Thunder roars past Knoxville in time for Bearden’s 20s-themed Prom

It is a teenager’s worst nightmare – a catastrophe that has haunted upperclassmen’s dreams and even inspired a popular song from the musical Grease.

That disaster is that it is raining on prom.

“Rain on prom night is definitely not the greatest thing ever and I know some people were not pleased when they heard the forecast,” senior Tristen Hamilton said.

Fortunately, the early morning storms receded as the day went on, the sun coming out just as most people were beginning to take pictures.

“Luckily, it stopped raining,” junior Elyse Kyle said. “Most of the pictures we planned were taken inside anyways, but we did bring umbrellas that matched our dresses just in case it did keep raining.”

Held on May 10 at the Clayton Center of the Arts in Maryville, Bearden’s 2014 prom was bedecked to the theme of “Roaring Rouge,” inspired from the roaring twenties and the color red.

A photo booth was set up where attendants could pose with props such as oversized sunglasses.  As a prom favor, free copies of the photos were then given away.

Last year, the prom festivities were held exclusively in the lobby of the Clayton Center, but this year, the stage was added as the dance floor.

Overall, prom did exactly what it is meant to do: provide students with a night of fun with their friends before school lets out for summer, something that not even some rain could prevent.

“Just being able to get dressed up and have fun with friends that I might not be able to see for a long time after we all graduate and go to different schools was the best part of prom,” Hamilton said.