TWIN FALLS - Drew Brauer and Haley Baisch hung upside down and half-laughed, half-screamed at each other before swinging back to the proper orientation.

They caught their breath, then with a turn of the wheel on the inversion swing they were half-laughing, half-screaming all over again.

The orbiter inversion swing was one of several rides and games that ran Friday night into early Saturday at the College of Southern Idaho Expo Center for the all-night graduation of Twin Falls and Magic Valley High School graduates.

The party ran from about 10:30 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday, said event organizer Jane Edmunds. About 225 of more than 300 graduates were expected to participate in the drug and alcohol free party. Edmunds said aim of the party was to show that drug and alcohol use isn't needed to have a good time.

Brauer, 18, said previous graduating classes have spoken highly of the event and that she looked forward to attending.

"It's a nice way to kind of send off all of your friends and classmates because in reality you won't see most of these people again," Brauer said.

Baisch, 18, said it's a good outlet after the stress of finals and preparing for graduation over the past several weeks.

"I think you need a way to unwind," she said.

Other than the orbiter, students could play bingo, poker and 21 for cash prizes or sumo wrestle in cushioned suits, among other activities. They could also win prizes donated by the community, such as a car donated by Middlekauff Auto Group, a new laptop and about 250 door prizes.

"We have enough door prizes to give one away every one to two minutes," Edmunds said.

Kathy Harris, who headed up gathering donations, said they started soliciting donations in March. She said she even had stores that had missed the solicitation call her because they wanted to donate to the party.

Edmunds said the party cost about $10,000, but the community usually gives enough to carry over to the next year.

Nick Coltrain is a staff writer for the Times-News. He can be reached at (208) 735-3371 or by e-mail at ncoltrain@magicvalley.com.