More than a thousand Houston teens get to attend prom for free

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - More than a thousand teens from across the Houston area kicked up their heels to attend a free prom that was hosted at Silver Street Studios near downtown Houston.

They showed up dressed in suits, gowns, sneakers or jeans. There was no dress code for the first ever Off To Prom affair. Journeys and Converse teamed up, looking nationwide for a city to host the event. After narrowing it down to the top 10 cities, Houston came out on top with the most votes.

Teens, ages 13-19, then voted on their theme, which was "famous". The venue was dawned with disco balls, photo booths, and a red carpet. The students chowed down on local food trucks and Pink’s Pizza. Social media stars Baby Ariel and Daniel Skye hosted, while Grammy winning artist Daya took the stage.

What the teens enjoyed the most was the freedom to wear whatever they wanted.

“I think it’s a chance for kids to come with their best friend, they don’t have to get dressed up," says Journeys spokesperson Kari Irons. "They can be who they want to be. It’s all about just having a safe fun cool place for kids to go or they don’t feel the pressure of having to be in an environment where they may not feel excepted.” 

Journeys and Converse donated $5,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Houston, and sneakers.