Steampunk World’s Fair in Piscataway

Guest post by Walter Foley, Photos by Roy Burmeister & Doug Kavendek

Walking into a steampunk convention without understanding the culture is a lot like being in some bizarre foreign country, where everyone’s nice to you and you feel ashamed for having such tiny muttonchops. The Steampunk World’s Fair in Piscataway, NJ this month was a mecca for anyone interested in the lifestyle of retro-futurism: The sci-fi genre that takes you into the past, then asks you to imagine what the future will be like.

Sound absurd? It definitely is, especially when you’re walking to a debate on Tesla vs. Watt and you see someone in space gear strolling around a mustachioed baby as a theremin moans in the background.

But for as many non-sequiturs as you can spot among convention-goers (did Boba Fett just walk by? He must be lost), there could be an equal number of institutions. For example, goggles are extremely important. If you don’t have goggles, consider investing in an incredible hat.

“Steampunk today is what you make it,” said Hans Meier, who refers to the scene as the original sci-fi, rooted in the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. “The time travel aspect of the culture allows for a wide range of costumes and accessories, which is why top hats and cufflinks are often seen on people carrying copper-plated ray guns.”

More after the jump!

Meier got involved in the scene upon hearing the band Abney Park, and after receiving compliments for his modified welding goggles at his first steampunk event, he decided to start selling different models to fans through his company, PH Factor.

A full-time clock maker, Meier found himself at an advantage for this new project, because of all the extra gears lying around his workshop.

Note: If you don’t know why gears are awesome, steampunk probably isn’t for you.

Most of the vendors (who are staples of such events because of the high demand for one-upping everyone else with the most outrageous costume) rely on upscale nerd conventions as their main marketplace, since the target consumer isn’t quite as likely to be found at, say, an outdoor music festival. As one costume vendor put it, “I can’t imagine trying to convince someone they need a corset when it’s 100 degrees out and they’ve been tripping balls for a half an hour.”

Major Salisbury of Big Bear Trading Co. sold jewelry, Victorian-era whatnots, stuff with gears, useless trinkets (a.k.a. steampunk necessities) and trays of unusual coins.

“We find, for time travelers, it’s best to have local currency in one’s pocket,” he told a customer.

Highlights throughout the weekend included Project Munchausen, in which a panel of storytellers improvised their best yarn while being heckled by competitors; an array of music, including fan-favorite Humanwine; and a cosplay burlesque show that closed with a psychotic clown assaulting a TV and stripping to Marilyn Manson.

There was even a discussion on the proper way to challenge a gentleman to a duel. For future reference, slap your opponent’s chest, not face, with the glove.

So what’s the underlying theme that ties all this together? Perhaps it’s the camaraderie of a mass of people gathering from miles around to act ridiculous just because they can.

Or maybe it’s goggles.

Steampunk World’s Fair
www.steampunkworldsfair.com