Friday, February 13, 2026, 6-9pm. Every year it is celebrated in February on the Friday before Valentine's Day!

Night to Shine is hosted on the same day by hundreds of churches around the world. Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton, TX, is one of the churches hosting this event for guests from Van Zandt County and the surrounding areas. It's located at 1291 Old Kaufman Rd, Canton TX, 75103​​​.

Night to Shine is 100% complementary to our Honored Guests. It is our privilege and honor to host this event for our Special Needs Community through donations from church and community members. If you are interested in donating time, resources, or financially, please see the donate links above.

Registration for both guests and for volunteers will open in December. Guest registration will open before volunteer registration. Keep posted to our website for when we announce when it's open!​

Yes, we will have very robust security. The Canton Police Department also provides support to ensure this event is safe and secure.

No guest will be allowed outside the buildings unless accompanied by their parents if they need to leave early. And no one who is not on our pre-approved volunteer list is allowed inside the building (except for the sanctuary during the crowning ceremony where family and caregivers are allowed to attend). All volunteers are required to be background checked, and attend training. They will have lanyards on identifying them all evening.

Yes! There will be a medical station staffed with EMTs and other medical professionals to handle any minor needs and to help assess and coordinate if additional medical help is needed at any time.

After dropping their guest off at Night to Shine, all parents and caregivers are invited to attend a complementary catered Respite Dinner hosted at First Baptist Church, Canton, TX -located about 3 minutes away from the event at Lakeside. We want parents & caregivers to feel loved and appreciated for all they do!

When registering their guest, there is a section on the registration form for parents/caregivers to RSVP to the Respite Dinner. After the dinner (ends at 6:45), Family and Caregivers will return to Lakeside to witness the Crowning Ceremony at 7pm in the sanctuary! They will remain there after the ceremony and get to see the dance live streamed. Guests will return to the sanctuary to meet with their family/caregivers after the dance, between 8:45-9pm.

Parents/caregivers, family or friends who wish to assist or visit with their Guest during the event will only be allowed in if they are on the pre-approved volunteer list. So they MUST register to serve as a Buddy or other Volunteer -which includes completing Volunteer Registration, completing and passing a background check, and attended the mandatory training.

No.

The event is open to individuals age 14 and older with special needs. This includes people with disabilities that may be physical, developmental or intellectual.

Parents/caregivers, family or friends who wish to assist or visit with their Honored Guest during the event will only be allowed in the event if they are on the pre-approved volunteer list. So they MUST register to serve as a Buddy or other Volunteer -which includes completing Volunteer Registration, completing and passing a background check, and attended the mandatory training.

Family/caregivers are welcome to attend the Crowning Ceremony inside the Lakeside Sanctuary at 7PM. After the Crowning Ceremony, they will be able to watch the dance livestreamed from the sanctuary. But they are not permitted into the dance or any other areas.

SO MUCH!

Queens: The ladies have the option to visit the Beauty Salon to get their hair or makeup touched up, as well an area to pick out jewelry or accessories.

Kings: For the gentlemen, they'll receive a boutonniere, and the option to visit the Shoe Shining Station.

The main highlights that all guests get to enjoy are the Red Carpet Arrival, a Sit Down Dinner, a Crowning Ceremony and ending with an amazing, fun Dance with a live DJ at the end of the night!

Other activities guests can participate in during the night are:

Limousine Rides

Photo Booths

Karaoke Rooms

Arts and Craft Room

Game Room

Sensory Room

Quiet Room

Each one of our Honored Kings and Queens will have their own Buddy for the whole evening. The Buddy serves as a friend and personal escort, helping the guest navigate the different areas, assisting with whatever needs they have, and to make sure they have the best night of their lives!!

We ask that all guests dress up for the prom. Since formal wear is expensive, we have a clothing boutique of donated formal wear and party clothes that guests can set up an appointment to try on and to pick out one – free of charge. There is a section on the Registration Form to indicate if you would like to be contacted to set up an appointment at the formal wear boutique.

Yes! On the Registration Form you'll be asked if you want a traditional (Noisy) red carpet arrival (loud cheering and clapping crowd, cheerleaders waving pom poms, etc.) or a QUIET red carpet arrival (everyone will be silent!).

Inside the event, our honored guests are welcome to participate in as many or as few of the various activities as they wish. No one will be required to participate in or stay in the Fellowship Hall during the dance if it is too loud or stimulating. The guest's buddy will be there help with this. We also have two seperate areas specifically for our guests who may become overstimulated, or just prefer to spend their time away from the noisiest and active areas. Our Sensory Room and our Quiet Room are a perfect retreat! The Craft Room might also be a good option for those guests!

There is an area on the Registration Form to let us know anything else important about the guest & is where you can detail how we can make this a more comfortable event for them!

Anyone age 14 or over as long as they complete the Volunteer Registration, complete and pass a background check (if age 18+) and attend one of the mandatory trainings.

The registration forms ask both the Buddy and the Honored Guest to enter the contact information of the other person. We will make arrangements to make that pairing happen.