Events

So you want to know what there is to do at this “Steampunk World’s Fair”, eh?

The answer to that you will find below soon enough! We are daily working to build this steampunk celebration for you and your friends, bringing you the largest and most unorthodox steampunk festival on the East Coast and now the largest event to date world wide!

But the quick answer is that you will find discussions, debates, workshops, demonstrations, readings, parties, contests, games, and parades to satisfy all of your steampunk needs in art, music, literature, fashion, science, film, theater, gaming, and more at the Steampunk World’s Fair.

Our schedule of events shall be coming out closer to the Fair! Until then, you can order your tickets for the tea party (SOLD OUT), interactive dinner theatre (SOLD OUT), and register for the event over on the Tickets page.

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The Cup of Brown Joy Tea Party

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Friday, May 14th

The Cup of Brown Joy Tea Party – 4pm-6pm Don’t let creation expire before you have tea with us! This tea consists of an opportunity to spend time with that immortal poet, Professor Elemental; a chance to spend time with your colleagues engaging in the most civilized of discourse – namely, that which happens over a nice hot cuppa; white glove service; and a Display of Fine Teas. Tickets to the Cup of Brown Joy Tea Party are all sold out! Performing for your enjoyment at 4:30 will be the lovely and talented opera singer Katie Kat .

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The Big Brass Ball, part 1 – 8pm-12pm Our monthly dance and event night, The Big Brass Ball, is getting all gussied up just for you! This first part will be a more formal dress ball, so get on your dancing shoes, pull out the dance cards, gloves, masks and fans, and enjoy a lovely evening swirling around the Grand Ballroom of the Embassy Suites! Instructing and calling the ball will be Susan de Guardiola, one of America’s premier historical dance experts, who will be bringing both fun and education to the event. The dance moves are very easy to learn even for complete beginners, even the quadrille Ms. de Guardiola has choreographed to forms gears on the dance floor! Special live musical guests: The Clockwork Dolls at 10, and Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band at 11.

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Jake von Slatt Bus Tours – So you’ve heard a lot about how Jake von Slatt took an old school bus and turned it into a livable motor home for him and his family to take crazy road trips in, right? Guess what! Steampunk World’s Fair is one of those crazy road trips, and the man behind the workshop is excited to have you come hear him talk about it and take a tour! Tours will be available on all three days at scheduled hours.

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Weekend Long Hallway Contest – You never know who’s watching you, admiring your clothing and accessories, your costumes and your props. You just might be one of the hallway contest winners! So pull out all the stops and you’re sure to be noticed by the secret Contest Judges roaming the halls.

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LARP: “ExArcana: House of the Universal Exposition” 8-midnight! “Around one hundred years ago, the light of magic sputtered and died. The noble forces of the Arcanum- an ancient order of mystical cavaliers led by such luminaries as Harry Houdini, A.E. Waite, Abraham VanHelsing, and Marie LaVeau- was beset on all sides by the forces of Aleister Crowley’s Ministry of Oathbreakers, an unholy alliance of insane magicians. Unable to reconcile the horror of a future in which Crowley’s Ministry controls the forces of reality, the Arcanum used Nicola Tesla’s Doomsday weapon to close the gateways to the Outer Spheres and stop the flow of magic into our world for one hundred years. Ten thousand of the Arcanum’s most respected Magistrates stepped into the SoulVault, vowing to return and bring the light of magic back to the Earth when the threat was abated.

“That was 1908.
“Now it’s 2010, and the Thresholds are re-opening, spilling magic, monsters, and mayhem back into a world full of brash young Guttersnipes with no understanding of how to wield the mystical Aethers. As predicted, the first American World’s Fair (Or Universal Expo) of the new Millennium has awoken a handful of the Arcanum’s Magisters, determined to find pupils gifted and powerful enough to carry the torch. However, someone’s already gone missing…”

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Queen of Steam – What do you get when you take a two-time winning Miss Trap, three guest judges, and an hour full of drag queen steampunks? You get the “Queen of Steam”! Lucretia Dearfour, your lovely hostess to this event, will be crowning the “Queen of Steam” on Friday night! There are limited spots for contestants, so you will want to get in on this soon and fast. Guest judges Jha Goh, G.D. Falksen, and Baron Von Lahey!

