As I walked into Small World Coffee during their annual “Love Show” (a fundraising and art-focused event), I had no idea what to expect. How could the coffee shop turn into the funkiest club in Princeton, NJ?

The first sign of the funk was a woman in a pink cellophane dress, talking to her friend in a blue version. Nothing says down to party like a cellophane dress, I’ve always said. Small World had decked out with a disco ball, colorful counter lights, and a dance floor void of their usual small tables. The crowd included primarily 20-something-year-olds, and they were all dressed to impress…and to funk. One woman wore a lacy black dress with feather eyelashes, and another dude donned a stylish black vest.

MotorFunker began their set after a few announcements about the program and a rendition of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love,” where everyone sung at the top of their lungs. (All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The Northeast Farming Association of New Jersey, a nonprofit organization that studies and educates Jerseyans on sustainable eating.) Suddenly, we heard Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” and my fellow 20-somethings and I began to rock out on the dance floor. The evening continued with tracks from the Cardigans (“love me love me”), Gnarls Barkley, Florence and the Machine, the Beatles, Beyonce, Rihanna, James Brown (get on up), and many others (a lot along the 90′s variety), all funked up with love and by MotorFunker.

The evening was immensely successful, and it looked as if everyone was having the best of time.

I ended the evening by talking to Amy Picco, a local artist and art teacher, and her husband. Picco designed the art for the Love Show with a translucent woman sculpture propelling itself through the front window. Picco and her friends were the ones wearing the cellophane in celebration of the sculptures material. It was truly a fun accomplishment.

Leaving Small World, I realized that I just had an amazing time. The people were interesting, the music was funky, the lighting was soft, and the atmosphere was super cool. I will definitely mark my calendar for next year’s event!