The PVC pipe collar support would be inside the cape, like a hidden, internal curtain rod.

The red satin looked great! I couldn't believe I bought all this cloth for just $10. 

Ken helped me hang the cape at a good height. I used two wires to poke through the bag and coil around the backpack upright supports.

We cut a little rectangular mouth-hole for a viewport, strapped a gold amulet around the neck, and loaded that monster into the car. 

We were ready to go! I started to get butterflies in my stomach. This was going to be fantastic!

Ken's costume was pretty great, considering he didn't have a backpack frame under it.

I grabbed some emergency zip ties and wire, and we drove out to Cal Expo for the Zone Ball.

Even before we got out of the parking lot, the Fandango Costume was a hit!

People immediately started pointing and pulling out their cameras, shouting and pointing, "Fandango!"

It was great!

The party at Cal Expo is huge every year, and 2005 looked like it was going to set the new record. There were thousands of people, in various states of dress.

There were just enough people who didn't know what I was for a conversation to begin over and over again:

"What is that?"

"One of those bags from Fandango!!!"

Oh! From the movies!!

I think this was perfect, having a costume that nearly everyone recognized right away, but hadn't seen anywhere before. 

I registered for the costume contest and began scouting around for costume contest competition.

The first heavy hitter was a guy dressed as Alien from the Alien movies. His costume was really incredible, with a huge head, claws and a tail. The black costume is almost invisible in this photo, behind the women on the left. Look for the white teeth.