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Iron Modder – Miss Elizabeth Ainesworth,, of the good ship “Our Lady Most Fair”, will be hosting a steampunk modder/costuming version of the infamous Iron Chef! With special guest judge Laurilye Hutchinson from The Outlanders, it’s sure to be a… stitch. Sign up in groups of 3 to 5 people, limited spaces available! Teams will be given a special steampunk job, some images to pull ideas from, and then will have at donated sewing and modding materials to try to make their vision come to life in less than one hour! [NOTE: We are accepting any donated materials for this event! Sewing machines, needles and thread, hot glue and glue guns, safety pins, fabric scraps and remnants, or even gently used clothing that you feel might make something steampunky!]

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Steampunk Jewelry Workshop – The SteamSmith is at it again! In fact, he’s at “it”- making steampunk jewelry- all three days! Come join his workshop and learn how you too can make airships pins out of brass plates and other helpful hints and tricks!

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East Meets West Tea Ceremony

Tesla Coil Demo

Victorian Japan

Steampunk Photography: Reinventing the Mechanical Image – Forget that point-n-shoot and cookbook methods for making sepia images in Photoshop, and definitely DO try this at home! Join alchemical photographic wizard RA Friedman, founder of Tsirkus Fotografika, for a rollicking old-school visual presentation as he discusses his unique DIY analog/digital methodology; one that has defined the forefront of Steampunk Photography.Highlights from the large archive of retro-futurists Friedman and crew have photographed will be shown, as well as studio images. Caution: contains artistic, but sometimes graphic nudity. A brief no-holds-barred Q&A will follow.

Drawing Cthulhu Monsters & Beasties

Adam Smith’s Talk

Neo-Victorian History & Fiction: Intersections & Deviations

Sepiachord.com: Meet the Crew!

Lazer Sword Continuum Show

“A Dreadful Poker Game” Fundraiser – The Outlanders of Outland Armour were at a convention in Tennessee and a whole bunch of their stuff- cars, bus, art, stock, and yes even props and costumes- were lost to the flooding there. If you have things you’d like to donate to the Outlanders for them to work with, or even just a couple bucks you’d like to throw into a bucket for them, The Penny Dreadfuls of S.S. Icarus are here to help you help them!!! Several of the Dreadfuls will be playing loud-and-boisterous poker, in-character, to give folks a fun time while helping raise money and collect gear for our friends and yours, The Outlanders of Outland Armour.

And more coming soon!

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Saturday, May 15th

The Gentleman’s Duel – Modified toy projectiles in the courtyard. Twenty paces. Turn… fire! (Ladies and children strongly welcome!) This for-fun event will allow friends and foes to challenge each other to see who is the quickest draw in the land. Hosted by The Brothers McManniss!

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Lovecraft’s Revenge Interactive Dinner Theatre - 4pm-6pm We know you’re not content with having just a fascinating murder mystery game, to be entertained by extraordinarily talented actors, coached by an award-winning playwright. Even when we added that the entire event is themed after the seminal phantasm world of Howard Philips Lovecraft, you cried out, “Not enough! We demand that this experience also include a buffet dinner from the famed steampunk cookbook, ‘Fuel For The Boiler‘!” Fortunate for you that we at the Steampunk World’s Fair just happen to be overachievers. Tickets to the Murder Mystery Dinner are all sold out! Come join your fellow attendees as H.P. Lovecraft hosts this gala buffet event!

The Dinner will feature artwork by Tom Brown, which will be available for purchase to all.

