Dear Honored Guest of the Winter Fae Court,

We are so delighted to welcome you to The Winter Fae Court Masquerade Ball. To help you settle in with ease and fully enjoy the magic of the evening, we wanted to share a gentle guide to what awaits you upon arrival and throughout the night.

A few important pieces of information all guests should know:

Location
American Legion
710 Apperson Dr
Salem, VA 24153

Festivities Begin
Doors open at 6:30 PM
Main festivities begin at 7:00 PM

Parking
Free on-site parking is available. Please follow posted signage and staff directions upon arrival.

Dress Code
Fantasy, Renaissance, fandom, formal, or creative masquerade attire encouraged — masks welcome but not required. Wear what makes you feel magical and comfortable.

Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair accessible. If you need assistance at any point during the evening, please let a member of the Fae Ball volunteers know. All Fae Ball volunteers will be wearing a white and gold name tag designating them as a volunteer.

IMPORTANT: Seating Information
If you purchased a couple’s ticket, a private table, or are part of a larger group who purchased tickets separately, please take a moment to complete the seating form below no later than Thursday, January 15th. This helps us ensure your group is seated together.

Seating Form:
https://forms.gle/86pwb54jzMYqHTMz9

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Order of Revels for the Evening:

Arrival & Welcome (6:30–7:30 PM)
As you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the Winter Sprite herself, along with one of her courtly helpers. (A map is attached to this email to guide you to parking and the main entrance.)

At check-in, you’ll be:

Checked in by name
Given your table number
Given an individual bidder number for the Silent Auction
Given your photo package ticket, if you’ve purchased one

From there, a helper of the Winter Sprite will escort you to your table.

Once seated, feel free to begin the evening at your own pace:

Servers will visit your table with non-alcoholic drinks
Guests with photo packages can have their portraits taken until 7:30 PM
Visit the appetizer bar or check out the silent auction table
Stop by the Winter Court Bar Room for an alcoholic beverage
Enjoy a few rounds of the table games provided

Throughout the evening, music will be curated by local radio host Jim Shively, delighting guests with an elegant blend of whimsical and pop-classical favorites — and we’re thrilled to announce that Euterpea Fantasy Flute will be joining us with live flute music throughout the night, adding an extra layer of enchantment and atmosphere to the Court.

The Winter Court Bar Room
A cash bar serving beer, wine, and hard seltzer is located in the historic wing adjoining the ballroom, where alcohol is served.

Drinks may be enjoyed in the bar or brought back to the ballroom
All guests requesting alcohol will be carded
Cash and credit cards are accepted

Dinner & Courtly Challenges (7:30–8:15 PM)
Dinner service for the main course will begin at 7:30 PM, served table-side.

As you dine, the Winter Sprite will visit each table with riddles and playful challenges.

There are 90 challenge coins available for the evening
Limited to one coin per guest
Earned by successfully completing riddles or challenges

These coins are a special keepsake of the night — and a token of the Sprite’s favor.

Guided Court Dance (8:15–8:45 PM)
After dinner concludes, guests are invited to take part in an optional guided dance led by The Dancing Duo.

This lighthearted session is a wonderful way to learn a few simple steps and feel confident joining the dance floor — no experience required.

Dancing & Questing with the Court (8:45–9:45 PM)
The ballroom opens for open dancing, desserts, and continued merriment.

During this time:

The Winter Sprite will be seated near the stage with her Challenge Board
Guests may select a challenge, present it to the Sprite, and complete it to earn her favor (and possibly a challenge coin, should they complete the challenge successfully!)
Dance, visit the bar, enjoy desserts, and mingle freely

Silent Auction
Your bidder number, received at check-in, will be used throughout the Silent Auction, which you will find next to the stage, opposite of the Winter Sprite. Directions on how to bid will be located next to the items up for auction, and bidding will continue throughout the night, ending at 9:45 PM.

Auction items include:

Hand-painted masquerade masks designed by local artists
A chance to win a spot at April’s Camp CritCreek Adult D&D Camp

Winning bids will be announced during the finale of the evening. All proceeds go to support the Ferrum Park project.

Finale & Farewells (9:45–10:00 PM)
To close the night:

Guests who wish to be considered for Best Dressed will be invited to the stage
The "Court's Favor" winner will be chosen by crowd applause
A second honor, Winter Sprite’s Choice, will be awarded by the Sprite herself
Silent Auction winners will be announced
Final farewells from the Court

We are so looking forward to sharing an evening filled with fantasy, music, laughter, and memories with you. Thank you for being part of this enchanted gathering — we cannot wait to welcome you into the Winter Fae Court. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to respond to this email!

With warm regards and a touch of frost,
The Winter Fae Court Hosts

The Winter Fae Court - A Masquerade Ball