By Chris Robbins

Prom usually consists of corsages and balloons, not bikes, helmets and kneepads.

The Living Arts and Science Center will host its second Bike Prom on Saturday at 6 p.m. Participants meet at the center on Martin Luther King Boulevard, said executive director, Heather Lyons.

“Bike prom is a fundraising event to benefit LASC. It combines a bicycle race with elements of prom,” said Bike Prom co-founder Boyd Shearer.

Riders will receive a dance card when they arrive at LASC, and the race commences at 6:30 p.m. This year’s event has a 1980s theme, said Meredith Walker, co-founder of the event.

Stops will include CD Central, Third Street Stuff and The Morris Book Shop. At stops, riders might get their picture taken beneath a balloon arch, dance to music provided by a DJ and play spin the bottle. Each stop will punch participants’ dance cards. The first person to finish with their dance card punched at each stop wins the race, Walker said.

“Some people are racing against the clock to try to complete the events the fastest,” Lyons said.

Prizes for the race winners and the best-dressed bikers will be handed out at an awards ceremony and after party. A prom king and queen will also be crowned during the party.

“The after party is at Molly Brooke’s Bar, which is 21 and older, and there will be 80s music,” Walker said.

“Last year we had just over 100 riders. There were people on tandem bikes and old-fashioned bikes,” Lyons said.

Lyons said the event raised more than $1,000 for LASC last year.

“Forty percent of our participants were students,” Shearer said. “Bike Prom this year has more stops. It will be bigger and better.”

Bike prom is sponsored by local businesses like Pedal Power, The Morris Book Shop, Molly Brooke’s Irish Bar, The Hive, Sidebar Grill, Third Street Stuff, Zag’s Boutique, Soundbar, January, Bluegrass Sotheby’s and CD Central.

“Being a stop for the event means people are coming in to businesses,” Shearer said.

“Everybody likes to get dressed up and there aren’t many occasions to do that,” Walker said. “It is a lot of fun and it is for a good cause.”

Participation in Bike Prom costs $5, with all proceeds going to LASC, a non-profit organization that provides classes and workshops for all ages. Students can register the day of the race or pre-register by calling LASC at (859) 252-5222.