To disappear for a couple of days into a fantastical world of magic and wonder is the type of weekend escape that appeals to many who have navigated their way through a gruelling and swirling world of Covid.

Creating magic using a goblin throne, labyrinth walls and an underwater spectacular was one of the highlights of 2021, a year fringed with many other cancelled events, and the creators are bringing it back.

Paul and Rozanne de Wild have taken the concept of theming to an exquisitely new plateau in New Zealand with their Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball which is returning for its second year in just a few days.

Paul and Rozanne de Wild at the 2021 Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball. Photo: Supplied.

The couple, their skilled crew, and hundreds of excited guests from all over New Zealand and even Australia, are now gearing up for the weekend event, being held at the Millennium Hotel in Rotorua from Friday, July 15, – Sunday, July 17.

Having known Paul and Rozanne since 2018 when I found Paul building a Drogon replica in their kitchen and Rozanne working on corseted gowns, I've been intrigued with this couple who have not only won Armageddon Expo Cosplay awards but have opened up a world of wonder to so many others.

One of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

'The concept for the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball came about because Paul and I travelled to numerous overseas conventions, and on one of those occasions we ended up at the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball in LA,” says Rozanne. 'It's held in a hotel over two nights, with the same sort of themes both nights, but has seven different ballrooms.”

Floating from one room to another, Rozanne says each room was themed slightly differently.

'One was a disco, another one ball room dancing, another had magicians and storytellers. There were 7000 people over both evenings. It's the ‘who's who' of LA plus lots of other people, and anybody can go. It's absolutely magical.”

One of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

Two of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

Following that holiday, they then went to Atlanta to attend Dragon Con, the largest multi-media, popular culture convention in the world, focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film.

'Dragon Con had 80,000 people per day, over five days, 24 hours a day. It's held in five international hotels, which have sky bridges connecting them all so you can flow between them.

'We really enjoyed the interaction you get when you stay in these hotels. What we found was that by staying onsite, rather than elsewhere and then traveling to the event each day, you just have a deeper greater experience. It makes it more intimate, you can go back to your room, put up your feet, have a rest, or change costume and just get right back out there again. And it's magical.”

Two of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

They went two years running with Rozanne wanting to go again, but when plans changed she came upon the idea of creating a themed ball event in New Zealand.

'I wanted others here in New Zealand to experience a smidgen of that fairy dust. If I could just grab a teeny bit of it, I knew it would still be magical. I managed to get Paul on board with the whole idea.”

One of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Samantha Arthur.

Part of the concept was finding a suitable hotel to hold it.

'Sadly in Tauranga we don't have any international hotels or hotels spaces that have big ballrooms attached to them. It's something I know is lacking here.

'So we chose Rotorua because it's central, it doesn't have a huge populous of people in the creative costuming environment, and because we want people to experience a destination event and immerse themselves over a whole weekend.”

The Millennium Hotel proved to be a perfect venue, with a large pool area, breakout rooms and a large ballroom.

Two of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

Initially Paul and Rozanne planned that their 2021 ball weekend would be a small boutique event, with the idea to grow it in the future. The main ball event would be on the Saturday night with a smaller pre-function cocktail pool party on the Friday night.

'But the Friday night event refused to stay small. We called it The Creatures of Atlantis.”

With merfolk in the pool and live music from local band Pow Wow, the downstairs area was transformed into a magical underwater world with large columns and pillars, blue lighting, special effects, a bubble machine and glimmering tinsel. Even Rozanne gasped on seeing it the first time.

Two of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

'It was absolutely spectacular. It was as if you were underwater in this most incredible Atlantis scene. People came dressed in amazing costumes.”

With their first event delayed by a year due to Covid, it meant that Paul and Rozanne were able to create more props than previously planned. And there was more time for participants to go all out on their costumes, with many discussions held on their Facebook group during the months prior.

On the Saturday, there is a Costume Exhibit & Craft Market being held during the day which is free for the public to attend.

'This year the market will be held at the neighbouring Sudima Hotel,” says Rozanne.

Two of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

Saturday guests are also offered the opportunity to attend one of two Tea Parties held at the Level 13 Theme Rooms.

Saturday evening is the spectacular fantasy masquerade ball, with the primary theming based around the Labyrinth movie 'because obviously Paul and I have got quite an affinity for that”. Tauranga local Patrick Visser from Groove DJ's will be setting the mood with iconic soundtrack music from Labyrinth as well as popular dance music from the 60s to now.

This year Saturday night has a completely new area for guests to explore, including the Time Travellers Ballroom, which will host traditional and historical dancing led by dance instructor Fiona and her team with a live band. There is also a saloon and a Victorian parlour.

Three violinists will play throughout the Saturday night pre-function promenade with dancers entertaining the guests. Rozanne recalls last year's event as she arrived for the prefunction promenade and finding it already filling with people.

One of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.

'And again, I just gasped, not at our theming but these costumes! We dreamed that people would get the concept. I mean we set the idea of what we would want, but our guests not only grasped it, they exceeded it! It was amazing.”

The Mad Hatter, steampunkers, Edwardian and Victorian outfits, even Cruella de Ville showed up to their 2021 weekend.

'Essentially it was like going to WOW but not watching people on stage; instead you are that person, and you're walking up interacting with these people. You're totally immersed in this magical world.”

Hotel room bookings and tickets are highly sought after, but it's not too late to grab borrow, hire or create your own costume and come and join the spectacular.

For more information on the weekend event go to www.cnzwildadventures.com

One of the participants in the Costumiers' Fantasy Masquerade Ball 2021. Photo: Supplied.