A Merry Masquerade Ball

Move over, Welly Ball —a formidable opponent vies for the title of ‘Guests Most Committed To The Theme’. Hosted at Kinkell Byre on Sunday 1 December by the Mermaids Performing Arts Fund, the glamorous Masquerade-themed Christmas Ball ushered in the holiday season with an undeniable bang and immaculately dressed guests. 

With standard tickets priced between £45 and £48, Christmas Ball stood out as one of the best value-for-money events in a sea of high-priced black-tie affairs. In addition to a slew of performers, and themed cocktails at the pre-event, attendees enjoyed unlimited free Jannetta’s ice cream and mini pancakes from the Wee Dutchie at the main venue. If the gratuitous sweet treats weren’t enough, food vendors Wee Green Events and Pizza Geeks satisfied any remaining cravings. The biggest penny-pincher was arguably the Union  bar, a cost-effective, refreshing perk unavailable at most balls. One could enjoy the night drinking long vodkas for a relative bargain (hypothetically, not speaking from experience of course). Those willing to splurge on a £60 V.I.P. ticket were pampered with skipping the bus queue, a free drink at the bar, a free masquerade mask, and a raffle ticket.

Mermaid’s Masquerade fostered a truly festive and intimate atmosphere. The beautifully decorated Kinkell Byre —with fairy lights, Christmas trees hung upside down, a feather centrepiece, and more fostered the ultimate holiday spirit. It also offered an amusing ambiance for running into (quite literally) everyone you know, in spite of the masked theme — a charming St Andrews inevitability. The irony of hosting a masquerade ball at a university where anonymity is practically impossible was not lost on me — but I digress. With multiple aesthetic backdrops around the venue, a props-filled photo booth, and a professional photographer, Christmas Ball was certainly not short of opportunities for the classic St Andrean ball photoshoot. Not that I have to tell you, dear reader: you probably already know from your Instagram feed the day after.

The real superstar of the evening, however, was the music. Such praise is seldom given to any St Andrews event, but the diabolical and absolutely killer remixes from the DJs left quite the impression. I had never heard Mariah Carey be remixed with Soulja Boy, let alone with such ease. And who knew hyperpop Lana del Rey could get the crowd going? Combining holiday staples with pop legends, the dance floor was never deserted. Although I spent little time in the marquee, those searching for a more tranquil evening (or perhaps just wanting to give their feet a break) could retire to vintage films and tarot card readings to the left of the main room.  

As a rare frequenter of St Andrews balls, I left Masquerade pleasantly surprised and perhaps a reformed cynic. To the healthy sceptic – rest assured, you can get on the bus back feeling like you didn’t waste money for the sake of “showing face”.

Photo: Celia Irving