By Natasha Sachi, Co-Founder of The Paravelle Ball
When people ask me what Paravelle is, I usually say something like “a fantasy ball” or “a magical event series for bookish souls.” But if I’m being honest?
Paravelle is about the people.
It’s about friendship.
And it’s about the quiet, life-changing power of being seen and celebrated exactly as you are — especially when you show up as a glowing faerie in a velvet cape.
Yes, the fantasy balls are breathtaking.
Yes, we’ve twirled under chandeliers and slow danced in armor and summoned otherworldly stories into beautiful spaces.
But the real magic is what happens in between.
It’s the way people keep coming back — not just for the spectacle, but for each other.
It’s the picnics, where new friends tentatively show up in their beautiful handmade costumes and share food.
The Ren Faire meetups, where someone offers to fix your corset and by the end of the day, they’ve invited you into their friend group.
The content days, where you can be your most radiant, ridiculous self and have someone yell “SLAY” from behind a camera.
The Paint in the Park events, where a group of would-be strangers ends up laughing over shared palettes and fantasy memes.
It's small, it's sweet, and it's surprisingly profound.
A little while ago, I started attending a LARP called Twin Mask, because our founder— Juliette — casually mentioned it at Ren Faire. I was curious. Nervous. Intrigued.
That was nearly two years ago.
Now? I’m still there. And I’ve brought a lot of Paravellians with me and delved into stories I wouldn't think possible. Fantasy became a gateway. And play became a kind of healing.
I’ve seen this community create book clubs, craft nights, and even long-distance costume collabs.
I’ve watched people who thought they were “too weird” or “too much” realize they were never alone — they just hadn’t found their people yet.
“I didn’t know adults could make friends like this,” one guest told me at a picnic.
“This community has changed my life,” said another. “I don't know where I would be without it.”
For many of us, this is the first time we’ve had real friends who love fantasy, too.
People who don’t judge your book obsession— they ask where you got your elf ears.
People who don’t make you feel out of place for being soft, or nerdy, or obsessed with fictional worlds.
People who help you hot glue a crown the night before an event — and wear one themselves the next day.
If you’ve ever felt like you were almost part of something magical — but just outside the door — I want you to know: you’re invited.
You don’t have to know anyone. You don’t have to have the “perfect” outfit.
You just have to be curious. Open-hearted. Willing to play.
This is a place for the dreamers and the shy ones and the people who thought they were too old to pretend.
You’re not.
The world is hard — but here, for a little while, it doesn’t have to be.
Upcoming events:
Join us. You never know what kind of friendships might be waiting just around the corner.
