a TN Steampunk Event?

[thezkitten]

with all the great events on either coast, it leaves those of us in between a tad down at the lack around here!
the EST has been talking about it, and I've talked with some locals, and have a forum up for plotting and planning a big steampunk event in TN,
the likes you usually only see on a coast

if you're interested in helping with the planning plotting or are good at stuff that could relate (performances, promoting, finding people/places) please feel free to either pm me, or email me thezkitten@gmail or chaoticlycreative@gmail

its still all in the planning phases, but I'm hoping that we can try for 2009!

[Lord Sicone]

I definitely would like this to happen. Let me know what I can do to help out.

[lexmachine]

We're only in the area until Nov 30th so I can't really help much with the planning of something for next year, but if in the next few weeks anyone in the area wants to get together for a preliminary meetup, I'm definitely in.

I've got a little photography experience which I'm trying to expand into something possibly resembling a portfolio, if anyone in the area wants to do an impromptu tfp photoshoot, I'd be all about it.

[VictorianaBjorn]

Good morn,
I would love to help, but I am stuck in Indiana at University continually in battle with the Cthulhu that is our beauracracies and my departments... But please keep me posted on the event. I would find it bloody brill to be there and everything...

[Captain Lyerly]

Umm... Tennessee is still a very big place - 500 miles from Bristol to Memphiz.

Where would your event be?


Chas.

[quantumcat]

The big cities are used to conventions but the little areas might have more period style and might welcome a relatively small and civil group of steampunk fen.

(Think Bonnaroo in Manchester or the Tennessee Renaissance Faire in Triune.)

A country hamlet might be smaller than a theme park and be intimate and walkable.

An off-season event might take us to the larger,better known venues as well.

Any of the "three states of Tennessee" would be happy to play host.

The east and west have exquisite  secluded,forested hills very near cutting edge cities.

The middle has typical country towns and suburbs near  colleges,industry -and Music City.

We might want to start with taking part in an established event or having a "class reunion" style of low key get-together.

This could evolve into a larger,more complex gathering as our numbers increase and we discover our focus.

I think we could pretty much stage whatever kind of meeting we wanted in any kind of venue if we just started brainstorming and figured out who was interested,what we wanted in such a gathering and where we wanted to establish ourselves.

Tennessee isn't so much a "tourist trap" as it is a haven for the eccentric that has never quite abandoned the days of revivals,"Chatauqua" meetings,country fairs ,self-determined fun and innovation.

The quirky,the comfortable,the independent,the hospitable and the creative are indigenous here.

We could very easily accommodate the "Muscular Christianity" of an air-ship pilot or explorer,the thrifty resourcefulness of the tinkerer and inventor,the imagination of artist and artisan or any other riffs on the themes of the builder,the dreamer,the investigator ,the adventurer,the scholar and the rogue.

We have one foot in a future full of shiny metal,crystal and equally bright promise,one in an eldritch haven where bluetick hounds serenade Tsalgi faerie,brains mired in gossip and philosophy and hearts devoted to the worlds described by Ray Bradbury,Manly Wade Welman,Sharyn McCrumb,Zenna Henderson,Earl Hamner,Truman Capote and Harper Lee.

An eclectic,independent region built on cerebral pursuits,moral courage,a certain amount of whimsy and a fair share of Gehenna elevation  could include a cadre of Steampunk devotees just about anywhere we might choose.

[Captain Lyerly]

If I may be so bold as to suggest:

http://www.tvrail.com/

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.  1890 era depot.  Steam trains.  Excursions.  Heck, even birthday parties!

I won't be in the area long enough, but I wish you all the best of luck.



Chas.

[TallDarkandWeirdo]

http://www.tvrail.com/

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.  1890 era depot.  Steam trains.  Excursions.  Heck, even birthday parties!

That's 3.5 hours haul for those of us out east, but still, a heck of a themed venue!

Myron