BELTANE FANTASY COSPLAY BALL
WE'RE BACK!Hear ye, hear ye!
All Fae and Little Folk, Wizards and Rogues, Mythical Beasts, Magical Girls, Time Travelers, Radiants, Shifters, Space Travelers, Book Lovers, and friends of the Unseen Realm are hereby invited to a Ball in Celebration of Summer's Return on Saturday, May 2nd 2026 at the Polonaise Ball Room, Polish Community Center, Albany
Join us for an enchanting night of dining, dancing, photography, cosplay, and fun at...
Polonaise Ball Room
Polish Community Center, Albany
Saturday, May 2, 2026
at 7:00 pm
All fandoms are welcome at this 18+ celebration.
Must be 21+ with ID to purchase or consume alcohol.
COSPLAY!
Formal cosplay is strongly encouraged for this event!
Formal cosplay can mean many things, but whatever you choose should be the fictional world equivalent to long formal gowns, dressy pants, suits/tuxedos, and the like. We want to leave guests plenty of room for interpretation and creativity, however please try to keep your cosplay within the spirit of the event and follow the rules listed below under "Dress Code."
DINING!
Feast before you party!
Buffet dinner will include:
Chicken Parmesan,
Sliced Beef Sirloin with Mushroom Gravy,
Pasta with Marinara (Vegan), Roasted Potatoes,
Sauteed Veggies,
Salad, Rolls and Butter
Sheet Cake and Brownies
DANCING!
After dinner, enjoy dancing to favorite fantasy songs, gaming music, and soundtracks, plus popular dance hits and ballroom music. Be sure to include your music request in the question box when you purchase your ticket! We'll try to play as many guest favorites as we can throughout the evening.
CASH BAR!
Our cash bar will feature themed cocktails and mocktails for purchase, as well as classic mixed drinks and select beers and wines. Guests must be 21+ to purchase or consume alcohol. Don't forget your ID!Don't drink? No worries. Water and soft drinks are free with your ticket.
PROFESSIONAL COSPLAY PHOTOGRAPHERS
RETURNING FOR 2026!
Local Photographers Kevin Q. Gray and Eric Vagabond are returning to capture your magical evening at this year's ball!
Included with your ticket, guests will receive one posed photo with fantasy backdrop as well as access to our Red Carpet and candid event photo gallery. Additional posed/edited photos available for purchase.
KEVIN Q. GRAY
Insta @kevinqgray
Event candids, group photos and roaming photography
VAGABOND PORTRAITS
Insta @vagabondportraits
www.vagabondportraits.com
Posed photo portrait setup
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
RETURNING FOR 2026!
Our resident Bard, Paz Pascua, will serenade our guests once again with a mix of dance and dinner music.Paz is an award-winning performance-based cosplayer from the Capital Region. He received a Master’s Division win at FandomFest in Schenectady; Best Performance winner at Saratoga Comic Con; and has been the judge’s choice at Anime Boston, Connecticon, and Another Anime Con. Paz loves performing and inspiring others to try cosplay. When he's not cosplaying, he's watching Isekai or trying to figure out how to get back to Epcot.Instagram @this_is _paz
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560572353045
TENTATIVELY ACCEPTED FOR 2026
Please welcome back the Hilltown Hags to our entertainment schedule! The Hags are a unique dance troupe from the Hilltown area of Albany County, performing secular, family-friendly dances at parades, festivals, haunted houses, and private events, and now they’ll be joining us for a fun, Beltane-themed set. The Hags seek to spread joy through the magic of dance, and never charge for performances.Visit the Hilltown Hags Facebook page, give them a follow, and check out some of their previous performance videos. We’re excited to have them join us at the ball and share some of their magic with us!
TRINKET TRADING
Trinket Trading is a fun part of many conventions and Renaissance Faires and now you can bring your trinkets to the ball! To participate, bring an assortment of small objects: charms, bracelets, feathers, beads or any little thing that is hand made or brings you joy! Trade items one-for-one with other participants and go home with a hoard of amusing shiny objects from all of your new friends. (Traders may not charge for items.)
SIDE QUESTS
Side Quests are OPTIONAL fun to complete when you need a break from dancing or if dancing isn't really your thing. Side Quests will introduce you to new friends through easy, planned interactions.FAIRY QUEST--Join your table mates to follow clues and collect magical items from participating guest cosplayers. Solve all five to complete the quest and earn commendations from the Fairy Queen.MYSTERY DANCE PARTNER--To participate, grab a mystery envelope upon arrival. Inside, you'll find half of a photograph. Who has the other half? Compare with other guests wearing gold ribbons throughout the evening until you find your match! Near the end of the evening, we'll play a special song so you can dance with your mystery partner. (No contact required.) We hope you find them before time runs out!
