Event Report: Steampunk November 2013

What an amazing day Saturday was!  It was the third annual Steampunk November party put on by Cut, Thrust, and Run and Airship Misfortune.  This was the first time I was able to attend the event because last year it conflicted with another event I was vending and I guess I didn't know about it the year before.

My booth was actually a horse barn!  With a chandelier!

To get an idea of the event, it takes place on the rural property of the hosts and featured three stages of entertainment, a good number of vendors, and is basically a huge 12 hour party.  Because it's essentially a private party (open to all) staged at someone's family home, it had a very different vibe from all other steampunk events I've attended.

I was a little surprised how relaxed and warm the atmosphere was.  Regardless of whether you had ever met a person before, friendship was assumed.  Really, I expected a party with a well-stocked BYOB bar and free beer to be a lot more rowdy, but the overall feeling was friendly, fun, and laid-back.  Of course a lot of the attendees knew each other, or knew someone who knew the other, and that all contributed to the "all family here" atmosphere.   But there really was a sense of, dare I say it, community, which is something that's been somewhat lacking in the steampunk events I've attended in the last year or so.

Yes, she made her dress and corset herself.

Anyway, I was vending, so obviously my focus was directed towards that for most of the day and night, but I still got to enjoy most of the music, if not actually watch the performances or dance, and I caught bits and pieces of the performances throughout.  The entertainment was very well organized, with three stage of rotating entertainment, two outdoors and one indoors.  The party included an afternoon tea and an evening wine tasting, neither of which I was able to attend, but they certainly looked awesome.

Love the use of color and coordination.

All the musical performances were good (and I don't always say that at these kinds of events because there's usually something I don't like) and varied from choral performances of old standards to shanties and drinking songs to straight up rock and roll.  Marquis of Vaudeville put on an excellent performance, as usual (and you should buy their record because it is EXCELLENT and they are very nice people.  And Toby helped me sell some hats, so I'll maybe sell some copies of his record.)  Besides the musical acts there were belly dancers, carnival sideshow performers, and two burlesque shows late in the evening.  I heard all of these acts more than saw them, so I can't really comment on them other than they sounded fun.

Mae West

The vendors had a really good variety of wares and I wished I'd had more money to make purchases other than a few small ones.  My booth did very well and I had some really lovely customers/new friends.

I have literally no complaints about the event, and hope it is even bigger and better next year.  I don't have any real idea what the attendance was since people came and went and left early and came late.  I wish a few more people had been there, if only because it was so great and I want everyone to come out and have fun and support great events.

I managed to get quite a few photos of people's outfits, which I always mean to do but usually fail at.  So enjoy some takes on real-world steampunk costuming.

Some lolita inspiration here.

Two of my friends.

BLUE!

Also colorful!

I really liked the metal embellishment on this corset.

A Night Circus inspired outfit.

Lacy skirt with bloomers and boots.

 Sorry I didn't get any gentlemen in costume.  Either the men with the really cool outfits didn't come hang out in my shop looking awesome, or it was later in the night when photos weren't that great and I was a little more tipsy and couldn't find my camera.