Cirque Costume Ball Takes Over Science World on Halloween
On Saturday, October 31, Science World trades its exhibits for three rooms of music on two floors. Twisted Events runs the Cirque Costume Ball there from 9pm to 2am, with up to 1,500 people in costume, silk aerialists, a contortionist, LED dancers, stilt walkers, jugglers and five licensed bars. On the morning of October 31 the Showpass page still had regular tickets at $80 and VIP at $95 before fees, with every cheaper tier marked sold out and the organiser warning that fewer than 200 tickets were left.
Regular or VIP when you are buying two
Two regular tickets come to $160 before fees and two VIP tickets to $190, so the upgrade costs $30 for the pair. Here is what the extra money buys: an expedited entrance line, a second-level lounge with limited seating that looks down on the main dance floor, access to the VIP-only third room for house and Afro house, VIP bars with premium brands and express service, Halloween treats, and canapes by Chef Andre Cordeiro served in the lounge from 10pm until they run out.
With up to 1,500 people in the building, the shorter bar line and a place to sit are the perks you will notice most. If you are the couple who wants to dance in the main room all night to Top 40 and mash-ups, regular is fine. If one of you needs a breather every hour, VIP is the better buy. The page says you can upgrade from regular to VIP at the door for a fee, so there is no need to decide in the checkout screen.
The rules to know before you get dressed
The night is 19+ and the page asks for valid government-issued ID, so bring it even if your costume has no pockets. Costume weapons must be clearly fake and made of soft plastic; the organiser says it will turn away hard plastic or metal props and anything it judges too realistic. There is no outside food or drink and no re-entry, and tickets are not refundable.
No re-entry is the rule that shapes the date. Eat a proper dinner before 9pm, because the only food mentioned is the VIP canapes, and pick a costume you can dance in for a few hours without stepping out for air.
How we would plan the night
Science World sits across the street from Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station, which makes transit the easy call on a night with five bars. Have dinner in Olympic Village, then walk the seawall past The Birds sculptures to the dome so you arrive close to the 9pm start. The party runs until 2am, so sort out your ride home before you go in. If a 1,500-person costume party sounds like too much, Science World's After Dark nights are the calmer way to see the building with a drink in hand.
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