School Formal Venues in Wollongong City & Surrounds

Choosing the Right School Formal Venue

Chandeliers, a black and white dance floor and LED lighting across the stage give the Sorrento Room the feel a formal committee usually goes looking for. It is the upstairs ballroom at Centro CBD, an Italian restaurant and event centre at 28 Stewart Street in Wollongong, tucked behind the city library with a council car park next door, and school formals are among the events it hosts.

The room's numbers make it workable for a large year group sitting down to dinner and then dancing.

Formal-night essentials:

Seated with dancing – 240 with the dance floor in place, or 265 seated without it.
Cocktail-style alternative – 260 with dancing, or 220 in cabaret style.
Speeches and awards – a sound system with wireless microphones and two large projector screens.
Arrivals and photos – an adjoining foyer and balcony for guests to spill out to.
Dinner – Italian menus, with finger food from $44 per person.

Functions run for up to four hours, so the evening fits arrivals, dinner, speeches and dancing in one block.

Wollongong City & Surrounds School Formal Venues

Sharing menus and plated set menus of two or three courses are available, alongside cocktail finger food.
Extras such as antipasto, garlic prawns or oysters can be added.
The room has its own private bar, and drinks can run on a bar tab or be bought by guests themselves.
The minimum spend depends on the date, plus a set-up fee.

Questions for the Formal Committee

Confirm how teachers and supervisors will be seated, since the room takes rounds, cabaret or long layouts.
Work out whether a slideshow will play on the two projector screens.
Plan the drop-off around Stewart Street and the council car park beside the venue.
Downstairs there is also a restaurant, a smaller private room and an outdoor courtyard at Centro CBD.

Common Questions About School Formal Venues

Can a school formal of 240 students sit down with a dance floor in Wollongong?

Yes. The Sorrento Room @ Centro CBD seats 240 with the dance floor in place, or 265 without it.

Is there AV for formal speeches and a slideshow?

The Sorrento Room has a sound system with wireless microphones and two large projector screens.

How long does a formal at Centro CBD run?

Functions in the Sorrento Room run for up to four hours.

Is there a car park near Centro CBD for the formal?

Yes, a council car park sits next door to Centro CBD, which is tucked behind the city library on Stewart Street.