adelheid_p | Steampunk World's Fair review

This is my first official steampunk event. I've been to many a science fiction, fantasy, horror, media con and renaissance fair, etc. I went not knowing what to expect as I'd never been to a Wicked Winter Renaissance Faire before and I knew that Jeff Mach was associated with this event. I was quite pleasantly surprised. This is a very different event than any that I'd attended before. It was, quite literally a fair atmosphere with a Bazaar of Merchants down the first floor hall of guest rooms and people announcing events in Town Crier fashion hawking this or that performance or presentation. As well as several parades through the main hotel, the Radisson in Picataway, NJ, of Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band (decidedly not stationary at the time). Most everyone had some sort of steampunk costume even though Jeff Mach had made a point of saying it was not necessary to be a part. I wager that everyone, who did not own a pair, had purchased goggles by the end of their time there. The intent of the event was to be as inclusive as possible, and I believe that this goal was more than achieved. More than once I heard people remark on how polite everyone was as they brought out their best Victorian era manners to match their dress. Coming so soon after the Wicked Faire, I was impressed by how organized things seem to be. Details like the program guide being printed as a newspaper of the 1880's complete with etched illustrations with hilarious captions. There were many hand-painted and stenciled signs in red and gold and made to look like wooden signs. They handled the crowds in a smart fashion by requiring tickets or armbands to be obtained in advance for the events at which high attendance was anticipated. Although they had provisioned security and EMT details, I did not notice that they were particularly needed. It was quite clear that the hotel was not prepared for such a crowd, which must have numbered in the thousands, but I think they did the best that they could. There were some signs that the event organizers were still working last minute on details. But mostly, these were not too noticeable, except by someone who has attended and helped to run cons as I have. There were signs, too, that the leadership took care of their staff. Staff members would occasionally disappear to a room somewhere in the hotel and reappear with a sandwich and pasta salad. But it was also clear that staff members were truly serving the con happily and people who did particularly good jobs were praised and appreciated. The energy I felt in the atmosphere was extremely positive and infections. At one point Saturday night/Sunday morning, apparently, Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band (ENSMB) led a parade outside to the front of the hotel where they played and people danced into the wee hours of the night. We were oblivious in our rooms but we were toward the back of the hotel so I don't know about those in the front.

We arrived about 2:30 pm on Friday, even after having a mishap with a loose shield in the tire well on our vehicle. Got checked in and registered and hauled our stuff up to our room. We had fortuitously parked near the door nearest to the elevator closest to our room and so we did not have to move the car at all. This was key as the parking lot filled up quickly. In part, because it had been cordoned off for Jake Von Slatt's bus turned RV -steampunk style and an event tent for additional program items such as concerts. Although it threatened to rain a couple of times, I doubt there was more than a quick shower on Friday. For the most part it was sunny with temperatures in the high 60's – low 70's. After getting settled into our room, we split to go to a our respective interests. I went to a presentation on steampunk jewelry making, by the SteamSmith, Mark Eliot Schwabe. It was mostly on small –possibly micro-- tool machining of metal pieces such as a brass rod, to turn it into something that would be used on a larger piece, a smokestack for an engine or a nose for an airship. This wasn't quite what I was looking for as a presentation, but it was interesting, none-the-less, and I discovered that I knew a lot from being exposed to manufacturing engineering by my father. Next, Kevin and I attended the photography session on how best to photograph steampunk models which was taught by Kyle Cassidy. Kyle chose Kevin first to photograph and did a fine job of showing the lighting differences, etc. He talked a little bit about using a point and shoot digital camera and pretty much said much of what I already knew about using one: Use the zoom to filter out extraneous background scenery (washing machine was his example) and natural lighting is the best lighting. Kyle also talked about trying to get the person's story. Some subjects had a definite persona and were able to project it well for the camera. I know from viewing his photograph's that he's very good at not only capturing a person's story but also, telling a completely different story in pictures as his debut of his “secret” project with Elizabeth Bear in postcard form at the SWF. I'd definitely like to see more of such collaborations. Kyle is truly a brilliant artist – I always look forward to seeing what he's doing with his camera. His blog is also noteworthy and inspiring. He truly wants us all to be awesome and it comes through in the way he writes. The world needs more people like him on the Internets.

