While prom is a night to remember for many, it is also a night that comes with a hefty price tag, costing families of high school juniors and seniors hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

To help make sure every girl feels beautiful, however, a group is hosting an event this weekend to provide free dresses and accessories for those preparing for the big night.

The Apex United Methodist Prom Shoppe is hosting it's 17th annual event to provide free dresses and accessories to high school juniors and seniors

The number of dresses available this year is more than ever before, event organizers said

The event takes place Friday, Feb. 28 from 3-7 p.m. and Saturday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Apex United Methodist Church on 100 S. Hughes St. in Apex

The Apex United Methodist Prom Shoppe is bringing out all the sequins, rhinestones and ruffles it can find for the 17th year of this special event.

“The goal tonight is to move everything that’s upstairs in our storage room downstairs,” Brandy Sadler, director of the event, said.

Sadler says the event is a lot of hard work, but the sparkle on each girl’s face when she finds that special dress makes it all worth it.

“We had a girl last year whose father had passed away and mother was not going to be able to afford to buy a dress,” Sadler said, “and fortunately, they heard about our event, came and she picked her dress. But that’s what we’re here for.” 

The Apex Prom Shoppe is completely donation and volunteer driven.

This year, roughly 150 volunteers prepared close to 1,500 dresses. That is the biggest selection the shop has ever had for this event, with dresses ranging from size 0 to 5X.

“We have short dresses, long dresses, the frilly, poofy Cinderella dresses and the slinky sequin dresses,” Sadler said. “We have dresses for everybody.”

The average prom dress can cost between $500 to $1,000, and many of the dresses available this year still have those price tags attached. But thanks to this event and group… they are totally free.

“We’ve been really fortunate to be able to provide these girls the top-quality high-end dresses,” Sadler said.“We’ve been really fortunate to be able to provide these girls the top-quality high-end dresses,” Sadler said.

In addition to the dresses, girls can also find makeup, shoes and accessories to help complete the look.

“We had a girl a couple of years ago tell us she had never heard she was beautiful,” Sadler said. “So, we want to encourage these girls.”

“We want them to know that there are people who care about them. That there are people who are here for them. It’s extends much farther than the dress,” she added.

The event takes place Friday, Feb. 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is located at Apex United Methodist Church on 100 S. Hughes St. in Apex, North Carolina.