The Gorey Details

There was a time when the term “Gothic” conjured up images of vaulted ceilings, embellished spires, and the glowy sobriety of illuminated manuscripts. More recently, Gothic has been callously stripped of its "ic," along with some of its romanticism, and more closely aligned with Wet 'n' Wild eyeliner and pleather pants. Not all members of the subculture lazily choose their garments from the Hot Topic sales rack, however. And evidence of this can be seen every year during the Edwardian Ball Weekend, which restores some pomp and circumstance to the Gothic aesthetic by infusing it with a monocle-clad Victorian sensibility. Sure, historians may split hairs about the difference between Gothic and Edwardian, but when it comes to fashion and a dark-cabaret feel, the pair go hand in black-gloved hand. The three-day fete features steam-powered oddities, live performances of Edward Gorey tales, musical acts like chamber-rock band Rasputina and self-proclaimed “World’s Premier Pagan Lounge Ensemble” Rosin Coven, and a ball at which attendees can dust off their custom-made corsets (or just leave the dust for an added layer of authenticity), top hats, and ascots and take a few stately turns on the dancefloor.

The ball starts at 8 p.m.; Admission is $35.
Jan. 23-25, 2009