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The Gaslamp Cabaret – 8pm-2am Six hours of amazing steampunk, cabaret, and vaudeville entertainment- how is this possible? We just rock that way. Drinks will be available for purchase to the 21+ crowd with proper government issued ID, but the Cabaret itself is free to all attendees!! Featuring:
Professor Elemental as your opening Master of Ceremonies
Weird Val
Matt DeBlass
The Slomski Brothers as our mid-act Master of Ceremonies
Psyche Corporation
What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?
HUMANWINE
Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys
The Absinthe Drinkers as your closing Masters of Ceremonies
The Clockwork Dolls (in a special Edgar Allen Poe song-battle with the Absinthe Drinkers!)
and a performance by White Elephant Burlesque Society and Cosplay Burlesque

This event will take place on the Main Stage at the Radisson. Please be prepared to want to purchase all of the CDs from our amazing performers, and double check that you have brought the according fundage ^_~

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The Big Brass Ball, part 2 – 11pm-2am or 3am or 4am… Want to take a break from the time traveling and get out to dance tonight? Come to our informal Big Brass Ball! This second part will be a dress-down event, with Industrial and Dance music. Glo-sticks, raver girls, and strobe lights all welcome at this ball! Your host with the steampunkin’ most, DJ Kiltboy!

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Victorian Dance Etiquette Workshop

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Art and History of Kissing Workshop hosted by Marah Fellicce

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Brian Viglione’s Birthday Bash! You may have see Brian Viglione drumming in The Dresden Dolls, World Inferno/Friendship Society, The Cliks, or seen him play with HUMANWINE, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, or head his drumming for Nine Inch Nails. Did you know his birthday is happening this weekend and he’s agreed to let us throw him a huge party, and EVERYONE’S INVITED? If you want to bring a gift for Brian, he humbly asks that instead you bring a gift that could be good for *any* performer! Brian’s party swings into…

ENSMB CD Release Party – We are proud to announce that the new album from Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band , Reign of Revelry, will be officially released at The Steampunk World’s Fair! Join us in a jubilant celebration as we rejoice at the completion of their first studio album. Pre-order your copy of Reign of Revelry before May 14th and not only will you get it at the reduced price of $12 (+S&H), but you’ll also be entered in a contest to win some awesome ENSMB swag! If you want a preview taste of what the album has to offer, simply email mp3s@ensmb.com to get free mp3 downloads!

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Man About Con, with G.D. Falksen and Luke Reynolds. Meet with G.D. and Luke for a casual stroll through the event’s two hotels, as they stop to talk to fellow gentlemen attendees about their fantastic sartorial choices and discuss Victorian and Edwardian menswear!

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Asian Ball-Jointed Doll Meetup – Fellow ABJD owners, join Akiko of The Comiku Girls for a meet-up in the lounge! Photo ops, good times, and those adorable dolls all made up in their steampunk finery.

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Steampunk’d Competition – Many people love getting dressed up as their own original alter ego, but some of us like to cosplay well-known characters gone steampunk! What if Lord of the Rings had taken place in the Wild West of America? Or Batman lurked the streets of an industrial era Japan? Or what if our leader had been Robo-velt the Steampunk president! Join your hosts and judges, The Outlanders (in their Steampunk Wars cosplays), for a chance to show off your take on an old favorite and be adored by the masses!

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Naval Battles in the Pool

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LARP: AtmosFear – Meeting at 2pm, playing till midnight. A roving LARP, that will take place all over the event! Please meet at the table in the Radisson Lounge at start of game!

“Welcome to the Other Side! What is the Other Side you say? Simply put, it is a realm of the dead. You are one of the dead in this realm. You can choose to be in a house or tribe. Once you join a house or tribe, what can you do now? Plenty. The houses and the tribes have entered into a time of restlessness. Loyalties are being tested, motives are being questioned, and deals and truces are on the verge of breaking. Peace must be restored at all costs, or the Other Side will degrade into chaos.

“Players can choose to be a Vampire, Werewolf, Zombie, Mummy, Witch, Poltergeist, Restless One, or Soul Ranger. You don’t need prior knowledge of the world of Atmosfear, as introductions to the world will be made at the beginning of the game. This LARP highly encourages player interaction with one another. While combat is possible, it is strongly discouraged as there are better means of getting your goals accomplished.

