A steampunk gathering

[JagerMonster]

Hello friends both met and yet to make.

I'm Ruthven for those of you that don't know me, Ven for those who do. I am one of the denizens of the fair emerald city of Seattle and I find myself in a bind.

There simply are not steampunk gatherings around here, there are scifi cons and goth clubs and of course abney park shows (haven't been to one of those yet though...) but no actual events dedicated to our style of choice. So I've decided to become the change I want to see in my world.

My question to you, especially if any of you are in the western washington area, is this;

If you were to attend a steam punk party/gathering what would you want to see?
What for you would be the most crucial elements?
What manner of location would you want?
What things would ruin the dream for you?

I thank you in advance for your help.

Ven.

[S.Sprocket]

Though I hail from Los Angeles I would like to be supportive of this event anyway I can be.  If I may be so bold as to ask the question of weather or not you have attended or worked at an event similar to the one you would like to start?

I for one would think a steampunk gathering would have concerts, pannels on all sorts of things from discussions on steampunk subjects to how-to's for building, anything from the actual to the role played.

appropriate location is a must have, as well as decent food in the area. Also think of Hotel Accomodations as many (like myself) may just find ourselves on the next train to Seattle should this go off.

[MrJones]

I'd want a fully-equipped workshop and some master craftsmen/women/mad scientists running demonstrations.  Workshop spaces rarely coincide with spaces that would also host a good convention, though, so it may just be a steam pipe dream.

[Caine]

If you were to attend a steam punk party/gathering what would you want to see?
Preferably and old-fashioned run-down apartment full of party goers building things and chatting and such. Several nights dedicated to different things. We could have "lectures" and themed parties and specific roleplaying events and workshops and live music all on different days and nights at different times. Hopefully enough stuff going on that you could always find something to do no matter what your interests are.
What for you would be the most crucial elements?
That all possible steampunk activities would be covered. A place for making/comparing costumes, a place for building stuff, a place to just get to know people, and a place to role-play. Those are the important bases there.
What manner of location would you want?
Maybe a large outdoor area with several tents/buildings or a largish building. Ideally a large glass World's Fair style building.
What things would ruin the dream for you?
It should be somewhat secluded, so we have no worry of interferience from outsiders. Obviously we could have some events meant for people to come to, but there should be plenty of time just for us punks. So, a lot of people poking around and asking stupid questions and calling us stupid would deffinately ruin it for me. Also: too much modernism in the main areas. I don't care if off to the sides you've got your cars and your cellphones and your iPods but in the main areas it would be nice if at least an attempt was made to keep it a little less modern and little more steam.

[rollerboi]

If in Seattle, there's the mandatory tour of Underground Seattle, as well as perhaps an urban walk in Pioneer Square and the industrial areas. There would needs be a picnic and photo shoot at Gasworks Park, too.

Perhaps the Paramount theatre could be approached about hosting an appropriate silent film from the early 1900's on their restored Wurlitzer. Are they still having Silent Movie Mondays?

There's several clubs in the area that would probably be open to having a specially themed night - the first one that leaps to mind is the Mercury in Capitol Hill. There, we could have drinks, dancing, and costuming. It's mostly a goth club, but they do have outside groups 'borrow' the place for a night. We'd have no problems or interference from outsiders.

Workshops and panels would be wonderful, as well. I would absolutely love to see some demonstrations of Tesla's experiments in action, or to join in constructing an airship/dirigible model to be flown around Gasworks.

[JagerMonster]

I suppose the great minds of our time must think alike.
I appreciate all of the responses so far,
I am actually new to the steampunk style so no this will be my first time organizing such a function. I was hoping for more of a party or series of parties than a convention, due to my lack of experience.
Gasworks was deffinately my first idea. For those of you that don't know it actually is an old gasworks with a park built around it.




My next thought was actually the Georgetown area down near Boeing field, its very industrial and most the buildings have been there forever and a day,

The underground tour is a FANTASTIC idea. Seattle is actually built on top of the ruins of old Seattle. I'm sure we could organize something, and pioneer square is directly above the entrance to the underground.

Very good suggestions, thank you all. The gears are definitely turning, keep the ideas coming.

