Masquerade Lounge
The Masquerade Lounge is located in the Pippins Room, which is past the public restrooms on the first floor beyond the staircase. We open the Masquerade Lounge at 6:00 pm on Friday, with our first panel. The Lounge will close on Saturday at 1:00 am, and reopen Saturday morning at 10:00 am. It will close at 1:00 am Sunday morning. We will open again on Sunday at 11:00 am, and close at 4:00 pm in time for the Convention’s closing ceremonies.
What kind of programming will be presented? Any and everything costume related! Check the table positioned at the bottom of the staircase. There will be an easel displaying the days schedule of programming, and highlighting the next hour’s panel/demo.
Sounds like fun stuff. What can I do to help? VOLUNTEER! We need you! If you know you want to be a panelist, please contact us early so we can get you on the roster. We also need people to man the Masquerade Lounge itself, setting up tables and chairs, registering contestants for the costume contest, even just sticking around to keep the Masquerade director cool and calm. (We in the Masquerade Lounge are ardent worshipers of the Goddess of Caffeine, with offerings of Coke and chocolate always at hand—just a perk for volunteering in the Lounge).
I’m interested in entering the Costume contest. Wonderful! We like it when people feel inspired to dress up. And we LOVE it when you want to show off your beautiful creations with the audience. Registration for the contest is located in the Lounge (just look for the signs). Please, please, please register early (like Friday if possible) because Masquerade contest registration closes at 1:00 pm on Saturday. Contestants are urged to attend the Masquerade 101 panel on Friday evening at 10:00 pm. It’s our ‘orientation’, and gives you an idea of how our contest is organized. The rules and regs of the contest are available in hard copy in the Masquerade Lounge. Please READ them through. (We’d hate to disqualify you for some itsy bitsy rule). On Saturday, all contestants will assemble in the Green Room at 7:30 pm; the contest itself starts at 8:00 pm.
Is there a ‘Hall Costume" contest? Kind of. We have ‘secret’ judges roaming the hallways, just ready to pounce on a terrific costume, and give you the recognition you deserve. You will receive a “Hall Costume" button that you can proudly show off, and, unlike other contests, the judge will try (very hard) to persuade you to enter the Masquerade contest!
Help! My costume is coming apart! Never fear! Help is here! MarsCon offers the services of the Costume Emergency First Aid Station, stocked with everything from hot glue guns, to duct tape, to needle and thread, to staples (and beyond). We will give you a hand and help you get your costume wearable again. The service is free to ALL con-goers, contestants or not. A service of MarsCon Masquerade Lounge, and DreamStitcher Costume.
Whether you come to the Lounge for a specific panel or demo, or just want to hang around and ‘talk shop’ with other people interested in costume, you are welcome.
Come on in!
—MarsCon Masquerade Director, Rae Lundquist
Masquerade Lounge Schedule & Related Programming
| Friday, March 5th | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 pm | Masquerade Lounge opens, Masquerade Contest registration opens | |
| Henna Painting with Sara Cura | ||
| 8:00 pm | How to Waltz | |
| 9:00 pm | Dance Practice Session | |
| 10:00 pm | Masquerade 101 (Masquerade Contest orientation) | |
| 11:00 pm | How to run a Costume Contest | |
| Midnight | How to Read a Pattern (Rae Lundquist) | |
| 1:00 am | Masquerade Lounge Closes | |
| Saturday, March 6th | ||
| 10:00 am | Masquerade Lounge opens | |
| Mask Making for Kids and Adults (Mary Mac) | ||
| 11:00 am | Dragon Making by Committee (Julie Bowman) | |
| Noon | Basic Make-up (Holly Hamel) | |
| 1:00 pm | Masquerade Contest registration closes | |
| Creating…Voldemort (Bill Hedrick, Rae Lundquist, Rich Schreiber) | ||
| 4:00 pm | “How I Made a Gargoye” (Patrick Fisher) | |
| 5:00 pm | Beginner Guide to Prop Guns (Erik Pakeiser) | |
| 6:00–8:00 pm | Masquerade Lounge closes for Masquerade Contest preparation | |
| 8:00–10:00 pm | Masquerade contest, Main Stage | |
| 10:00 pm | Corset Making (Heather Luca) | |
| 11:00 pm | Care and Feeding of Wigs (Elizabeth Sloan & Jo O’Hanley) | |
| Midnight | Harry Potter 7.1 & Beyond (Tony Artym & Matt Ledder) | |
| 1:00 am | Masquerade Lounge Closes | |
| Sunday, March 7th | ||
| 11:00 am | Masquerade Lounge opens | |
| An Overview of Underwear (Rae Lundquist) | ||
| Noon | Pipe Cleaner Dragons (Julie Bowman) | |
| 1:00 pm | Wired for Light in Costumes (Ben Huset) | |
| 2:00 pm | “How did you do that?” open show & tell for costumers | |
| 3:00 pm | “Meet the Con Chairs for MarsCon 2012” | |
| 4:00 pm | Masquerade Lounge closes | |
MarsCon 2011
March 4-6, 2011
Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Int’l Airport Hotel & Suites
(formerly: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites)
3 Appletree Square
Bloomington, MN
If you’re looking for the Marscon in Williamsburg, VA click here.
Questions about MarsCon: info
This page updated 09:56 am April 10, 2015, © 2011 Fans Educational Network for Science Fiction.