Each Saturday night after 9:00 pm, a crowd of nearly 75 or so BBGS and AZAS flood through the doors of the Silver Diner in Rockville, Maryland. Teens from all over the council carpool to meet up with their friends and this brings a strong sense of community and excitement for a special night. Whether they order a milkshake, CRUMBL cookies from across the plaza, pancakes, or dinner, most Alephs and BBG’s get food or something to drink. However, Saturday nights are not just for noshes. 

“Honestly, what I love the most about going to the diner is getting to hang out with my chapter friends and see all my other friends who go,” says Sarah Magazine, a freshman from Ahavah BBG #2289,”it is a very common thing to see camp or school friends as well as meeting your friend’s friends.”  

The Silver Diner is a beautiful bonding experience for all BBYO teens of all ages and all DC Council chapters. According to Dylan Himelfarb, a sophomore from Simon Atlas AZA #126, “it helps me meet a ton of new people in different chapters that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to socialize with.” 

At the diner, many friendships reunite, and new ones form, creating bonds to last a lifetime. Whether they connect over a shared love of food, an exciting upcoming event, school, or mutual friends, BBYO helps to break people out of their social shell. 

Magazine says, “it has encouraged me to break out of my shell by hanging out with members of my chapter who I’m not particularly close with, or eating with a friend and becoming close with their friends.” 

Of the nineteen chapters in the council, sixteen are located in Montgomery County as well as the District of Columbia. Most programs are within a twenty minute vicinity of the Diner, leading people to go there due to its convenient location. And this tradition has not simply been a short one. Ceci Smith, a sophomore in Ahavah BBG #2289, says, “When [my mom] was in Baltimore Council, she knew her DC Council friends went to the Diner after programs. And that was like, forty something years ago.” People have continued this tradition due to the incredible experiences it has brought them. An anonymous sophomore in Simon Atlas AZA #126 claims the reason they continue to go back is, “I love that feeling of community, of tradition, of a mutual connection between everyone that makes tradition a tradition.” 

It’s not just an experience that opens up opportunities to enhance social life and make friends, but it’s also a place to learn about the organization that makes this happen. Magazine says, “It has enabled me to meet many members of the council and learn experiences, traditions, and things like conventions.” At the Diner, program ideas, exciting experiences that chapters have held, new creative activities, and so much more are shared by the people who go. Prospects, MITs, and AITs alike can learn about upcoming events or conventions, and truly get to know how BBYO works. 

Through such an experience unique to DC Council, members new and old can all find something to do and have an incredible time. Through food, conversation, meeting new people, or connecting with old friends, this long standing tradition has long been a staple of the council.

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The long standing tradition at Silver Diner is not an official BBYO event.