The most spirited costume party of the year did not disappoint in ’07. Experiments gone awry at the Adventure Science Center turned out more white lab coats than a Cal Tech alumni reunion. Lavish decorations like empty Diet Coke boxes taped to cardboard paper towel spindles helped set the mood, but the crowd really didn’t need much assistance. Soul Incision got the party kicking with a rock set. But soon the stage was cleared for the most important part of the night, and we’re not talking about the steak dinner with baked potato and salad drizzled with vinaigrette.  The costume awards ceremony featured the top men’s, women’s, couples’ and group costumes as the crowd was able to judge for themselves whose were best, even though the official judging team had already made their selections. It was difficult for the costume selection committee to narrow down the finalists with all the detail in costumery… and dance routines.

Atom Man gloriously took the male crown with glow sticks attached all over his body; Bio-man took runner up. Unfortunately, the Hydroponic Pea failed to place, to his utter shock and disappointment; but not to fear, the Hydroponic Pea and Farmer Wife took the couples’ costume Gold Medal. The best costumes, however, had to go to the women (always going that extra mile in fashion).  The top two vied in a tight race between Jerry Lewis’s the Nutty Professor and a Stepford Wife—a ringer down to the wind-up crank sticking out of her back.  The Nutty Professor was too dead-on not to take the prize.  The costumes kept coming—Frankenstein and his Bride, Women in Black,  Astronaut King and Moon Queen (twice), Colorful Caribbean Scientists in Search of Rum Drinks and the spirited Science Spice Girls (complete with song and dance). Nashville’s first Jean Gnome project failed to win a prize, though, despite the clever pairing of gnome masks and jean jackets.

Clearly, though, when Soul Incision took the stage again after dinner, the real experiment began. How much dancing, drinking, dining and fun-raising could one party generate? The answers are still being tabulated.

Please see the print issue for the entire article and photo presentation.

—photographs by brooke rainey