One of the biggest hits of Whit’s junior prom dinner ended up being something I added almost on a whim… a dirty soda bar. If you aren’t familiar, dirty sodas have become wildly popular over the last couple of years. Think fountain soda meets fun coffee shop order. Traditional sodas are mixed with flavored syrups, creamers, fruit and garnishes to create over-the-top specialty drinks. Trust me when I say it’s all the rage with the tweens and teens.

I knew I wanted something festive and interactive for the evening that still felt age appropriate and fun. The week before, I had hosted a bridal shower with an Aperol spritz bar using the same buffet table setup, so I wanted something with that same “experience” feel but geared toward teenagers. Dirty sodas ended up being the perfect answer.

I intentionally kept the ingredient list streamlined so the setup wouldn’t become overwhelming or expensive, but we still ended up with several combinations that felt fun and special.

For the base sodas, I offered:

• Coke
• Coke Zero
• Sprite
• Dr Pepper

For syrups and mix-ins:

• Raspberry syrup
• Vanilla syrup
• Rose syrup
• Cherry syrup (which I actually strained straight from a jar of cherries!)

And then for garnishes:

• Fresh mint
• Cherries
• Raspberries
• Sweet cream creamer

The drinks felt special without requiring fourteen ingredients or complicated recipes. The kids could easily mix their own drinks and experiment a little without the setup becoming stressful to maintain.

Cherry on Top
Dr Pepper + vanilla + cream + cherry

Pink Prom Punch
Sprite + raspberry + cream + raspberry

First Dance Fizz
Sprite + rose + vanilla + cream + mint + cherry

Classic Crush
Coke + vanilla + cream + cherry

For the setup itself, I reused items I owned rather than going down the rabbit hole of ordering special stands and dispensers specific to a dirty soda bar. I designed the sign myself, sent it to Walgreens and had it printed within the hour.

Here are the items I used:

• Rose Syrup: https://amzn.to/4d8unjN
• Vanilla Syrup: https://amzn.to/4nwHVJs
• Raspberry Syrup: https://amzn.to/3Pzd7ep
• Cherry syrup dispenser: https://amzn.to/3QXbK9T
• Cups with lids: https://amzn.to/4dkMtxx
• Striped bow straws: https://amzn.to/43beXoN
• Ice bucket mold: https://amzn.to/4nrUpSw
• Gold pump for plastic syrup: https://amzn.to/4drmR2d
• White pump for glass syrup: https://amzn.to/4doEYG6
• Garnish dish, napkin holder and minis: Nora Fleming
• Crystal footed bow: Crate & Barrel

I kept the actual styling black and white to coordinate with the overall prom dinner setup and reused flowers from the previous weekend’s bridal shower. Between the striped awning, the flowers and the little printed sign, it ended up feeling festive and polished without being over the top.

The entire thing was such a fun addition to the evening and one I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen the last of around here.

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