Class of ’22 invited to celebrate high school graduation in Las Vegas

After having their sophomore and junior years interrupted by COVID-19, the Class of 2022 have earned the right to celebrate their time as seniors. And what better way to cap off their high school experience than with a trip to Las Vegas? That seems to be the theory behind The Official Grad Trip, which will launch its first ever Las Vegas high school graduation experience for students and parents in June 2022.

“The trip is not just for high school students,” The Official Grad Trip co-founder Andrew Citores says. “This trip is really for families who are celebrating their high school students’ graduation.”

The Official Grad Trip will run from June 20-24, and will be open to members of the Class of 2022 who are 18 or older, traveling with a parent. Hosted by TikTok sensation Madi Monroe, it will offer separate itineraries for the grads and their parents.

Graduates will enjoy musical performances by Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Diplo, pop sensation Loren Gray and additional artistswho are still to be announced. They’ll also attend events and theme parties at venues on and off the Strip, including a pool party at Wet ‘n’ Wild, Space Cowboy at Area15, Tailgate at Brooklyn Bowl, a black-tie formal at a location still to be determined and a two-night Grad Fest at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“There’s no alcohol being served at any of the (student) events,” Citores emphasizes. “It’s all focused around high-end entertainment and social media stars. So we have music, games, contests, all sorts of fun things going on — carnival rides, food trucks.”

For the parents, however, Citores has a slate of 21-and-over activities that will show them some of the other attractions Las Vegas has to offer.

“The parents, who are all 21, will be experiencing the premiere venues on the Strip, like the major nightclubs, lounges, restaurants. And we’re also putting together concerts for the parents.”

Organizers are hoping to attract 20,000 celebrants, including graduates and accompanying parents, with tickets opening up on a school-by-school basis for the first 250 schools that have at least 50 classmates pre-register online. Students from other schools who register will be placed on a wait list.

The price for members of the Class of ’22 is $899, including hotel accommodations and admission to six events. Hotel options include MGM Grand, Park MGM, Luxor, Tropicana, Aria, Bellagio, The Mirage, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Paris Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel + Experience and Planet Hollywood. The price for parents will be $499, and will include hotel accommodations, pool days and entertainment.

Citores hopes the event will help introduce a new generation of travelers to Las Vegas.

“An 18-year-old coming to Vegas for the first time, of course they can’t enjoy the casinos, they can’t enjoy a lot of great amenities of Las Vegas,” he notes. “But they still get to go to this aspirational destination that many have never been to. And when they’re coming back — for their high school reunions or maybe another special event in their lives, whether it’s a wedding or a bachelor party or a conference — they’ll get introduced to the city and they’ll know what they want to do when they come back.”

Discounts will be offered to those who purchase through a peer ambassador, and payment plans are available. For more information, and to join the official wait list, go to officialgradtrip.com.

Contact Al Mancini at amancini@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlManciniVegas on Twitter.