Dressed in lavish attire, Prom attendees gathered to celebrate the 2026 Prom season.

This year’s Prom was hosted downtown at the Bitwell, on April 25, and Post Prom took place the following weekend at King’s Island. The theme was Great Gatsby. 

“I would say this year’s Prom was so fun, not just because of being on Prom Court, but also because I danced a lot more. The DJ played better songs than last year, and many were classics,” senior Madeline Nichols, Prom Queen, said.

This year, the Junior Prince and Princess were Kylen Traylor and Jamie Vandergriff. The Senior Prince and Princess were Tyson Jones and Isabella Register, and the King and Queen were Michael Fisher and Madeline Nichols. A shining moment in the night for Nichols was the Prom Queen win. 

“I definitely wasn’t expecting the nomination for Prom Court because I didn’t tell people to vote for me. However, I was so excited to be nominated and to win because it was cool to experience the support people had for me. When I won, the energy in the room just exploded,” Nichols said. 

Junior Annie Chrisman also enjoyed Prom, but for a different reason.

“I thought this year’s Prom was so much better than last year’s. The venue had two floors, which made the dance floor less crowded and made space for people to chill away from the dancing,” Chrisman said.

Just like the venue location for Prom impressed students, the tried and true King’s Island Post Prom trip lived up to its reputation.

“I think King’s Island is a great location for Post Prom because it’s not super far away and it’s a tradition that everyone who goes enjoys,” junior Lila Thompson said.

Post Prom does lose some of its appeal when considering the crowds at the theme park.

“As far as Post Prom goes, I am excited to ride the Banshee again and am hoping to get in line before it gets super crowded,” Nichols said.

Thompson was also looking forward to the Banshee.

“My favorite ride at King’s Island is the Banshee because it’s different from a typical ride. I like how you’re hanging in the seats because you can swing with the turns more than a ride where you sit in a cart,” Thompson said.

Prom and Post Prom both offered opportunities to make memories.

“My favorite Prom memory was after the dance ended when my heels were hurting my feet, so I took them off and my boyfriend carried me to the car. On the ride home, my friends and I listened to music and just enjoyed the end of the night. Even though that was such an ordinary thing, I think I will remember that ride home,” Nichols said.

After the festivities are over, the thing that holds a lasting impact over Chrisman is the memories she made.

“My favorite moment from Prom night was getting to take pictures with all my friends before we went downtown. I like to record memories and be able to look back at photos later to remind myself how much fun I really had,” Chrisman said.