Masquerade ball

Masquerade ball at the Carnival of Venice.
A Veneziana mask from Verona, Italy.
German 16th century, a masquerade from Freydal, the tournament book of Maximilian I, c. 1515, pen and brown ink with watercolor on laid paper. One in a series at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Rosenwald Collection.

A masquerade ball (or bal masqué) is a special kind of formal ball which many participants attend in costume wearing masks. (Compare the word "masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal "costume parties" may be a descendant of this tradition. A masquerade ball usually encompasses music and dancing. These nighttime events are used for entertainment and celebrations.[1] 

  1. ^ "The History of Masquerade Balls". Avas Flowers. Retrieved 9 November 2017.