Trident High School’s senior students danced the night away in a new ball venue on Saturday night.

The school’s ball committee spent last Friday morning preparing the entrance to the Whakatāne War Memorial Centre, rolling out the red carpet and surrounding it with a sea of balloons, while Nobel Events took care of styling the main hall.

The decision to move the ball from the school hall to the War Memorial Centre followed challenges at last year’s event, where heavy rain and a long drop-off point – some 50 to 60 metres from the entrance – left students arriving damp before the night had even begun.

Head boy Derek Esterhuizen was unsure about the move at first.

“It’s different, but I’ve grown to like the idea now that I can see it all coming together.”

Deputy principal Amy Wildash said it was a “great night”.

“The students looked amazing, and it was a fabulous way to celebrate our senior students. The new venue meant that ball goers could be dropped off at the door and straight onto the red carpet, this was a popular change, and we saw some fabulous classic cars and novelty vehicles dropping students off.”

She said the students began planning the even almost immediately after last year’s event.

“Simone and Heather from Nobel Events created a glamorous setting that perfectly reflected our ‘jazz’ theme, and Kendon and the team from Lazer Photos captured the night. We also had DJ Kauri Jackson from Sound King, whose job was to keep the dance floor buzzing.”