December 22, 2006

Anime Boston to host formal ball

Largest New England-based anime convention announces new event

Boston, MA - Anime Boston, the largest anime convention in the Northeast and ranked among the top 10 in the country, today announced a new event, the Cherry Blossom Ball, to be held at their annual conference on April 20th.

Described as a black tie "invited" event, the Cherry Blossom Ball is the first formal event for Anime Boston. While cosplay is welcome, all costuming and attire must fit in with the formality of the event. All attendees are suggested to dress appropriately.

Rebecca Irvin, Assistant Director of Guest Relations and cosplayer, realized the need for a dance catered to the older anime fan.

"I've wanted to have a formal event at Anime Boston since we were in the Park Plaza, and had that beautiful ballroom," said Irvin, an accomplished ballroom dancer herself. "I'm very excited about it because I think it will open up a whole new dimension in our programming."

Ballroom lessons, led by experienced instructors, will be held before the event for attendees who may need guidance.

More information, including dress code, is available on the Anime Boston website, http://www.animeboston.com

About Anime Boston: Anime Boston is New England's premier convention for fans of Japanese animation and art. First opening its doors in 2003, Anime Boston has been proud to offer a gathering place for fans of anime, manga, video games and related works and to offer the best entertainment for them. Anime Boston 2006 featured more than 130 hours of video programming, more than one dozen contests and is one of the largest anime conventions in the United States with more than 9,000 attendees. Anime Boston 2007 will be from April 20, 2007, through April 22, 2007, at the Hynes Convention Center and the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. More information about Anime Boston is available at http://www.animeboston.com/.

About The New England Anime Society: Founded in 2001, The New England Anime Society Inc. is a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization dedicated to furthering public education and understanding of the Japanese language and culture through visual and written media. More information about The New England Anime Society is available at http://www.neanime.org/