Steampunk Crossover

[JCadden]

I hate to admit this has become my new obsession... the Steampunk Crossover.

How many of you that are merchants have picked up a new crowd with the Steampunk Crossover and / or what does everybody think about the crossover of Steampunk followers into the Rennie world.

[DonaCatalina]

Not to hurt anyone's feelings;
but I don't go to a Renaissance Festival to see steampunk stuff. I go to have at least some semblance of a Renaissance experience. I don't go to sci-fi conventions because that type of costuming holds no interest for me.
I do believe that steampunk is more than welcome at sc-fi conventions.

[JCadden]

Not to hurt anyone's feelings;
but I don't go to a Renaissance Festival to see steampunk stuff. I go to have at least some semblance of a Renaissance experience. I don't go to sci-fi conventions because that type of costuming holds no interest for me.
I do believe that steampunk is more than welcome at sc-fi conventions.

And I think I agree with you but over the last few years I have seen more and more crossover.  At times it is like seeing the poor souls in the ninja outfits.

[Amara Deegan]

Personally, I do adore Steampunk and do not mind some crossing over being done at Ren faires.

That being said, I do agree that it had become over done as of late. I am truly glad for the merchants finding and extra niche to gain more business. I would only like to see the costuming more Renaissance styled instead of Victorian or Gothic Lolita. Being able to merge with many generes is one of the things I like about Steampunk. I would just like to see more actual merging when it comes to Renaissance. Part of the Faires, to me, is a certain amount of fantasy and non-fiction. Steampunk, as well as wizards and other magic casters that are welcomed at Faires, certainly fit into that.

It only truly irks me when I see completely non-Renaissance costumes. Star Trek and Ghostbusters, I'm looking at you! The costumes may be well done and yes some episodes of Star Trek feature Renaissance settings via holodeck. That's truly stretching things however.

[JCadden]

It only truly irks me when I see completely non-Renaissance costumes. Star Trek and Ghostbusters, I'm looking at you! The costumes may be well done and yes some episodes of Star Trek feature Renaissance settings via holodeck. That's truly stretching things however.

Too funny!

[Merlin the Elder]

Personally, I do adore Steampunk and do not mind some crossing over being done at Ren faires.

When does it move from "some crossing" to "too much crossing?" Like DC, I'm not crazy about the crossover. I'm going to a Renaissance Festival, not a Steampunk Festival.

Don't get me wrong, I actually find Steampunk quite interesting and fun. If there are that many people, though, who want to do festivals, they should hold their own.

There's enough diluting of the themes of some of the Renaissance and medieval faires already. Once you fully embrace Steampunk as part of the R/F experience, then comes some other period, then sci-fi, then there is no longer a Renaissance faire, but a big Halloween party.  Just my own opinion, which when presented with a couple dollars, might get you a cup of coffee...

[Rowan MacD]

Personally, I do adore Steampunk and do not mind some crossing over being done at Ren faires.

That being said, I do agree that it had become over done as of late. I am truly glad for the merchants finding and extra niche to gain more business. I would only like to see the costuming more Renaissance styled instead of Victorian or Gothic Lolita. Being able to merge with many generes is one of the things I like about Steampunk. I would just like to see more actual merging when it comes to Renaissance. Part of the Faires, to me, is a certain amount of fantasy and nonfiction. Steampunk, as well as wizards and other magic casters that are welcomed at Faires, certainly fit into that.

  While I too don't mind the crossovers and the Cosplayers, (I want all the patrons to have a good time), my hubby is more along the 'historical re-enactors ' mindset.   He very much feels that renaissance fairs should be themed, that the theme should be respected. 
  If we are attending a fair for the first time, he will research it and we will dress accordingly. 

   While Steampunk may or may not be a good fit for some Ren faires,  it is only fair that the  merchants should make money too.
   Most leather merchants now feature some Steamy products for sale in their booths at the  renaissance faires, and they seem to sell well because there seems to be a shortage of garbing websites for the genre right now and they are exploiting this while they can.
   I really don't have a problem with it but...I would ask that they keep those in the back of the tent/booth when selling at a medieval themed event.  It tends to spoil the ambiance a bit to see racks of top hats with goggles and geared wristwatches displayed next to mugs and pouches.
   
     
   

[LadyFae]

I enjoy the Steampunk look, just not at a RENAISSANCE faire.  So no, I don't like all of the crossover.  I'd never tell anyone that they are "wrong" for doing it, but I just won't be doing it.

