HILLIARD, Ohio (WSYX) — A group of Hilliard Darby High School seniors are hoping to catch the attention of pop superstar Bruno Mars after their graduation date was changed to accommodate his upcoming Columbus concert.
Bruno Mars announced he will perform at Ohio Stadium on the same night Hilliard Darby High School was originally scheduled to hold its 2026 graduation ceremony at the Schottenstein Center. Because of the overlap, school administrators decided to move graduation to Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m.
According to school leaders, the decision was made to avoid major logistical and safety concerns tied to traffic, parking, and accessibility.
“So when you go into it and you’re thinking about the logistics of everything and then the safety concerns and the lack of parking and no handicap parking and you think about the families are going to be stuck on 315 when their son or daughter is being announced and it’s a huge day,” said Hilliard Darby Principal Matt Middleton.
Instead of being discouraged by the change, a group of seniors launched a TikTok account, @DarbyNeedsBrunoMars, asking the singer to attend their graduation.
The students say they are not asking for a performance, but simply hoping Mars might make a brief appearance at the ceremony.
“We need all the help that we can get from the community so like, comment, share all of our TikToks just so we can get the word out,” said senior Alex Eldridge.
The TikTok campaign has continued to gain traction online, with students posting new videos and encouraging community members to help spread the message.
So far, there has been no response from Bruno Mars or his team.
Whether or not the pop star shows up, students say the campaign has already brought excitement to their senior year and helped turn an unexpected schedule change into a moment they won’t forget.