The Best Masquerade Masks

Our Top Halloween Masquerade Jester Mask

Prices Start at Under $30 for a Beautiful Mask

A Halloween masquerade ball is a formal event to which guests wear either formal-style costumes or typical formal dress, such as tuxedos and ballgowns, with masks to obscure their faces. A masquerade party always requires that guests wear a mask to cover at the very least the area around their eyes. Traditionally masquerade masks are decorated with feathers, sequins, or gemstones, to echo the formal feeling of the event. For Halloween, in addition to wearing masks, guests may choose to dress up as characters or creatures, from historical figures like Marie Antoinette or Jack the Ripper, to Hollywood monsters such as Bela Lugosi’s version of Count Dracula or the Bride of Frankenstein. Guests to a Halloween masquerade ball must make sure that whatever their costume, it is elegant and formal in appearance. Medieval lords and ladies, elegant versions of witches and vampires, and beautiful historical figures are acceptable, but men in gorilla suits and ladies in sexy nurse costumes would be unacceptable for this type of event.

The costumes and masks of the guests are the major defining feature of a Halloween masquerade ball, but the setting is also important. A masquerade ball is often hosted in a ballroom, whether at a hotel, restaurant, or banquet center. Cocktails and food should be served, though the host has flexibility in terms of deciding whether to provide a full sit-down meal or simply provide hors d’oeuvres for guests to nibble on. The food served can match the Halloween theme, by using traditional Halloween candies such as candy corn as a garnish, and serving cocktails with Halloween-themed names, such as zombies. If desserts are served, a talented baker can provide cakes and cupcakes decorated to go along with the Halloween theme, with fondant frosting cut to look like black lace, decorated with gothic lettering, or accented with themes like skeletons, black cats, witches, or cemeteries.

Decor should also play up both the formal setting and the theme of Halloween. Pumpkins can be carved with unexpectedly elegant designs and lit from within with candles or LED lights. Dark-colored flowers, such as deep-red or black roses, make excellent centerpieces, as do gothic-looking candelabras. Decor can also include unexpected elements reminiscent of Halloween, such as ouija boards, tarot cards, and Victorian-style tombstones.

The primary activity during a Halloween masquerade ball is dancing, so there must be a dance floor and music. The music can range from popular dance tunes to classical, gothic pieces that help lend to the spooky Halloween vibe. A good disc jockey will be able to blend these two styles to make for an unforgettable Halloween evening.

Additional entertainment can include a seance (real or staged), a tarot reader to wander from table to table and performing readings, or a stage hypnotist. Since this is a Halloween ball, a hint of the paranormal is expected and welcomed by guests.

Halloween masquerade balls are a fantastic way to celebrate the spookiest day of the year with style and elegance, while having a great deal of fun. They provide a grown-up way for adults to recapture the joy of dressing up for Halloween with style.