Labyrinth of Jareth

The  Labyrinth of Jareth  is an annual elaborate masquerade ball held in Los Angeles where just any costume won't do. It should be fantasy-based, as the idea of the ball derived from the goblin-mocking masquerade ball in the 1986 David Bowie/Jennifer Conolly movie "Labyrinth".

"Labyrinth" with David Bowie as Jareth and Jennifer Conolly as Sarah

 Now in its 14th year, the ball is held in an architectural wonder called the Park Plaza. It was built in 1925 as an Elks temple, then it became a luxury hotel, and now it is no longer a hotel but a venue for weddings and the like.

There, participants roam the impressively-sized staircase and the grand halls to discover chambers filled with over 150 performers, live musicians, dancers, acrobats.  Guards open up one area at a time, increasing the excitement.

the guards and the grand staircase

Some of the entertainments spills out into the outdoor courtyard, where large sculptures have been set up to compliment the theme.

An elvish dancer entertains in front of a sculpture

A dancer in one of several ballrooms

Last year there were tents to wander through outside, where members of the League of Steam displayed their Steampunk inventions.

Part of the courtyard as seen from an upper window

Steampunk inventions on display

inventor Crackitus Potts (Nick Baumann)

And then, of course, there are the most stunning costumes.

These detailed costumes, masks and props are entirely home-made

Behold the vinyl unicorn!

A beautiful butterfly wing dress

 There were some minimalist costumes

I bet you're looking at their wings, right?

And several people who painted themselves

And then there were those who came on stilts

This is a place where elf ears, horns, and wings are the norm. Colored wigs are also popular

Wait, is that a strawberry on her ass?

This golden girl's costume was pretty elaborate, with a wide wingspan and lights:

A camera is a necessity at an event such as this. You never know what you'll see.

"Labyrinth"-style goblin

Beauty and a beast

Here's a video I took walking through the crowd:

This year's Labyrinth of Jareth is July 1st and 2nd. Tickets are still available.