Those basic questions...

[ofthewood]

...that any newbie would ask, and I'm sure you've been asked before, and I'm really sorry about it but I couldn't find answers that postdated 2003 and I figure the event has evolved a bit since, especially with venue changes. To sum myself up: I've obsessed about the event since I first heard of it, and about masquerade since a few months before

Comments

[eidolon_bird]

I missed last year's masquerade, but my experience the previous two years was:
1. When I first walked in, it always seemed quite cold.  By the end of the night, after hours of dancing, I was wishing the would turn the temperature down some more.  There's an outdoor area on the roof of the building though and the weather is generally quite nice. (I'm from Arizona, so "nice" implies "not hotter than the face of the sun, and actually cools down at night".)
2. Depends on where you are - inside, outside, bar, dance floor - but it's usually fairly crowded with pockets of tranquility between the crowds here and there.
Personally, I think overly large wings are a disadvantage - it's hard to move around the crowds inside and even harder to find space on the dancefloor.  Small wings should be okay, but take care to make them very durable.  I wore a very small (barely wider than my shoulders, extend no more than a eight inches behind me) pair of feathered wings in 2005 and, even though they've held up to many other trips and conventions, the poor things were MAULED by the end of the night.  That same year I ended up with slashes on both my upper arms from poorly covered wire-frame wings.  If you do make wings, remember to make them safe for both you and the people around you.
3. They have a bar that, as far as I know, only has beverages.  The price of bottled water was obscene - $4 or $5 for one of those 16oz bottles.  In the past, I heard nothing against bringing in outside food and water, but there's really no place to set it down - it's best if you bring little things that fit in a purse.  A wineskin would be fabulous (and almost a must - in 2005, the water fountain was broken so it was either $4/bottle water or dehydration).
4. I believe it was some time around 2am that things start winding down (probably when they have to shut the bar down).  Of course people hang around chatting afterward, but the music has stopped and they start trying to herd people out the door.

I know things changed last year, places and performances were added that I didn't see the year before, but mostly it's a fancied-up night of clubbing.  You drink and dance and gawk at costumes, with breaks every now and then for their various performances (bands, belly dancing, etc).
Costumes range from barely covered fae (strategically placed leaves and latex body paint) to full renaissance/victorian/pirate regalia.  Some people wear evening gowns and a cheap mask, others go all out on costumes they spent all year making.  Anything somewhat fantasy-related you can come up with will be accepted.

[ofthewood]

Sounds wonderful. The entire setup and planning of the evening sounds fantastic. As for my costume, I'm shooting for fey - based on what you've said I think I'm going to chance the wings, but I may have figured out a way to reinforce them without using wire (or risking anyone's injury. They'll be fairly huge but with a very low profile, close to the body, so hopefully they'll survive. And if not, and they become too much a burden... I'm making them for the event, and there'll be a trash can if it becomes necessary.
$4 for water sounds like the Renn faire. I'm glad to hear there's not likely to be an issue with food or water from outside - now I just have to obtain and cover a wineskin...
Thanks very much for the information ^-^ It's much appreciated!

[eidolon_bird]

It really is a wonderful night, and very well planned.  I wish I could go more often (going to miss it this year too - woe!) because they make the night absolutely magical.  They are also extremely helpful.  In 2004, the first year they had dinner I believe, my sister and I bought tickets to the pre-show dinner.  I was worried because she is a terribly picky eater, so I sent them a short e-mail asking them what would be on the menu.  Less than a day later, Strider had responded with a wonderfully in-character e-mail letting me know what would be available for us fae to munch on.  I believe it was the same year that one of the threads holding extra beading on her mask came loose and a fabulous faerie managed to find tape so we could hold it together for the evening.  Almost everyone is like that all night long - not people running or attending a masquerade ball, but a fabulous court holding a night of entertainment.

Don't get me wrong, wire is just fine for wings!  (There's actually a wire frame to my feather wings, so I don't want to be a hypocrite.)  I'm glad you plan on making them low profile and realize that they may be trash, but I certainly hope it doesn't come to that though.  I also can't wait to see pictures!  Looking at other people's creations is wonderfully inspiring.

(I just remembered another problem with big wings: I saw more than one fae having issues navigating the bathroom - make sure they are small or flexible enough that you can fit in the bathroom stalls!  Sounds silly, but it happens.)

Ah, I just read below that officially they aren't supposed to let you in with food and water.  I'm sorry about that mis-information!  We mostly had our things in bags, which they never checked, so that's probably how we slid on by.

[ofthewood]

I've been overwhelmed with everyone I've spoken to - all very helpful and pleasant. No worries about the misinformation, I was very tempted to tell you when I replied to you "And don't worry about it if that turns out to be wrong" - I appreciate that you offered what you knew ^-^
I love wire for wings, but in this particular case - wings that hang down - I may have whipped up a better solution. If my guess is right, they'll swing well, be just rigid enough to look right, and just soft enough that I could sit on them to no ill effect. Crossing my fingers, here, I'll be sharing tips over at faeriefashion if I find out that it works...
I'm thinking of the down-the-bodice sort of wing, so the bathroom thing hopefully won't be an issue, but that is certainly a thought. I've seen some interesting things happen at faires with heavily-armored persons; usually what happens is that the handicap stalls stay busier...
Thanks again for the information! Excellent suggestions ^-^ And you made me realize that I'll finally have something new to contribute to Faeriefashion and Elfwood, it's been a very long time since I did anything particularly fey...