Tea & Automatons

Last year in March, we, that is Steampunk Conventions Inc., the organization behind Steamcon, held a little day of classes that we called Steampunk University.  So many people had questions about steampunk and where to find clothing and how to make props that it seemed like a good idea.  We held it on a Sunday and had seven classes and a vendor’s room.  We had a little under a hundred students.  It seemed to go over well, and we had planned to try and have another one but the convention took most of our energy and focus.

Ericka of Steampunk Exhibition Ball, decided to hold a film festival as a fund raiser to help replace the clockworks that were taken from the gorgeous Carroll clock in front of the Museum of History and Industry.

Although it seemed like a good idea to hold another Steampunk University in conjunction with the film festival, we were very busy.  Luckily Nathan Barnett decided to take the reins.  In a very short period of time, the university and film festival became a reality.  There were five classes in the regular curriculum and five more that were a bit more advanced.  There were also two vendor’s areas.

I was pleased to be asked to do a talk on “Introduction to Steampunk”, a talk that I’ve given many times in the past, although I have added a lot to it recently.  I took the opportunity to do my first PowerPoint presentation since the facilities lent themselves to it.  I had also never done a talk on a stage, in an auditorium with lights and a wireless mic.  It was a whole new level of nerve wracking, but I think it went well.  I was also the first speaker of the day.  All in all, I felt it went over well.  People were educated and entertained.

After my class, I chatted with folks and wandered the vendors areas.  Lunch was Dante’s tasty hot dogs from their cart and some delicious tea from B. Fuller’s wonderfully well appointed stand.  My husband and I took a few pictures of the day which you can find here.  I also made a photo pool here for Steampunk universities past and present.

I sadly couldn’t stay all day, but I have it on good authority that in the evening they showed Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Time Machine, had a silent auction and intermission entertainment.  I am told that their goal for fundraising was reached, so the clock will be repaired.  It’s wonderful when the community can right such an indecorous wrong and have fun doing.  Kudos to Ericka, Nathan and all the crew that helped to make it happen.