A wicked, way-cool theme has been picked for this year’s CultureFest: The 80’s.Farzam Mostoufi and Omari Patterson, co-chairs of the 2008 event, unveiled the theme this week.

“We’re quite excited about doing it. We think it’s a good theme,” Mostoufi said. “It offers a wide variety of options. People can go wild with their imaginations.” He said the decade offers something for everyone, and he thinks parents will have fun dressing up in their favorite ’80s fashions and dancing to their favorite ’80s music.

While not as instantly identifiable as, say, the ’60s with its tie-dye and long hair, the ’80s were a defining era for many a Day School parent. It’s the decade of Generation X, that disaffected generation brought up on TV, Atari 2600s and personal computers. Musically, it’s the decade of punk, grunge, new wave, Britpop, Madonna’s Material Girl and Michael Jackson’s Thriller. It’s Jane Fonda aerobics, Rubik’s cube and the Sony walkman. It’s bodacious, tubular, and wicked, dude!

Mostoufi said the event is meant to be casual and fun. Notorious, a top San Francisco live-dance band, has been hired to perform the music. Decor will emphasize neon colors -- blue, yellow, pink and orange. Farzam says he would like to use overhead projectors to flash pictures from the ’80s on the wall. “It’s cheap and dynamic. You can go from the beginning of the ’80s to the late ’80s.”

The May 3 event will take place at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, the site of last year’s CultureFest.

CultureFest is the Day School’s premier fund-raising event. The event consists of a live auction, a silent auction, dinner and entertainment such as dancing and a live band. The money raised goes entirely to tuition assistance. Last year, the event drew an estimated 500 attendees and raised $212,000.   

One big change this year is that parents will be able to do more online bidding, according to Dasha Ostrova, special events coordinator. She said more than 75 percent of the silent-auction bidding will be conducted online. Items that need to be seen will still be featured at the Fort Mason site. Bidding will start three weeks before the event.

Moving the bidding online means parents will be able to socialize more at the actual event. There will still be a sit-down dinner and a live auction. However, instead of parents scrambling to view all the silent-auction items and keeping track of their bids, parents will be able to chat, dance, and mingle with their friends more.

The deadline for parents to donate items is March 1. Letters to parents will be mailed Monday, and parents are being asked to donate at least two items.

Mostoufi said he is still looking for parents to help solicit the 10-15 live auction items. In the past, one person has usually spearheaded this effort, but he said this year he would like to involve three or four parents, including some Upper School parents.

In previous years, live-auction items have included a trip to London, Bridge School Benefit tickets, a tour of Pixar studios.  In addition, there are many volunteer opportunities available. If you are interested, please contact Dasha Ostrova at dostrova@sfds.net.

Music
Bon Jovi, Boy George, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Dire Straits, Duran Duran, The Eurythmics, George Michael, The Go-Go's, Huey Lewis and the News, Joe Jackson, Lionel Richie, Madonna, Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, Nirvana, Olivia Newton-John, Phil Collins, The Police, Prince, Ramones, R.E.M., Talking Heads, Tom Petty, U2, Whitney Houston

Fashion
acid-washed jeans, big hair, big hair bows, gel bracelets, high tops, jellies, lace fingerless gloves, leather jackets, legwarmers, mohawks,off-the-shoulder tops, piercings, rave hair, religious jewelry, safety pins, scrunch socks, shoulder pads, spandex, zippered legs

Movies
An Officer and a Gentleman, Body Heat, Breakfast Club, Bull Durham, Caddyshack, Desperately Seeking Susan, Earth Girls are Easy, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, FlashDance, Footloose, Pretty in Pink, Risky Business, St. Elmo’s Fire

Crazes
aerobics, baby on board, chia pet, deely boppers, gel bracelets, graffiti, hypercolor shirts, neon, pac-man, Rubik’s cube, Smurfs, walkman

Slang
as if, bad, bodacious, bogus, boss, boy toy, cheesy, chill, couch potato, dude, dweeb, get out, get real, have a cow, i'm so sure, like-oh my god, no way, NOT!, out the door, rad, shut up!, to the max, totally awesome, trippendicular, tubular, wannabe, way cool, wicked, zeek