmed they sold 683 tickets but otherwise declined the chance to comment.
Three members of the 1Y class of 2025 confirmed that last year’s Trolley Night proceeds did, in fact, cover the cost of their 1Y Prom (as well as an open bar) held at Reza’s, a now-closed restaurant and lounge in downtown Evanston.
In the end, the Trolley Night saga raises more questions than answers. Is it unethical to redirect event profits toward another experience (especially when that event only includes a 90-minute open bar)? Or is it fair compensation—a small “thank you”—for the people who spend countless hours planning large-scale events that benefit the whole community?
Speaking personally, after recently organizing my second “Around the World” Townhouse Crawl, I get it. Each year, 33 students come together to plan an event for nearly 450 of our classmates, complete with elaborate decorations, coordinated playlists, and an open bar. By the end of the night, we are exhausted and definitely not reimbursed for the emotional labor. Would a little leftover money for a celebratory dinner or some form of appreciation have felt nice? Honestly, yes. When I overheard first year students at an SGD discussing that Trolley Night ticket funds might go toward another event, I initially shared their outrage. Then, I remembered someone threw up on my carpet at last year’s Townhouse Crawl. Slowly, I began to nod in solidarity with the 1Y class.
I was one of the 683 people who attended this year’s Trolley Night. I bought my ticket before I knew about the “controversy,” and I would’ve bought it after. The event was well-run (check out our reporter’s review here) and relatively affordable compared to other Kellogg blowouts. (And frankly, it had to have been better than last year’s Trolley Night, which ended in disaster after less than an hour due to multiple medical emergencies.) To put it in perspective: European Business Club’s White Party tickets were $89 this year, 2025’s Battle of the Bands ran $45, 2025’s Dinner En Blanc ranged from $80-$90, and 2025’s Charity Auction Ball reached $120 a ticket ($68 for Charity Auction Ball Preview this year, with 20% going to charity).
So was the issue really the money or the messaging? If attendees had been told from the start that extra funds might go toward a 1Y Prom, would anyone have opted out? Probably not. In fact, it might be time to ask whether lack of transparency is a problem across Kellogg’s social scene—and whether the 1Ys, by saying the quiet part out loud, were actually the most transparent of all.
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