Inside the Labyrinth: Our Magical Night at the 40th Anniversary Masked Ball
There are some days that feel a little bit like stepping straight into another world.
Saturday 22nd August was definitely one of them.
To celebrate 40 years of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, fans gathered at the beautiful Wycombe Abbey in High Wycombe for the Labyrinth 40th Anniversary Masked Ball — and Licensed To Charm was lucky enough to be right in the middle of the magic.
For one evening, the historic grounds became a world of masks, music, extraordinary costumes, goblins, tarot cards and more than a few Goblin Kings.
And tucked away in our own little corner of it all was the Licensed To Charm Goblin City Shop.
Bringing the Goblin City Shop to life
Long before the ballroom doors opened, Maggie and her husband were busy transforming our little space at Wycombe Abbey.
Black draping, jewellery displays, curious little details and plenty of Labyrinth atmosphere slowly turned the corner into our very own Goblin City Shop, ready to showcase our officially licensed Labyrinth jewellery.
It was one of those days that went from quiet setup to wonderfully chaotic very quickly.
Once everyone began arriving, Maggie barely stopped.
There were pieces to show, questions to answer, old favourites to talk about and some very exciting new designs to reveal for the first time.
One of the highlights was giving fans an early look at our Goblin King Mask jewellery.
Seeing something we've worked on behind the scenes finally being held, worn and talked about by actual Labyrinth fans is always a special moment. There really is nothing quite like watching someone recognise a detail immediately or seeing their face when they discover a new piece in person.
Maggie described the whole day afterwards as magical, incredibly busy and very full-on — which feels like a fairly accurate description of spending a day inside the Labyrinth!
But her favourite part?
Meeting all of you.
The people really made the day
One of the loveliest things about events like this is seeing just how much Labyrinth still means to people four decades later.
We met fans who had loved the film since childhood, people who had introduced it to their own children and friends, collectors, jewellery lovers and people who had travelled especially for the anniversary celebrations.
And then there were the outfits.
Honestly, the outfits.
There were Goblin Kings everywhere, with Jareth-inspired tailoring, dramatic wigs, boots, masks and wonderfully theatrical makeup.
There were beautiful Sarah-inspired costumes, including interpretations of that unforgettable ballroom look, alongside goblins, masked-ball guests and completely original creations that looked as though they could have walked straight out of the film.
Some people had spent months creating their outfits, and the detail was incredible.
It became just as much fun watching people arrive as it was showing the jewellery.
Every few minutes there seemed to be another costume that made us stop and say, look at that.
A little fortune telling in the Labyrinth
Of course, jewellery wasn't the only thing we brought with us.
We also invited the lovely Francesca along as our tarot reader for the evening.
In her own separate little tent, Francesca read from the official Labyrinth Tarot deck, giving guests the chance to sit down, escape the bustle for a few minutes and see what the cards had in store.
It went down an absolute treat.
There was something wonderfully fitting about having tarot readings as part of the experience — slightly mysterious, slightly theatrical and completely at home in the world of the Labyrinth.
Guests could visit the Goblin City Shop, discover the jewellery and then head over to Francesca for a reading.
A little shopping, a little fortune telling… exactly the sort of detour we imagine the Goblin King would approve of.
And then the Ball began…
As daylight faded, Wycombe Abbey completely changed.
The official celebrations filled the grounds with performances, characters and entertainment, including the Creature Courtyard, where familiar faces such as the Wiseman, Sir Didymus, Hoggle and the Guards formed part of the wider Labyrinth experience.
There was live entertainment in the medieval courtyard, themed drinks and photo opportunities before everyone eventually made their way towards the ballroom.
And then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
The doors opened.
The music started.
And suddenly those incredible costumes weren't simply costumes anymore.
Under the lights of the ballroom, surrounded by masks and music, it genuinely felt as though everyone had stepped into Sarah's dream.
Guests danced to music from the film alongside 80s favourites, with live music, waltzing, group dances and all the spectacle you'd hope for from a celebration of one of cinema's most unforgettable fantasy worlds.
For a film celebrating its 40th anniversary, it certainly didn't feel like something belonging to the past.
Quite the opposite.
Forty years later, the magic is still there
That was probably our biggest takeaway from the whole weekend.
Labyrinth is still very much alive.
It's alive every time someone watches it for the first time.
It's there in the fans who can quote every line.
It's in the people spending months creating a Sarah dress or perfecting their Jareth costume.
It's in collectors who immediately recognise the Door Knockers, Sir Didymus or the Goblin King's Mask.
And, for us, it's in being able to take those tiny pieces of a much-loved story and turn them into jewellery that fans can keep long after the Ball is over.
That's what makes being part of events like this so special.
Thank you for visiting our little corner of Goblin City
To everyone who came over to see Maggie, tried on the jewellery, asked about new designs, visited Francesca for a tarot reading or simply stopped for a chat — thank you.
You made an already extraordinary day even more memorable.
A huge thank you as well to Thames Con and the Labyrinth Experience team for bringing together such an incredible 40th anniversary celebration at Wycombe Abbey.
And finally, thank you to every beautifully dressed, wonderfully enthusiastic Labyrinth fan who helped make the whole place feel just a little bit less like High Wycombe…
…and a little bit more like somewhere beyond the Goblin City.
After all, should you need us…
You know where to find us. 🖤
Continue your journey through the Labyrinth
Discover our collection of officially licensed Labyrinth jewellery, handcrafted in the UK and inspired by the characters, symbols and moments fans have loved for 40 years.
→ Shop the Labyrinth Jewellery Collection
