Kings & Queens PromA Night Where Everyone Is Royalty

Kings & Queens Prom

A Night Where Everyone Is Royalty

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

For one special evening, the red carpet will roll out, the music will turn up and nearly 100 local individuals will be treated like royalty.

The Ashland Area YMCA will host its annual Kings & Queens Prom from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, in the Youth Gym. The free event is open to individuals with special needs ages 14 and older, offering a night designed entirely around one simple message: You matter. You are valued. You are celebrated.

The idea behind the prom comes from the Ashland Area YMCA's deep love for the local special needs community and a desire to create more opportunities for individuals to feel celebrated. Ashland Area YMCA CEO Scott Campbell, placed particular importance on creating an event where every participant could experience an unforgettable night. And unforgettable it is.

From the moment guests arrive, they will be welcomed like royalty. Participants will walk the red carpet as friends, family, volunteers and community members cheer them on. Then comes one of the evening's most anticipated moments: each participant will be crowned a king or queen.

The YMCA's annual celebration is made possible in large part by a community that continues to show up. Giovanni's provides pizza, while Missy and Cecil Fannin donate a sheet cake from their family-owned Nu-Era Bakery. The Ashland Beacon shows up year after year to capture all the magic and DJ Fletch volunteers his time to keep the music going and the dance floor moving.

People’s Bancorp, Ramey Estep, Kentucky Farmers Bank, Sandy's Cares - Sandy's Racing & Gaming, Clark's Pump-N-Shop and Crossroads of Hope are among the supporters helping make the event possible. YMCA employees, clubs, dance teams, People's Bank employees and countless other community members also volunteer their time.

Some volunteers return year after year because they have discovered something special about the evening: the joy isn't limited to the people being celebrated.

“Come and experience the joy for yourself” could easily be the unofficial invitation to the entire community. Volunteers don't need special training or complicated assignments. They simply need to show up ready to dance, interact, cheer and have fun.

Accessibility and inclusion are central to the event. Everything is located on the first floor for easy access, while YMCA staff and volunteers remain available throughout the evening to ensure participants feel comfortable, welcome and included.

For families, the prom offers something equally meaningful. It provides an opportunity to watch their loved ones dress up, walk the red carpet, receive a crown and enjoy a night devoted completely to celebrating who they are. For YMCA staff, those moments are the reason the work is worthwhile.

The excitement often lasts long after the final dance. Participants who have attended previous proms have been known to stop by YMCA offices throughout the year — sometimes weekly or monthly — to talk about how excited they already are for the next prom.

When someone starts asking about next year's celebration almost as soon as the current one ends, organizers say, it becomes clear just how much the event means.

The Kings & Queens Prom is about much more than an evening of dancing. It is an opportunity to put inclusion into action and remind the community that every person deserves to feel valued and celebrated.

The YMCA hopes guests leave with more than memories of music, pizza and crowns. Organizers want every participant to leave knowing they are loved, they matter and their community is better because they are part of it.

And for anyone who has never attended, the message is simple: Come. Walk the red carpet. Cheer for the kings and queens. Put on your dancing shoes. Celebrate alongside the participants. You may arrive ready to give joy — but chances are you'll leave with even more than you brought.

Registration is free and can be completed by calling the Ashland Area YMCA front desk at (606) 324-6191, visiting the YMCA or emailing Julie Vinson at jvinson@ashlandareaymca.org.

The YMCA also welcomes community members and businesses interested in supporting the event. Businesses sponsoring the prom with a donation of $250 or more receive recognition on the YMCA's social media platforms and have their logo displayed on a banner in the Adult Gym for 12 months.

Because when the doors open Aug. 28, the message will be unmistakable: this is their night to shine.