Forty years after dancing his way into everyone’s hearts, Kevin Bacon made a widely celebrated return to Payson High School, the very school in Utah that became the location for his iconic 1984 movie, Footloose.

The Mystic River star, 65, was greeted by thrilled students for their very last prom at the school before its demolition and relocation to a new address.

“It’s been 40 years. I mean, that just blows my mind. Things look a little different around here. I’d say the thing that looks the most different is me,” Kevin said as he addressed the crowd at the school.

Kevin Bacon returned to Utah’s Payson High School, the location for his iconic 1984 movie, Footloose

Image credits: ABC4 Utah

Prior to Kevin’s visit, the students had launched a full-fledged social media campaign dubbed #BacontoPayson and called for the actor to visit their high school before its scheduled demolition at the end of the school year. Students recreated movie scenes and choreographed videos to get Kevin’s attention.

Even Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joined in on the campaign and asked the actor in November to join the celebrations, marking the 40th year of Footloose’s release.

In a video recorded last November, the Utah governor said, “We are so excited that next year will be 40 years of Footloose. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long, I was eight when it came out and we loved it – Utah has never been the same.”

“It’s been a long time, it’s been 40 years…that just blows my mind,” he told the cheering crowd at the school

Image credits: ABC4 Utah

The campaign eventually did reach the actor, who announced last month to a gym full of students that he would be attending their final prom.

The actor visited the high school on Saturday, April 20, as part of his work with his foundation, SixDegrees.org, which “supports impactful initiatives to sustain and enrich local communities,” according to their website.

“Here we are at this beautiful, beautiful spot on this beautiful, beautiful day,” Kevin told the cheering crowd at the school.

The actor visited the school after the students spearheaded the #BacontoPayson social media campaign to get his attention

Image credits: ABC4 Utah

“It’s been a long time, it’s been 40 years…that just blows my mind,” he said.

“You were all just tireless, unrelenting in your desire to have me return,” he went on to say. “I think it’s great to see that kind of commitment to anything. I also think that it’s amazing, the power that this movie has had to just kind of bring people together and connect on the basic ideas that are behind the movie.”

It was a nostalgic moment for Footloose fans to see Kevin Bacon within the walls of the high school

Image credits: ABC4 Utah

Kevin had leaped to stardom with the cult classic movie Footloose, in which he played the role of a teenager who moves to a small town and works to overturn a ban on dancing. Many of the scenes from the movie were filmed right within the walls of Payson High School, and the students have embraced the rich cinematic heritage that is part of their school.

“This is everything. Everybody in the school knows that it’s the Footloose school, and everybody in Payson knows that we are Footloose Payson,” junior Jake Steele told People.

The cult classic Footloose steered Kevin Bacon to stardom as he danced his way into the audience’s hearts

Image credits: IMDB

“Everything and anything this year has been Kevin Bacon and Footloose. I’ve been practicing my Footloose [dance] to get it down [for prom],” added the high school student.

Kelli Davis, a local resident, visited the school with her 10-year-old daughter to see Kevin and said: “Footloose is nostalgic for me. I’ve been watching it my whole life.”

“How thoughtful of you Kevin,” fans said after the actor visited the high school before its demolition

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