“This is a go anywhere, play anytime game. You can join the game anytime, and you don’t have to be there for the beginning. In addition, you can go off and watch/participate in another event, come back, etc. The GameMasters of the LARP will be wandering about the Fair, they will be available to answer any of your questions, clarify any issues that come up, and mediate confrontations. If interested, please check out our Facebook group for more information or just come and join us in person! See you there!”

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Bellydance Class with Elizabeth Muise

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Steampunk Persona Workshop

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Steampunk Jewelry Workshop

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Rhythmatica Poetry Slam

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Flower Divination Workshop

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Tea-Leaf Reading Workshop

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Palmistry Workshop

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Occult Renaissance of the 19th Century

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Pendulum & L Rod Dowsing Workshop

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Project Munchausen

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Steampunk Architecture & Design

Absinthe Heroes: A Steampunk Musical

The Wimshurst Machine

Men’s Fashion: From the Bottom Up!

Steampunk in Lolita Fashion

DIY Instrument Building

Steampunk’d Stilts Demo

Tesla Coil Demo

Old Tyme Typewriter & Sewing Machine Demo

Steampunk Persona Workshop

Steampunk Social Issues

Steampunk & Weird West

Leather Working Workshop

Writing Alternative History

You CAN Tie A Bowtie!

Women In Steampunk Literature

Neitzsche: His Life and Music

Kimonos, Demo and Discussion

Old Fashioned Swimwear Meet-up

Steampunk in the Modern Victorian Kitchen

Graphic Art & Steampunk

Lovecraft Presentation

Professor Dantes, film screening

“TriGun” Marathon
“Last Exile” Marathon
More anime coming soon!

More events announcing soon!

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Sunday, May 16th

The Mad Science Fair – All-day Events, discussions, games, and competitions. We are proud to present our gathering of maniacal minds on Sunday May 16th at the Steampunk World’s Fair. The Mad Science Fair offers attendees a full day of exploring both the wackier side of steampunk and alternately the more scientific side as well. We invite inventors, alchemists, scientists, apprentices, henchman, lab rats, and eccentric geniuses of all walks to show off their personal innovations in the official Mad Science Fair competition. In addition, with demonstrations, displays, discussions, contests, and general mayhem, there’s sure to be something for everyone!

The Mad Science Fair Competition, hosted by The Brothers McManniss with special judges Jake von Slatt Armour, Adam Smith , Prof. Dantes from Outland Armour, and mad scientist Professor Elemental!
If the old Science Fairs went a little mad, you’d be entering ray guns and valmorphenizors- so bring them here! Inventions, contraptions, mods, and salvages. Enter your latest creation, discuss it with attendees for a chance to win crowd favorite, oir impress the judges and have the chance to win The Coveted Golden Gear Award! Message madscientistsguild@gmail.com to get your prized project in early, as tables are limited! [NOTE: Projects may be entered at 3 levels: Henchman, Apprentice, Mad Genius. See THIS FORM for all details.]

Evil Laughter Contest – Some people are looking to help the world, but you’re looking to rule it! It’s a lot of hard work and maybe you’ve lost touch with current evil laughter trends, or have slipped in your projection exercises. It’s all right; even future emperors and dictators need to brush up on their fear-inducing cackle once in a while. Come see if you have what it takes to be the next all-mighty ruler of this and other worlds by competing with other would-be tyrants!

The Great Debate: Tesla vs. Watt? – Join your host Emilie P. Bush!

Steampunk Scientists: Mad or Misunderstood?

Replacement Body Parts & Cyborgs – Gen from Psyche Corporation isn’t just a talented and lovely singer, she is also an amazingly intelligent scientist! And she’d like to teach you a little bit about how the world is today, discussing real-life “cyborgs”.

Jake vs. Thomas Maker’s Throwdown – What happens when Steampunk Workshop’s Jake von Slatt and Brute Force Leather’s Thomas Willeford have a maker’s throwdown? Come find out!

Bicycles as Sustainable, Customizable Transportation – With Matt DeBlass!

Understanding Pocketwatches – With Rob Anders! How a watch works: a basic overview. A discussion of materials, movements, and how the device operates.