Ven

[Caine]

Wow, the gasworks are a deffinate go.

Also: the club sounds fun, but what are the laws there about letting minors into places that serve alcohol? I don't know how many of us "youngins" there are, but if we're going to be thrown out of a bunch of the events that I'd be pretty disheartened.

Last but not least, we must create some fake historical stuff. Like, how at renaissance fairs there's always information about how knights really lived and some such we need to have an exhibit about the "real" first man on the moon or soomthing. That way when we have visitors we can freak them out/mess with them.

[S.Sprocket]

a party, I see I was thinking convention, my mistake.

I'd love for one of us to have a machine shop connection, I'd love to work on some things.  how many people would you expect?

[rollerboi]

Oh, my bad. My scope of thinking was along the lines of a convention as well. Upon closer re-reading, I see you just have a party/gathering for locals in mind.

I'd recommend a monthly gathering to explore some new aspect of the town/area, be it a workshop, picnic, photo shoot, or tour.

Sigh. Stuff like this makes me really nostalgic, I miss Seattle something fierce.

[Caine]

Well, how long is this thing going to last? If it's just going to be, like, a day, then it won't be very worth it for me to come. I was really hoping for something that lasts four or five days and where there'd be a lot of stuff to do. And I'm not just looking to take here, I'll contribute to this in any way I can: organization, setting up, tearing down, w/e.

[JagerMonster]

Fantastic, things are in the works and my Major Domo even has an e-mail off to Robert from Abney park seeing if they'd be interested to play for us.
My ideas thus far are as follows:
We would start the day around 11 in the AM. At Gasworks park. The day would be casual, either a pot luck picnic or I know some folks that run a catering company. (would be wonderful but I'd like to keep the cost low) I would love to set up a Croquette Tournament, I know a photographer or two that would love to do pictures in front of the gasworks, And I'll hopefully have my Zeppelin by then to be piloting around. (I owe someone credit for the idea of flying a remote control zeppelin...) All in all a nice relaxing day to meet and exchange ideas. I would have tables out for sketch books and chess boards. With covers in the off chance of rain (in seattle, never)
Then my ideas lean towards going to a private venue like the Mercury and seeing a concert if one can be set up (again I worry about funding) I know a DJ that I could convince to spin a mixture of Baroque music and electronics. Sound good to everyone? Ideas, comments?

My thoughts on minors would be rough since I stopped thinking like a minor a long time ago... I could see if since its a private venue we could get minors in... but that may be rough...
Also as far as money goes I would want this to run one day since i'll be funding it out of pocket. Perhaps the next one will run longer.

Ruthven

[AE]

Why do i know those gas works- have they been in a film?

[The Grand Duchess]

Fantastic, things are in the works and my Major Domo even has an e-mail off to Robert from Abney park seeing if they'd be interested to play for us.
My ideas thus far are as follows:
We would start the day around 11 in the AM. At Gasworks park. The day would be casual, either a pot luck picnic or I know some folks that run a catering company. (would be wonderful but I'd like to keep the cost low) I would love to set up a Croquette Tournament, I know a photographer or two that would love to do pictures in front of the gasworks, And I'll hopefully have my Zeppelin by then to be piloting around. (I owe someone credit for the idea of flying a remote control zeppelin...) All in all a nice relaxing day to meet and exchange ideas. I would have tables out for sketch books and chess boards. With covers in the off chance of rain (in seattle, never)
Then my ideas lean towards going to a private venue like the Mercury and seeing a concert if one can be set up (again I worry about funding) I know a DJ that I could convince to spin a mixture of Baroque music and electronics. Sound good to everyone? Ideas, comments?

My thoughts on minors would be rough since I stopped thinking like a minor a long time ago... I could see if since its a private venue we could get minors in... but that may be rough...
Also as far as money goes I would want this to run one day since i'll be funding it out of pocket. Perhaps the next one will run longer.

Ruthven

I'm curious- why baroque music?  Why not actual dance music from the 19th century?  Electronci music makes sense, but I don't think people danced to baroque music in the 1800s.

[JagerMonster]

I'm partial to baroque myself, and i wanted to give more the illusion of a chamber orchestra.

Ven