[Delireus]

When I started going to faires I had absolutely no idea what personality I wanted to be. Pirate, noble, fairy (what are your opinions on fairies at a faire, if I may ask. They are so common now that they are sometimes synonymous with a renaissance faire, but...are they really Renaissance? I digress) Anyways, I finally found my niche in...steampunk! (if my profile picture didn't already give that away)

I absolutely love it. However, I completely understand if some people might not like it at a Renaissance faire. Trouble is, faire is like my second home, no matter which faire it is, and I want to wear my absolute favorite outfit, which is my steampunk one. Honestly, I've gotten almost every article of my steampunk outfit at faires. I and my friends have had some animosity shown to us at faires when we are in out steampunk garb (mostly from vendors, actually), but for the most part, people are very nice usually.

I do not get upset when I see people in Star Trek stuff, cosplayers, or anything, but that's probably because I know some might group me and steampunk right in that category with them. To answer the question asked, I personally love to see steampunk stuff at a faire, but believe it or not, I don't want it to take over either. I fell in love with a Renaissance Festival, and I want it to stay exactly like it is and not turn conpleatly into a Steampunk con, a Sci-fi con, an Anime con, etc. What made me fall in love with it however was how so many different groups could come together, from hard core history buffs to crazies in kilts, and be somewhat accepted. Like I said though, I totally understand why some may not be such a fan of a steampunk crossover, but other genres (fairies, vikings, Romans)  are usually accepted, though I'm sure at one point in time, they were new and somewhat unwanted as well.

[Captain Cornelius Howard Duckman]

I love all kinds of crossovers. If you want to come out, and have fun? Good for you. Welcome to the faire, you paid your money, wear whatever you like. My only problem is the people who come out specifically to act like douchebags. You know, the ones who toss on something stupid, like tin foil armor, and then decide they are in character and refuse to break it. Seriously, if your idea of fun is acting like real life internet trolls, you are welcome to go elsewhere.

[BubbleWright]

While I like Steampunk, I am concerned as to how it may erode the image and feeling of the Renaissance Faire. Granted one currently sees 12th century Crusaders alongside of 17th century pirates at Faires set in the 15th-16th century but 19th-20th century seem a bit out of place and time. Of course, time is the key word as time travel is part of the Steampunk ethos. With the prediction of $4.00+ a gallon for gas this summer, Faires might reach out to new patrons to increase their audience base. Indeed, PARF has scheduled a Time Travelers' Weekend. From the PARF website- Time Travelers Weekend August 11 - 12, 2012... The soothsayers have foreseen a chronological convergence of time travelers, doctors, treckers of the stars, the steam-punkified, slayers and many more of the fictions of science as they gather upon the Shire of Mount Hope.
Then again, it could be argued that everyday 21st century patron costumes are truly out of place at Faire.

[Merlin the Elder]

I don't know that the average patron could distinguish between the time periods being presented. I'm not sure I could. But if just becomes a costume parade for anything, any period, it then becomes a comic con and not a Renaissance or Medieval festival, and the owners would need to change the name, else be sued for false advertisement. Steampunk Weekends or Time Traveler Weekends are tolerable. I can attend faire on other weekends.

I can live with a few people who are missing the point of the Ren faire, but if it gets too pervasive, I will go elsewhere. I think a good number of these people do it simply to be disruptive.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I think some of the steampunk outfits are the most creative I've seen anywhere.  However, I don't think they belong at a Renaissance faire. To me, personally, I don't care if people wear Medieval, Pirate, fairy, Renaissance, even if it's the wrong time frame, because it still gives the impression of being back in time.

I also don't like the Roman garb, stormtroopers, and anything else that isn't remotely connected to the time period ranging from 1200 to 1700.  There is someone at Bristol who wears a red alligator head.  And 2 people that wear furry tiger heads.  Now really!  That is a costume party and looking to get attention, in no way does it add anything to the Renaissance theme.

We are personal friends with some of the musicians at faire, not just fans at faire.  They hate seeing Steampunks and other eras.  They say they play their hearts out to give the patrons a Renaissance experience, and they feel that the inappropriate costumes break the essence they are trying to provide.

For the past 3 years, Bristol has held a Steampunk weekend.  They even have their own parade around the grounds.  Even though we go mostly every weekend, I think we will skip that weekend this year. 

Having said all this, I would never say a word to anyone wearing Steampunk or anything else to faire.  It's just my opinion, and I would never hurt anyone's feelings by saying something to them.  I just personally don't like it at faire.

[Captain Teague]

Firstly saying that I like the look of Steampunk. I have contributed to a few threads around here assisting folks with finding items of that nature. I am working on an outfit of my own (to be worn ONLY to sci fi conventions and events, you will never see me in it at a Ren Faire) and if the stars align and the moons eclipse I may be wearing it at DragonCon this year. 