Paint Detailing & Design Modding NERF Guns - With Geoff Haig of Threads of Time!

Toy Soldier’s Dr. Steel Recruitment Drive – TSU is here to talk to you about that most notorious of Mad Scientists, Dr. Phineas Waldorf Steel, and why you should join his cause for a Utopian Playland! [NOTE: If SPWF has the largest turn out of Toy Soldiers, we’ll try to coax him out of hiding for next year, so let’s go TSU!]

Steampunks @ Home Depot – With Pixel!

Old Tyme Bike Demo – With Brian Krysztow!

Telsa Coil Demo – With Dr. Clockwork!

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Epic Facial Hair, Beard and Moustache Competition – Think you have what it takes to be the Steampunk World’s Fair’s first winners of this amazing and fun competition? Or maybe you’re just plain proud of that curl in your moustache? Well we want to see it! Oh, and gents, we know for a fact: the ladies are all a-flutter over this event! *Winky-blinky.*

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Dames and Dandies Fashion Show – Featuring fabulous New York fashion designers and world-class models! Berít New York, Blooms In The Night, Heartless Revival, House of Mob, Kristin Costa, and KVO Design.

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Selections from Curio Theater’s steampunk “12th Night” -

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Gentlemen’s Martial Arts & Dueling – Focusing on the ins and outs of dueling and fighting in and around the 19th century; from the proper procedures of issuing a challenge to where and how duels typically took place. We will cover everything from pistols to swords and good old fisticuffs. We will also be sure to entertain you with demonstrations a plenty, including plenty of that mysterious Victorian fighting art knows as Baratsu! With General Caled, Professor Marvel, and Vlad Tepis!

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Steampunk Video Gaming Afternoon! – You’ve spent the whole weekend meeting new friends, so why not sit them down and kick their butts in a round or two of video gaming awesomeness?

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Beyond Victoriana – With Ay-Leen the Peacemaker and Jha Goh!

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“Hopeless, Maine” World Building – With Tom Brown!

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Art & History of Kissing – If you missed this event on Saturday, here’s your chance to catch it again! With Marah Fellicce.

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Your Favorite Steampunk Outfit Meet and Greet – Hosted by Vikki!

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DIY Steampunk Home on a Budget – With ModVic!

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SPWF Author Q&A – Hosted by Violet Haberdasher!

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G.D. Falksen’s Steampunk 101

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Edgar Allan Poe Play Adaptation Reading – With Lucretia Dearfour!

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Croquet Picnic – With Violet Haberdasher!

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Guide to Steampunk Comics – With Michelle Roberts!

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Mythics & Neo-Victorian/Steampunk Literature – With Clay & Susan Griffith!

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Victorian & Edwardian Costuming – With Angela Costello!

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Steampunk Life Online – With Brigid Ashwood!

Throughout the event, we will also have Author Readings & Signings with…

Ben H. Winters
Ekatarina Sedia
Leanna Renee Hieber
Genevieve Valentine
CJ Henderson
Emilie P. Bush
Violet Haberdasher
G.D. Falksen
Clay & Susan Griffith

And don’t forget to visit Weird Tales’ “Library of Lost Literature”, with Stephen Segal and John Gregory Betancourt!

More descriptions and events coming soon!

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Enjoy some images of the sort of hijinx you might see around the event and who may be doing them. Breath-taking ladies and daring gents!

Are you coming to the Steampunk World’s Fair? Want to flaunt your steampunk style? We’re looking for pictures that you took or have the rights to, showing off any kind of steampunk! Shiny and brassy? Dusted and dingy? Maybe even a little casual? We want them! All ages welcome; group shoots, too! How much or little steampunk you want to show off is up to you.

To help us showcase the many faces of steampunk, send your pictures to steamfairprog@gmail.com

(Thank you to everyone who has been providing pictures for this project! Special thanks to Bob Nittoli, Nate Buchman, Céline Gaille [check out her article "An initiation to the art of being Steampunk" and Flickr album devoted to the steampunk twins, Alex & Juli!] and to D.Q. Waterhouse for letting me raid his album! ~Whisper)