Shoreline Church in Destin will host its second annual Night To Shine on Feb. 13 from 6:30-9:30 p.m., a prom experience for individuals with special needs ages 14 and older.

• The event, held in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation, has grown significantly since its debut — from 36 honored guests last year to more than 100 expected this year. Nearly 300 volunteers have signed up to help, up from about 250 in the first year.

“We realized there was a gap in the community for the Destin area,” said Jessica Holzapple, associate minister at Shoreline Church. “So we wanted to cultivate a way for people to gather and have fun at the same time.”

The idea came from Holzapple’s pastor, who has a family member with special needs. Holzapple’s youngest child has Down syndrome, which gave her personal insight into what she described as that gap in community offerings. The church, located at 140 Palmetto St. in Destin, applied to the Tim Tebow Foundation to become an approved host site for the global event designed to celebrate people with special needs.

The evening begins before guests even step inside. Participants arrive in style in Corvettes provided by the Emerald Coast Corvette Club, and a glam squad from Avantgarde offers complimentary hair services. From there, attendees walk a red carpet lined with paparazzi and pose in front of a step-and-repeat banner.

Inside the main auditorium, the celebration continues with dancing courtesy of a DJ from B-Boy Productions, karaoke, a cotton candy machine, friendship bracelet-making, a photo booth and a cookie bar. The Gulf Restaurant is sponsoring a taco bar for guests.

• The highlight of the night comes when every honored guest is crowned Prom King or Queen, each one called up on stage to receive their crown.

The church has also created a separate space for caregivers on the building’s balcony and back deck, complete with dedicated food, drinks and raffle items.

Local students play a role in making the night special as well. A group from South Walton High School attends the event, and the Destin High School dance team volunteers to help with red carpet activities.

For Holzapple, watching the community come together is one of the most meaningful parts.

“It’s beautiful to see that people want to use what’s in their hands to bless others,” she said.

She described Night To Shine as a space where participants can simply be themselves.

“It’s beautiful because it’s a safe space to be who God designed them to be,” Holzapple said. “What can sometimes be an overlooked demographic have the opportunity to shine — our hope is that it encourages other people to view the special needs community differently.”

As the event continues to grow, Holzapple said she envisions partnering with larger venues such as hotel banquet rooms or the convention center to accommodate even more participants in the future.