Ladies grab your feather boas, pearls and fringed frocks, gents pull on your pinstripes and suspenders – Tauranga's young professionals are invited to step back in time to the 1920s for a ‘Great Gatsby' themed night.

The Young Read Woudberg Young Professionals Awards and Ball at Classic Flyers on Saturday, October 8, aims to recognise young employees, innovators and business owners and highlight the value and contribution young professionals make to Tauranga's economy.

Young professionals co-ordinator Anne Pankhurst says the theme of this year's event, organised by LINKT, is ‘The Great Gatsby'. 'Think dress-ups, feather boas, pearls etc.”

Voting for five award categories – including HOBEC Employee of the Year, Priority One Young Innovator of the Year, Social and Environmental Leadership Employer of the Year, and Business of the Year – is currently in the judging stages.

'We've had some really good interest from a couple of really cool young businesses here in the city,” says Anne. 'But I can't tell you more than that because it's a secret.”

What's not a secret is The ‘Bachelor New Zealand's Art Green will be donning a suit for the awards night and ball and Auckland-based DJ duo Sweet Mix Kids will be the night's DJs.

'We welcome everyone,” says Anne. 'It's going to be a fun night. We'd love to see lots of lovely young professionals there.”

To register for the evening, email: anne@tauranga.org.nz