October 26, 2020
HighBall Halloween is going virtual for 2020!
This year, the event can be streamed from October 31 to November 8 to allow HighBallers to watch the main event from the comfort of their own homes. Click here to purchase tickets; ticket buyers will receive a unique private link to view the show.
The streamed event will feature hosts Nina West of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and NBC4’s Monica Day and Matt Barnes, who will guide viewers through the evening to celebrate HighBall Halloween. Five talented HighBall designers will also be returning to showcase their new costume couture looks, and for the chance to take home the cash prize during the White Castle Costume Couture Fashion Show. Captivating local band MojoFlo will take the stage with a special guest appearance, as well as Virginia West and the West Family. In addition, the public can also take part in the show by participating in the Out of the Closet Virtual Public Costume Contest.
To celebrate the countdown to Virtual HighBall, we asked business owners in the Short North Arts District to share what they love about the event.
“HighBall, coming as it does as a celebration of Halloween, which is the unofficial National LGBTQA Holiday, also coincides with Out of the Closet’s national anniversary and the anniversary of the opening of our store in the Short North Arts District. This means we feel like all of Columbus is celebrating with us! And the vibe in our store as people come in to find inspiration for creating their own unique costumes for HighBall Halloween fills OTC with laughter and fun.”
– Brent Burington, Out of the Closet
“HighBall Halloween is easily one of my favorite events to attend each year because the live music is always amazing, the costumes are over the top, and the couture fashion show is unlike any other! It has become a yearly tradition for us to attend and we love experiencing all that HighBall Halloween has to offer!”
– Stephanie Tersigni, Jolie Occasions
“Here at Short North Stage and the Garden Theater, we love HighBall Halloween because of the great community-building event it is. We have performed there and promoted shows in previous seasons, and it is always a joy to introduce HighBall Halloween to our out-of-town actors who work with us. We think it really showcases the amazing city that Columbus is!”
– Edward Carignan, Short North Stage
“HighBall Halloween is THE event that shows off the Short North Arts District neighborhood. Truly a creative event that allows us to be called the Arts District of Columbus.”
– Travis Samson, Samson…A Men’s Emporium
“HighBall Halloween is a community event showcasing the exceptional talent within Columbus. It allows us to display, connect, and immerse ourselves within the city through cocktails that promote the season’s creative spirits.”
– The Middle West Spirits Family
“As a resident and business owner in the Short North Arts District, I look forward to HighBall Halloween every year. This event is not only super fun, but in one weekend, it brings together and amplifies all of the art, culture, creativity, and incredible fashion scenes already present in Columbus, and more specifically, the Short North Arts District.
– Kate Stevens, Red Giraffe Designs
ABOUT HIGHBALL HALLOWEEN
HighBall Halloween is the nation’s most extravagant costume party. Staged in the fashion capital of Columbus, this yearly event for the Halloween season bridges runway style with the culture of the Short North Arts District. Now entering its thirteenth year, HighBall Halloween has grown into what Fox News called “the single most elaborate Halloween event in the country” and what USA Today called “one of the nation’s top ten Halloween costume parties.” At HighBall Halloween, you are what you wear. For more information visit HighBallColumbus.org.
Proceeds from HighBall Halloween go to support the Short North Alliance (SNA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving both the property owners and business owners of the Short North Arts District. HighBall Halloween helps to underwrite the programs and activities of the Short North Alliance, including clean and safe initiatives, promotions, holiday campaigns, public art installations, and parking management. Make your support of HighBall Halloween go even further with a donation to the Short North Alliance at ShortNorth.org/Donate.
