Without a doubt, one of the most popular events at any anime convention is the masquerade. Long lines and quick room fills are the norm when the visions of elaborate costumes and spectacular sights begin dancing through the mind. To make such an event, with dozens of amateurs and limited staff, go off without a hitch requires a special kind of talent. Edwin Peregrina, Masquerade Coordinator for Otakon, notes that "before the con, you have a good bit of time to carefully craft your plan of attack, so to speak." Once the gates open, it's showtime. "There's very little time to rework things, so you have to be prepared," according to Peregrina. Few would argue this much, as the show cards are always full, and there are always groups that don't make the cut. This doesn't even begin to take into account various external factors, such as managing information, dealing with potential mishaps before they occur, and ensuring that everything goes exactly as it should. Peregrina describes the situation as a "logistical challenge," and explains that "the amount of information you have to handle is pretty impressive, and you have to mold it into ways your staff, emcee, and other supporting crew can use it."

A Masquerade coordinator must be ready to deal with both the exciting and the disappointing. "We really don't have a very good idea of what the final show will look like until a few hours before the show itself," explains Peregrina. Indeed, the logistical challenges ensure that the event is a work-in-progress until the very last minute. It is only natural that one should expect that a good coordinator has to "keep things organized, efficient, and reasonable for the time frame you're working within."

Unfortunately, being in a position that interacts with hundreds of passionate fans means that, every so often, one has to play the role of the bad guy. " I don't enjoy saying no to people at all," laments Peregrina, who also notes that that "it still has to be done to keep things fair." Fairness or not, being the guy that has to say "no" puts a person right in the line of fire for backlash. " Some people think I get a kick out striking down stuff," he says despite admitting to the contrary. Peregrina also notes that he doesn't "like stepping out on-stage during the show itself." Quite the opposite, he points out that he thinks "it's bad luck, and besides, it's not about me, it's about the participants."