Inside the ‘Labyrinth Masquerade’: LA’s Fantastical and Fabulous Festivity
Pictured: guests and performers get down during ‘Dance, Magic, Dance!’
LOS ANGELES, CA — Once a year during the warm days of summer, the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles is transformed into a rolling scene of stages, vendors, activities, and halls that transport guests into another world, one of faeries, goblins, and Venetian high society. This eclectic experience, the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball, has been running for 24 years, and began as an inspiration from David Bowie’s 1986 cult classic musical fantasy film, Labyrinth. Since, it has incorporated many features of culture, folklore, and art to become one of LA’s premier costume events. This article will chronicle the experiences of one journalist, who attended the masquerade for the first time during the first of its two nights running in 2022.
Entering the Millennium Biltmore, it became immediately evident that the 99-year-old fabled hotel is the perfect paragon of luxurious architecture and interior design for a ball that catapults its guests into a timeless realm. Amid the decadent chandelier-topped halls one began to see the earliest of attendees gather, shrouded in elaborate garb.
Pictured: costumed guests gather in the halls of the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel
A diverse mix of mid-millennial European high society dress, fantastical characters, and upscale patrons accented with masks blended together into a wondrous collage of pure artistic energy and excitement. Among them, creator and host Shawn Strider was unmissable, as he walked the halls greeting guests. At the event’s largest stage, the “Crystal Ballroom”, he introduced the opening act of the night, which was the first of many dramatic performances featuring costumed characters dancing and acting out stories.
Pictured: Labyrinth creator and host Shawn Strider gives an opening speech
Pictured: guests dance in the “Crystal Ballroom”
Anchoring the liminal spaces that buzzed with social mingling and attendees strolling from experience to experience, there were several uniquely themed main rooms. In addition to the ballroom, where stage performances and dancing persisted for hours, there was a more intimate “Throne Room” downstairs with choreographed group participation, a faerie proliferated “An’Havia” room with further immersive performances, and a “Goblin Cabaret” with a seamlessly continuous line-up of comedic acts.
Pictured: acrobatic dancers perform in the fae-filled “An’Havia” room
Between all of these various events, guests could partake in several bars with themed food or beverages, have their fortunes told, buy merchandise from vendors, and embark on their own given special mission. There were plenty of spaces to lounge, both inside the hotel, and outside under hanging lights.
Pictured: guests mingle on the terrace outside the Millennium Biltmore Hotel
While walking and standing., attendees could find themselves being approached by mysterious creatures called “zundri” who often roamed around on all fours and climbed on each other, leaping, bounding, and crawling from person to person, curiously interacting with their accessories. One might find a zundri becoming interested in the contents of one’s pockets, or giving a small trinket. Touches like this immensely added to the ever-present immersion of the masquerade.
Pictured: primal zundri creatures interact with guests
The grand “Crystal Ballroom” featured numerous entertaining and moving performances that displayed adept physical talent and intricate costume design. From the energetic “Celebratory Gates” and primal “Zundri Machine”, to the electrifying “Wings of the Forest” and “Lumina” and the dark, enthralling “Gift of the Spider Queen”, the audience was endlessly delighted, with prolonged moments of dancing in between and after the dramatic acts.
Pictured: the performance of “Zundri Machine”
Pictured: the performance of “Gift of the Spider Queen”
The night continued with a musical performance by Studio Iqaat featuring Italian vocal artist Inanna, a slow dance to Bowie’s iconic “As the World Falls Down” from Labyritn itself, and the electric “Dance, Magic, Dance!”.
Pictured: Inanna sings with Studio Iqaat
Over in “An’Havia” guests were pulled into a whirling circle of dancers by exuberant faerie folk. Between the interactive “Fae Waltzes” more performances were to be experienced, including the “Winds of Change”, “Waters of Cleansing” and “Drummers of I’Qaat". Onlookers were mentally whisked away in a sea of colors to another world by the ethereal twirling of performers in flowing costumes, their acts permeated with dramatic symbolism.
Pictured: guests participate in a “Fae Waltz”
Attendees could pace themselves between dancing and standing-room-only performances by sitting down and relaxing at the “Goblin Cabaret”, where they could be continuously entertained by the comedic shenanigans of a troop of hilarious green goblins. The acts were filled with jokes, skits, juggling, and singing, including rousing renditions of popular hits with transplanted goblin inspired lyrical phrases.
Pictured: Goblins sing with a special guest at the “Goblin Cabaret”
The multiple bars scattered throughout the masquerade featured themed drinks such as the titular gin cocktail “The Labyrinth”, vodka-champagne “Dragon Berry Spritz”, smooth margarita “Magic Gem”, spicy “FireGem”, bourbon “Prince’s Old Fashioned”, rum “Storm Elemental”, and non-alcoholic mocktail “Faerie Lychee Nectar”, the latter of which this author found delectably tangy. The main food items were various forms of pizza which could be enjoyed outside in the light-strewn terrace.
Pictured: a guest in a luminous costume dances in front of the “Crystal Ballroom” stage
As the night wound down, guests posed for photos in the iconic hotel, and continued socializing in their rooms. Many of them would go on tirelessly to experience the second and busier Saturday evening running of the event the next day. Just one night at the Labyrinth Masquerade was however maximally and unimaginably stimulating, with never a lull in activity from dusk to the early morning.
From the physical engagement of the dancing and entertainment of the performances, to the immersion of the costumes and characters, the ball continues to make its mark as one of LA’s most fabulous and fantastical celebrations of culture.
Next year, in 2023, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel enters its 100th year of operation, and the Labyrinth Masquerade celebrates its 25th anniversary. This serendipitous eclipse of occasions will certainly inspire an incredible and unmissable event, that this author recommends everyone experiences at least once in their lifetime.
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