PREVIEW: Mystery Meets Music: Masquerave 3 at UPH
10/25/25 @ Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga
“Halloween gives you the freedom to be whoever you want, and a rave does the same. Together, it’s the best of both worlds.”
The Great Hall is about to glow… Again!
On Saturday, October 25, All of Us Events returns to Universal Preservation Hall for the third annual Masquerave, a Halloween-inspired night where mystery, music, and masks come together under one roof. If you’ve ever wanted to lose yourself in rhythm and light until time slips away, this is the place to do it.
For founder Shane Stiel, Masquerave is deeply personal. The very first event he ever threw under the All of Us name was Masquerave, and he still remembers how much was riding on it.
“Looking back at the first one, I wanted to present the company for the first time and make sure it was up to par with what other production companies were doing,” he tells me. “At that time, we didn’t have the following yet; nobody really knew about us. We had to get down to the nitty-gritty, guerrilla marketing: flyers, talking to people face to face, pulling together anyone who believed in the scene and wanted to see it grow here.”
The effort paid off. That night stunned the crowd, wowed UPH staff, brought Shane to tears, and confirmed that a Capital Region rave community really could take root. The second Masquerave moved to a different space while UPH secured its liquor license, but now the event is back home where it began, and this year, it’s bigger than ever.
“I’m honestly most excited to just be back at UPH,” Stiel says, smiling. “It really feels like home. They treat us so well. The day they got their liquor license back, I was the first person they called.”
This time around, Masquerave is bringing its boldest lineup yet. International techno powerhouse AK SPORTS headlines, supported by DJ Prophet, Ronnie Rave, and The Front Room. Stiel’s excitement for the booking is contagious.
“I saw Sarah Landry at Coachella this year, and she blew my mind. It took me back to my old rave days. I thought, ‘I need to find an artist like this,’” he says. “When I discovered AK SPORTS, I turned it up in my car, windows down — just boom, boom, boom. It’s hard, it’s energetic, it’s everything I want Masquerave to feel like.”
Throw in lights, visuals, masks, and costumes, and it becomes one of those nights that doesn’t let go of you. You’ll walk out replaying it all in your head like a dream you don’t want to wake up from.
But for Stiel, the energy of Masquerave goes beyond the sound and lights. Something powerful lies within the transformation of the space itself, and the freedom that comes with the masquerade theme. “We stick with that vibe of a masquerade ball, spooky, mysterious, but with a rave twist,” he says. “People really go all out. Masks, costumes, the whole thing. Halloween gives you the freedom to be whoever you want, and a rave does the same. Together, it’s the best of both worlds.”
He remembers standing at the back of the room during the very first Masquerave, overwhelmed. “I literally started tearing up. I thought, ‘Wow, all these people are having fun. We did this. We created this safe space where people could be themselves.’ I love that. That’s why I do it.”
That sense of welcome is built into the DNA of All of Us. At the entrance, a banner greets dancers with the words Welcome Dancers. Security and staff are reminded that everyone who comes through the doors deserves kindness. “Everybody’s welcome under the disco ball,” Stiel says. “This goes far beyond a party. It’s a community.”
It extends to the artists, too. As a former touring DJ, Stiel knows how it feels to be overlooked. He makes sure every artist has a comfortable hotel, a gift from the Capital Region, and a handwritten thank-you card waiting for them. “We want to be game changers. Too often, artists get treated like they’re just a product. That’s not us. We want them to know they’re appreciated for being here.”
It’s those touches, big and small, that set All of Us apart. And it’s why Masquerave has become a tradition people look forward to every October.
For Stiel, the dream is always expanding. He’s already thinking ahead to New Year’s Eve and beyond. But for now, his focus is on October 25, when the Great Hall turns into something otherworldly, and strangers become friends on the dance floor.
“Get ready to rave,” he says with a smile.
Masquerave is 21+ with ID, featuring a full bar (including a specialty cocktail) and free Uber rides home thanks to Harding & Mazzotti. Costumes and masks are encouraged.
Tickets are available now at tickets.proctors.org.