Hundreds of people turned out to watch many local youth show off their finest formal wear Saturday for Bainbridge High School’s annual promenade.

In a change from previous years, the prom dance immediately followed the ceremony of senior students and their dates parading around the floor of Memorial Coliseum.

Preparation for the night of this year’s BHS prom, which had the theme of “A Night in Paris,” began weeks in advance as dates were arranged, fine clothing chosen, restaurant reservations made and in some cases, means of transportation to other cities for a night of fun were procured.

The prom organizing committee transformed the high school’s cafeteria, where the dance was held, into a romantic Parisian environment. Prom attendees entered the softly-lit cafeteria by walking past bubbling fountains. On one side of the cafeteria, dates could sit at a number of round tables that were covered with white tablecloths and miniature Eiffel towers.

Moving underneath an archway made of white balloons and curtains resembling long bridal trains, they could join the crowd of smiling teens dancing to a DJs party music. Or they could seek refreshment at a table hosted by BHS staff, located in front of a faux stone wall adorned with rose vines. Greenery, festive balloons and strings of lights added a French ambiance to the affair.

The centerpiece of the prom, however, was a small-scale Arc de Triomphe, one of the most famous monuments in Paris. Dancers could walk down a lighted path and pose for photographs in front of the Arc, with a six-feet-tall Eiffel tower and a larger fountain located on either side of the walkway.

Some of the restaurants attended by teens on prom night were Carraba’s, Applebee’s, the Sunset Grill, Osaka and The Silver Slipper, all located in Tallahassee, Fla.; and the Riviera Grill in Dothan, Ala.