SALEM EVENTS

PHOTOS: SnoBall 2024 brings a masquerade-themed celebration

Hundreds of teens gathered Saturday to continue a Salem dance tradition of more than 70 years.

The student-organized SnoBall dance drew about 800 students to the Oregon State Fairgrounds pavilion. It’s the only local dance open to any student, regardless of school.

The dance generally raises about $1,000 for Willamette Academy, a college access program for students in the Salem-Keizer School District.

Attendees wait to enter the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Security staff search attendees upon entry to the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Gavin Krueger and Carleigh Infante dance at the SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Mircea Hoffman, a West Salem High School student shows her style at the SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Chloe Kaighin of Roberts High School, Jazzmen Mendoza and Joel Ephraim of North Salem High School and Brook Tate of South Salem High School enjoy the evening together at the SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Attendees dance the night away at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Attendees dance the night away at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Dolores Carpenter wears an antique Mardi Gras mask that belonged to her grandmother at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Emmanuel Camilo Aguilar and Alice Bickle of McKay High School enjoy a dance at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Vincent Silva on the dance floor at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Attendees dance the night away at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7,2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Line dancing was quite popular at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Line dancing was quite popular at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
James Cole of Dallas High School and Lucas Williamson, a homeschooled student on the Sno Ball Student Planning Committee and their friend Elizabeth Watkins enjoy the SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavillion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Attendees on the dance floor during the SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Jude Cupp wears his mother’s mask while sister Jorja Cupp looks on at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. Both attend McNary High School. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Henry Frazier, South Salem High School, takes a break from dancing at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavillion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Moses Vasquez, McNary High School, was covering his beat for the yearbook at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Jade Johnson and date Luis Ascencio, North Salem High School, relax at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Part of the hard working Sno Ball Student Committee of Ayane Wilson, North Salem High School, Henry Baker, West Salem High School. and Simon Williams, West Salem High School, take a minute at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavillion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Janeen Baker, Class Act Events coordinator, at this year’s SnoBall event held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Holden Wright and Gabriela Juarez, North Salem High School, went for a Dia de Los Muertos theme at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavillion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Alonso Lopez, North Salem High School, and Tiffany Woods, McNary High School, head home after a fun night at the SnoBall event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavillion on Saturday, Dec 7, 2024. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)

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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.