On Feb. 9, crowds of students gathered in Murchison Gym to be greeted by a sea of balloons, energetic music and the promise of secret information soon to be revealed. For the student-led Spring Sing committee, this event was the first of many milestones to be reached on the path to Apr. 1, the 2023 performance date. The Spring Sing committee also announced the long anticipated 2023 theme: April Fools’. 

However, preparations for the event began earlier than the kickoff. Filming for a comedic promotion video by committee members was spotted at Van Kampen Hall a week prior to the big event. Just an hour before the kickoff itself, balloons were scattered across the floor behind the scenes. Students’ dedication to Spring Sing is a testament to the tradition’s longevity at Westmont. 

This year’s production will mark over 60 years since the first rendition of what is now recognized as Spring Sing began. In 1961, the tradition began as “a simple choral competition.” Key to the show are students who compete via song, dance and skit with allegiance to their respective dorm halls.

Spring Sing producer Dylan Ferguson offered ways that students can help with the production this year, saying, “There are so many different ways to get involved in Spring Sing. Students should reach out to their dorm directors: Leah Schaad and Tyler Kooiman (Armington), Christine Kim and Sasha Kuljis (Page), Grant Oswald and Hannah Lindstrom (VK), Melanie Salvador and Isabelle Hugoniot (GLC), Ella Quinney and Will Grubbs (Off-Campus), Emma Clifton and Bailey Hanson (Emerson), and Clark directors (TBD) for opportunities to act or dance in their skit, help make props, assist in script and lyric writing and so much more.” 

Ferguson added, “Students should also be looking out for all student emails with important information, communication from their directors and follow our Instagram account @westmontspringsing.” This year’s show will be in person, representing the second year in a row this has been possible following online versions of Spring Sing in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the production returned to the Santa Barbara Bowl. The venue has hosted many legendary artists such as Bob Marley, Jack Johnson and Joni Mitchell, and the Westmont famous local alt-rock band The Solid People. 

A special part of Spring Sing is, “the power that it has to bring not just the Westmont community, but the greater Santa Barbara community as well together in a fun and joyful way,” said Ferguson. She is “most looking forward to encouraging as many people as possible to get involved and supporting them while doing so, because what makes Spring Sing such a unique show is getting the entire community engaged.”