The 62nd annual Beaux Arts Ball raises funds for the Art Association

Camri Anderson, Staff Writer

The 62nd annual Beaux Arts Ball is upon us. The Beaux Arts Ball is a decorum, or classy event that Jacksonville puts on to benefit the Art Association. They do this benefit so the building doesn’t deteriorate. This year’s theme is London: A Night with the Royals. This week started the practices for the senior maids, junior attendants, flowers girls and pages. The ball is the  Art Association’s biggest fundraiser for restoration of the building. The magnitude of this event cannot be put into words. Each committee does an array of planning for this event.

The Beaux Arts Ball goes as follows. On Saturday, April 27th, the attendees of the Ball will first go to the Strawn Art Gallery instead of attending the Ball. When at the Strawn, the people will eat, drink, and be merry before heading over to the Ball. During the Ball, everyone will find out the new Queen and this year the committee added another highlight to the mix, a king.  Last year’s Queen was Annie Deal. Normally, the queen is a junior or senior in college and her parents have contributed greatly to the Art Association. The King also follows those rules.

The senior maids have to wear an all white ball gown and do a big bow in the middle of the Bowl floor. The senior maids this year are Camri Anderson, Lydia Ballard, Norah Grojean, Gracie Jackson, Sarah May, Sophie Roth, and Cameryn Smith. Not in attendance is Thalika Gunasekaran who lives in India. Each senior walks with her escort while the master of ceremony shares her accomplishments throughout high school.

The junior attendants stand until they walk to bow to the queen and then their name is announced. The junior attendants are Grace Newman, Lilly Geirnaiert, Grace Geirnaiert, Benjamin Jackson, Tate Morrisey, Leah Hoffman, and Blake Patterson.

The flower girls and pages sit until their name is called and then bow to the queen and then the audience. The flower girls and pages are Juliet Jamison, Ezra Eckhouse, Bryce Cors, Cora Reed, Jorja Wardell, Brynn Bordenkircher, Lillian Freeman, and Alaina Freeman.

This extravaganza is Saturday, April 27 at the Jacksonville High School Bowl at 7:00. Tickets are $10 at the door and $20 to go to the Jacksonville Country Club for refreshments afterward.