( Note, this is my opinion only and my piece of eight on the matter. Which may or may not get you a cup of coffee, depending on the vintage of said piece of eight )

When it was a small interest I had no problem with it. But now that it is growing, I wonder how far it is going to go and how many lines it will cross. And to me it is not a genre unto itself, it is the adaptation of others. I have seen Elizabethan steampunk, Victorian steampunk, Pirate steampunk (even a Jack Sparrow steampunk statue ) the latest 3 musketeers movie was steampunk, star wars steampunk and the list goes on and on. To me, it is still altering other genres and not an original premise.

But in the wearing and appropriateness, I also say this:

As per delireous question about Faeries at Faire (which includes all other manner of mythical characters )
While not perhaps TANGIBLE characters, in the time periods which Ren Faires encompass, people did indeed believe in all sorts of mythical and magical creatures, Faeries, Dragons, Gnomes, Witches and things which go bump in the night, etc etc etc. So personally, I can "see" those there. Matter of fact, Vampires were first reported as far back as Mesopotamian times, just that that term was not used till much later ) Go, beloved Transylvanian Court! 

Like Lady Renee said in the time range from 1200 to 1700:

Pirates were active in 1650, before the 1700's. I see those being around.
Vikings were around close to that time (notable up to 1100 and memories I am sure run long after they DID attack places in Britain ) I can see those being around.
Barbarians, Celts, etc I can also see.
Crusaders were actually noted in the 11th century with the creation of the Knights Templars, so I see that.
Star Trek IS a stretch but as they did time travel, I can stretch it. Although I note personally when entering primitive cultures, they did their best to garb and act like the culture they were entering most times.
Doctor Who....another stretch, but workable.



What I do not see:
Roman....centuries before the timeline.
Egyptian...same thing.
Star Wars....nuff said.

I'm sure I have missed several classes in both categories, those were just spur of the moment.

But I do question the motives of some classes at a Ren Faire. I would think Sci Fi conventions would be a Nirvana, encompassing so widely varied of time traveling, alternate universes, parallel dimensions, assorted galaxies and workable scenarios, classes and races.
( I also look at financials however and know sci fi conventions are HELLA expensive compared to a Faire budget for attendance )
Or like Merlin said, are some just doing it to annoy? One example I cannot find viable reason for is Stormtroopers in Kilts. That phrase was originally coined to show ultimate wrongness and many have taken to displaying it openly in garb. Is it a joke or simply rubbing it in faces?

A question for steampunk ( or star wars, roman, egyptian, etc )

Would you wear it to:
An SCA event
An old west gunfighter gathering
A civil War recreation
A colonial display
A HA Pirate event
Or anything like that? Probably not, as those kinds usually have some rules and guidelines in place. Ren Faires are one of the few who do not place restrictions on such things.
Is it ok to take advantage of lax guidelines and cheaper venue to do your thing your way. And not picking at any one group for this, either, there are far worse ones (Ravers camping for the cheap and (USED to be)easy to get away with blasting techno and lights BS at a ren faire of all places, anyone? )
Famous saying "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
What makes it ok to enter one venue that is loosely acceptable to this when others are great with it but still many more are not at all.

But I digress. Would I ever say anything or act differently to anyone wearing ANY sort of non period garb at a Renaissance Faire in order to hurt feelings, look down upon or disdain them in any way? Certainly not. (however if you come up to me and attempt to playact your particular personae all bets are off. You will get a period reaction to such strange goings on including calling for the guards and burning at the stake, etc will be discussed for witchery.  ) Usually I do not acknowledge them at all unless they look wave or speak, then I of course greet them with a return nod, etc same as anyone else, a very few have asked for pics together which I of course did as well. I will never get more serious about it than simply put off, no annoyance, anger, rage, etc over it, either.

One thing that does disturb me more than a little is learning on this thread itself of several Faires now promoting (and therefore encouraging ) time travel weekends, etc.
That will certainly open the door to invitations all around. And like Merlin said....if it become any more than the casual attendance of a few and become pervasive ( or invasive above the Ren Theme itself ) then I too will take myself elsewhere. Which after 3 decades of joyful attendance, will be certainly more than a sad thing indeed.

Again, just my piece of eight. No better than anyone else's.

[SirRichardBear]

Being in Dallas with several science fiction anime conventions throught the year I really don't understand why people want come to faire in Steampunk.  I never say anything I normally just ignore them just as I ignore the star wars, star trek and Doctor who people I love all those programs but really with at least 5 science fiction cons during the year in the area there is no reason to invade faire.   

As for mixing periods I guess growning up with 1950's period movies I don't have a problem after all movies like Knights of the Round Table, Ivanhoe, Robin Hood etc all had knights wearing armour more correct for  Renaissance sport jousting than the period the movie was set in.