Kevin Bacon to return to Payson High on prom night for 40th anniversary of “Footloose”

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Film Commission announced this morning that actor Kevin Bacon has agreed to return to Payson High School, where 40 years ago, he filmed the 1984 movie “Footloose.”

Bacon made the announcement on NBC’s “Today,” noting that he will visit the school on April 20. The film was shot on location at Payson High and Lehi Roller Mills. Payson High’s student body has been working to lure the actor back to the school for several months now.

“I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back,” said Bacon this morning.

Payson High invites Kevin Bacon for ‘one last dance’ in celebration of “Footloose” 40th anniversary

“We’ve worked so hard this year and done our absolute best to make this crazy dream a reality,” said Payson High School Student Body President Rubie Raff. “I can’t believe that it’s finally happening and that we can say we did it! It was all worth it—we got Kevin back to Payson!”

“For over a year, the Utah Film Commission has been working with the students at Payson High School on a campaign to bring Kevin Bacon back to Utah,” stated a press release this morning. “In November of 2023, Gov. Spencer J. Cox joined the efforts on social media inviting Bacon to return to Payson.”

As part of the effort to bring Bacon back to Utah, students have offered to help support the actor’s foundation, SixDegrees.org. The foundation is aiming to create 40,000 “essential resource kits” for youth and schools. Payson students have pledged to create 5,000 of those kits on the same day as prom as thanks for Bacon’s return.

“It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me, not to mention the fact that you tied in SixDegrees.org, our foundation, and are trying to figure out ways to give back to your community,” Bacon said on Today. “It’s really inspirational, so thank you. Thank you. And I’m gonna come. I gotta come.”

“Payson could not be happier at the possibility of a visit from Kevin Bacon. He is our favorite celebrity and we are so excited at the chance to have him back,” said Payson High Principal Jesse Sorenson.

Visit film.utah.gov/100years to learn more about how to get involved in the SixDegrees.org Building Kits event on April 20.

The announcement also comes as a boost for the film commission’s 100th anniversary. According to the press release, a 2023 survey indicated that 37% of visitors cite film and/or television as one of the motivators in selecting Utah as a destination. Over the last 10 years, the film commission said those visitors have spent an estimated $6 billion in the state.

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