EVENT DRESS CODE
Formal cosplay is strongly encouraged for this event and all genres and fandoms are welcome to attend! We want to see you have fun and be creative. However, for the safety and comfort of all, we do have to set a few important rules. Please respect these limitations. If you're unsure about your cosplay, just send us an email!• NO WEAPONS of any kind--prop or otherwise. We love weapons as much as you do, but we don't have a weapons check professional for this event and we want everyone safe.• No nudity. If you wouldn’t wear it to a (nerdy, otherworldly, or off planet) wedding, it probably isn’t appropriate for this event.• Profane, racist, or derogatory content or imagery will not be allowed. No blackface.• Space, both on the dance floor and between tables, is limited. Cosplays that include large wings, long trains without wrist loops, tails that drag, or other elements that extend onto the ground, out from the back more than a few inches, or more than a foot above the head are discouraged to keep everyone safe.• For cleaning reasons, the venue will not allow body paint or glitter, wet blood, or makeup on parts of your body that will touch your chair or rub off on surfaces within the room. Please keep this is mind when planning your cosplay. Also avoid glitter fabrics that shed excessively.• Shoes must be worn at all times on the dance floor. This is VENUE POLICY and insurance related. If you can't keep your shoes on comfortably the whole evening, consider packing an alternative pair for dancing.• Cosplays that a person CANNOT SIT DOWN OR MOVE IN should be avoided. You will want to sit for dinner.• No t-shirts, sneakers, jeans, or mini skirts please! Also refrain from full face or over-the-head latex masks that cannot be easily and frequently removed. You will not be allowed to have a mask on during check-in. Remember, this is a FORMAL EVENT.Otherwise, have fun!
New to cosplay? Consider adding elf ears, a crown, or a masquerade mask to your standard formalwear to add a little fantasy flair!
PERSONAL SPACE POLICIES
We want everyone to feel safe and comfortable attending this event! As such, we have implemented a color-coded system so people can define their own comfort level and communicate that level to others without needing to engage. (Yeah, your planner is an introvert.)At the door, simply select the color ribbon that best defines your comfort level for the evening! Remember, a ribbon is NOT CONSENT. All guests still reserve the basic human right to say no to a conversation, a dance, a photo, physical contact or any other issue relating to body autonomy.DO NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF OTHER GUESTS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION! (Yes, we understand others may appear in the background of your personal photos, but they should not be the subject of your photo unless you've asked first,)• GREEN RIBBON “Open for everything!”
Green means a person is happy to be approached by strangers for conversation or photos, be asked to dance, and generally make new friends! They may be comfortable walking up to people they don’t know to begin a conversation.• YELLOW RIBBON “Give me a little time/space.”
Yellow means that the person is open to being approached, but requires a little additional time/space to get comfortable, may not wish to dance, or may be shy at first. Give a person wearing a yellow ribbon the space they need to warm up to or leave a conversation if they choose.• RED RIBBON “I’ll come to you.”
Red simply means that this person wishes to determine for themselves whether they want to dance or join a conversation. Let them approach you as their comfort allows.Ribbons have nothing to do with a person’s relationship status, nor are they blanket consent! Please always approach others with respect.
EVENT DETAILS AND FAQ
This is a "By the Fans for the Fans" style event! Basically, this means that all of the ticket money is being invested directly in the event. You're paying for your experience, nothing more. AND the more people who attend, the more we can offer! Should any proceeds remain after the event planning is complete, they will be used to tip waitstaff and/or be donated to the Regional Food Bank.This also means that we're looking for cosplayers willing to contribute to the fantasy ball experience! If you have a talent, from dance, to tarot, to DJing, to juggling, and you would like to contribute to this event, be sure to reach out!This is NOT a Masquerade Ball. Masquerade style masks are welcome but not required.Outside food and drink, especially alcohol, are strictly prohibited. If you have dietary concerns that might require you to carry in specific food, please contact the event coordinator.There is an ATM on the property, however it is not easily accessed from our ballroom. We recommend you come with cash for the bar.Confetti and bubbles are not allowed in the venue.This venue is ACCORDED NEUTRAL TERRITORY as determined by the Unseelie Accords. No violent acts, hate speech, or bullying will be tolerated. Guests who violate these policies will be asked to leave without refund. Law Enforcement will be called if necessary.For safety reasons, please do not attempt dance moves where either partner's head dips below the torso or where one person is lifted more than two feet off the floor. (In other words, we don't want the head being the first thing to hit the floor if you slip and fall.) Also, a reminder that the venue requires shoes on the dance floor.Tickets to this event are NON-REFUNDABLE. Purchase protection for your tickets is available before checkout on our ticketing site. We are also happy to transfer tickets to another person if you find you cannot attend.Guests will be seated at tables of eight. (We can stretch to nine if your group needs one more spot.) If your party is smaller than eight, you will be seated with other guests.Please try to purchase tickets for your entire group together in one order. If you want to sit with someone with a separate ticket order, email us with the names of both ticket holders and the subject line "Beltane Seating" at least one week before the event.Neither the venue nor the event planners are responsible for accident or injury that may occur at this event. Please make safe, smart choices, drink responsibly, and remain aware of your surroundings.By purchasing tickets, you are giving permission for photos taken at this event to be shared publicly and used to advertise future events. Guests will not be compensated for use of their images, and may not be credited when photos are shared.
Not from around Albany? We're working on a hotel deal for guests who want to stay closer to the venue. Stay tuned for more details.
Your Event Planner:
Bethany Marx, Upstate NY Cosplayer "Hill City Cosplay" @hillcitycosplay and owner of HCIQ Princess Parties in Albany, NY.
Contact [email protected] with questions and ideas!Consultants, promotion and marketing help from Lauren Clover, Tara Fox, Christina Casey, Ojy Bailey, Jennifer Wicks, and Maria M.
Featured cosplayers on this page: @lothloriencosplay @hillcitycosplay @cosplayersalith @lazyrotini and guests of last year's ball.
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved.