The Edwardian Ball is an elegant, whirlwind, turn-of-the-century festival of music, theatre, dance, fashion, circus, art, gaming, ballroom dance, vending, and the art and stories of Edward Gorey. Puzzling to explain, nigh impossible to describe, but absolutely delightful to experience, The Edwardian Ball is an elegant and whimsical celebration of art, music, theatre, fashion, technology, circus, and the beloved creations of the late, great author and illustrator Edward Gorey. Set in an imagined “Edwardian Era”, this multi-city, multi-media extravaganza has grown over the past fifteen years from an underground club party into an internationally recognized festival of the arts, now operating with the blessing of The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust. Costumed and enthusiastic attendees, now traveling from across the nation and from all corners of the globe, flock to this West Coast celebration for a delightful blend of ballroom dancing, live music, riveting stage shows, DJs and dancing, fine art installations, an award-winning vendor bazaar, mystical and nonsensical oddities, absinthe cocktails, steam machinery, parlour games, alluring sideshows, and much more. All ages are welcome and appropriate in this darkly humorous and elegant setting, where literary aficionados rub elbows with chimney sweeps, where the sensual meets the bizarre, where historically-accurate Edwardian recreationists waltz through the steam-powered tea garden… where the only guiding rule is that you join in on the fun! The Edwardian Ball has been called “the quintessential must-never-miss event of the year,” “a defining annual San Francisco tradition,” and “a literary circus of the highest caliber” for so many compelling reasons… come experience for yourself!
