The North Carolina Debutante Ball, also known as the Terpsichorean Society Debutante Ball, is an annual

debutante ball A debutante ball, sometimes called a coming-out party, is a formal ball that includes presenting debutantes during the season, usually during the spring or summer. Debutante balls may require prior instruction in social etiquette and appropriate ...

held in

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southe ...

. The ball, hosted by the Terpsichorean Club of Raleigh, is the oldest and most prestigious debutante ball in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. Originally organized in 1923 as the Raleigh Fall Festival, the formal debutante ball formed in 1927 with the founding of the Terpischorean Club. The ball is held every year over Labor Day weekend in downtown Raleigh.

History

The North Carolina Debutante Ball was originated in 1923, when a group of merchants from

sponsored the Raleigh Fall Festival. Young women from prominent North Carolinian families were presented as candidates to be crowned as Queen of the Festival by the Governor of North Carolina. In 1927 the Terpsichorean Club, a secret society named after the Greek muse

Terpsichore In Greek mythology, Terpsichore (; grc-gre, Τερψιχόρη, "delight in dancing") is one of the nine Muses and goddess of dance and chorus. She lends her name to the word "terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance". Appearance ...

, was formed to organize and sponsor the first official North Carolina Debutante Ball. The annual ball was set to be held on the first weekend after Labor Day at the Raleigh Civic Center. Over time, the debutante season expanded from one evening ball to a weekend including tea parties, luncheons, parties, and two formal dances held at

Raleigh Memorial Auditorium Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts is the main venue for the performing arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The naming rights to the center currently are held by Duke Energy (formerly Progress Energy), which purchased them from the city in ...

. During this time, the tradition of having each debutante formally presented, as they were during the festival, was reestablished. Each debutante was escorted by a chief marshal and four assistant marshals. In 1956 the rules changed and the number of assistant marshals permitted was reduced to two. In 1953 the rules were changed again to allow fathers to serve as chief marshals for their daughters. The ball was placed on a hiatus during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. In 1948 the ball was postponed until the week after Christmas due to a polio epidemic in the

Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmon ...

. In 1996 the ball was postponed again due to severe damage across the state from

Hurricane Fran Hurricane Fran caused extensive damage in the United States in early September 1996. The sixth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, Fran developed from a tropical wave near Cape Verde on ...

Modern ball

Every year young women from around North Carolina, usually in their freshman or sophomore year of college, are nominated to be presented at the ball. Members of the Terpsichorean Club make the final selection of candidates. The women are selected from families who have made economic, social, cultural, or civic contributions to North Carolina. A "lead debutante" is selected every year from

Wake County Wake County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In the 2020 census, its population was 1,129,410, making it North Carolina's most-populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006, Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the U ...

, as the seat of the state capitol. The ball weekend, still during Labor Day weekend, includes eight functions. The formal presentation of debutantes takes place at Meymandi Concert Hall in the

Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts is the main venue for the performing arts in Raleigh, North Carolina. The naming rights to the center currently are held by Duke Energy (formerly Progress Energy), which purchased them from the city in 2 ...

in downtown Raleigh.

Notable debutantes

* Adrian Thorpe Harrold Wood, American educator, writer, and blogger

References

{{Authority Control 1923 establishments in North Carolina Annual events in North Carolina Balls in the United States Dance in North Carolina Debutante balls Events in Raleigh, North Carolina History of Raleigh, North Carolina Summer events in the United States Women in North Carolina