Tickets are still available for the 51st annual Krewe of Ceres charity ball.

Doors to the Lincoln Civic Center will open at 6:30 p.m. and the procession will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 601-757-6141.

Members of the Krewe, their guests and visitors will be transported to a lovely garden scene that complements this year’s theme, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” said spokeswoman Shannon Miller.

The ballroom will be decorated with twinkling cherry blossom trees and white floral arrangements. The ceiling will be draped in a whimsical sheer white fabric.

The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the 2018 king and queen, whose identity is not revealed until that time, she said.

The Krewe of Ceres royalty dates back to 1966 but the present day Krewe was formed in 1977 with 50 charter members. Organized by the late Enoch Case, the Krewe was comprised of the children and grandchildren of the Jaycees. Originally, the Krewe was an all-male organization but now includes women as well.

The purpose of the Krewe of Ceres is to recognize the area’s most outstanding young people and to raise money for local charities.

The charity ball is the major highlight of the Krewe every year. Proceeds from the ball are distributed to local charitable causes.

To add to the suspense of the evening, the king and queen are kept a surprise to the community. In addition to the king and queen, there is a royal court made up of maids, escorts and trainbearers. The king is always a businessman who is admired and respected in the community, an individual who has given a great deal of himself to civic activities, Miller said.

The queen can range in age from a junior in college to a young woman of 25. She was previously a maid who continues to excel academically and is involved with numerous campus and community activities. Maids and escorts are sophomores in college and are from the Brookhaven area. The aides and pages are fifth-graders, chosen to aid the king and queen.