I had thought that I might come back on Sunday with my mother's embroidered silk Chinese jacket to have a picture or two taken but I didn't because I woke up with a very bad allergy headache –the pillow and comforter both had feathers in them and that just overwhelmed my system. And we had to check out of the room before the session was scheduled which meant that I would've had to change out of the jacket in the ladies room, since I wasn't going to ride 6 hours back in the car dressed in it. It would have been nice if one of the sessions had been on Saturday since that is when people are dressed in their best, but I understand that this wasn't meant as a session for sitting and being photographed. Perhaps something like that should have been arranged as well.

On Saturday, I sat in for a little while on the Absinthe Heroes Rock Opera. It moved a bit too slowly for me with a lot of character monologues and I just couldn't get into it so I left and wandered around. I registered too late to get in on any of the special events and I wasn't familiar with any of the performers. Although I did try to listen to a few of them beforehand on various websites. I was never really into punk music. As someone who had not been to a Wicked Faire, I was not familiar with the use of tickets/armbands as a crowd control method and did not know to find out when the tickets became available for a particular event until later in the weekend. I had planned to attend the Brass Ballroom Dance sessions on Friday night but my feet were sore from walking around in my dress shoes so I bagged that idea. They held the Brass Ballroom Dance pt 2 on Saturday but I didn't go to that because it was going to be more punk dance. Apparently, tickets were required for that event anyway. I had entertained the notion of attending the Caberet on Sunday afternoon, but, once again, tickets were required. I did manage to attend the performance of selections of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night done in steampunk style by the Curio Theater of Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon sans ticket. It was a treat and I'm sorry I was unable to view the full production in Philadelphia. I also attended the SteamPunk Victorian kitchen presentation by Bruce Rosenbaum of ModVic Victorian Home Restoration and found it quite interesting. I've decided to do something with our kitchen since I have never particularly like it and have just lived with it until I had an idea and some money to fund it. Now I have ideas of how to do this at relatively low cost with what we have. On Sunday, I listened into a little of Katie Kat and she does have a lovely operatic voice. I was charmed to hear her sing Musetta's Waltz from La Boehme, which is a piece that I taught myself to play on piano when I was in high school. Then I went to the amusingly titled “String Theory: Knitting, Sewing, Crocheting meetup”. It was placed under the outdoor tent in the parking lot but there were no chairs. I was the only person who managed to attend besides the staff member who amusingly went by the badge name “Miss Information” I didn't catch her last name but her first name was Catherine and we moved into a a couple of chairs in the lobby where she seemed to know everyone who passed by. I had a chance to praise my experience to one of the con-chairs, Cap. It was a delightful session and I'm nearly finished with my slouchy hat. I had been working on a crocheted bag for my steampunk attire but my yarn ran out and I'll have to find some more in a matching style and color. I think I would have done more on Sunday if I hadn't had the headache when I woke up but I was pretty much ready to go home after a while. I wandered around looking for my husband and, when I couldn't find him, I noticed that it was time for the Curio Theater's presentation of portions of Twelfth Night and the room was relatively empty and no one was actually looking for tickets so I walked in and took a seat and it was a delightful presentation that left me wishing I had been able to see the entire production. I purchased a photograph book and wished I had it autographed but I had not the time as it was about 6 pm and we had a 6 hour drive ahead of us and work the next morning. After looking at the photographs, which were artfully done by Kyle Cassidy, I really wished I had been to the theater in Philadelphia.

Bottom Line: This was a delightful event made so by the many staff members and performers. Highlights for me were nearly everyone in some form of steampunk dress and manners, Kyle Cassidy, the bazaar, Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band (and their marching through the hotel) and the Curio Theater's Twelfth Night selections. I will be returning and I'll be taking the following Monday off so I can stay until the end.