Costume Balls

A beautiful record of the extravagant costume balls and skating carnivals that were once the pinnacle of society entertainments. Accompanies a major exhibition at the McCord Stewart Museum. Montreal, November 14, 2024 to August 17, 2025. A century and a half ago, extravagant costume balls and skating carnivals were the pinnacle of society’s entertainment, bringing forth a kaleidoscopic array of characters, most drawn from history. The opportunity to reimagine oneself as a noble hero or heroine from the past was no less than the chance of a lifetime. Participants acquired extravagant costumes…