3-Time King Will Retire From Royal Revue at Carnaval Masquerade Ball

Ah spring. Time for Don Pasco to pull out the ostrich feathers, jewels, sequins and thigh-high boots. Because in Long Beach, spring means Carnaval. And for Pasco, Carnaval means the annual Carnaval Masquerade Ball, where Pasco, wearing thousands of dollars worth of flowing cape and headdress, has reigned as king three of the last five soirees.

At Friday night’s ball, a secret panel of judges will choose the new king and queen and mark the official beginning of Carnaval season, which culminates the weekend of May 23 and 24 with a two-day celebration inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s annual fete and New Orleans’ Mardi Gras.

Last year, a royal contestant came to the ball dressed as a rainbow in a trailing headdress and flowing caftan. “When she opened the caftan,” Pasco said, “it was spectacular.” Carmen Miranda knockoffs are popular, he said. The less adventurous wear tuxedos and evening gowns.

Pasco, a professional costume designer, prefers a New Orleans look, he said. “New Orleans is a fairy tale, it’s elaborate, majestic. Rio is sensual, skimpy, a lotta feathers, a lotta sequins, a lotta stones and a lotta body. This is a family event, so I come completely covered.”

Anyone with guts, imagination and $25 for a ticket can attend the ball, Pasco said. “You don’t have to spend a fortune. People come wearing everything from bikinis to 5-foot headdresses.” Pasco’s professional proposal: Take a pair of old pants, cut off the legs, tie-dye a T-shirt, find a vest, get a big earring, stick a feather in a headband “and you’re a pirate,” he said. “It costs nothing.”

Would-be competitors take heart: Pasco plans to retire from royal competition this year. Instead, he and Century City costume designer Sibella (whose clients include Dolly Parton and Cher) are staging the evening’s fashion show to complement the ball theme, “Dance to a Different Drummer.”

“We’re doing a show that asks the question, ‘What if Columbus had discovered Carnaval?’ ” Pasco said, to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Long Beach Carnaval and the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ landing.

Besides costumes, the evening’s fare includes the limbo, conga, Caribbean music, dancing, buffet and beverages. A costume or formal attire is required for admission to the ball, which drew about 500 people last year.

The party begins at 8 p.m. Friday at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel, 111 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. For tickets and information, call Downtown Long Beach Associates, (310) 436-4259.