From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Winter formal, also called Winterfest or Queen of Hearts Dance, is a dance held by high schools in the United States. It takes place between homecoming and prom, usually between January and March.It is thought in some cases as a "pre-prom" dance, and is often not held at the school if the school can afford to hold it elsewhere.
Students may use this event as a test case to see if their date has interest in continuing the relationship before committing to Prom."