Steampunk Crossover

[Merlin the Elder]

Let me preface this to say that I have no problem at all with people who wish to dress up. But, that being said...

Different gatherings have different themes. With most gatherings, there are going to be mundanes, and that is much of what it's all being put on for.  So, would you go to a snow-ski resort in a bikini or speedo? Would you go to a horror convention dressed as an angel? Would you go to a formal dinner in cut-offs?  Do you want space and technology booths at your local Ren faire?

It's more about whether or not it fits in, rather than what it is. How well does Star Wars fit in with the steampunk crowd?  Would Biblical characters be welcome? Does this not make any sense?  I worry enough about the Merlin character at faires, but at least at the faires I attend, Merlin was part of the mythology of the era.

This issue seems to be nearly as divisive as religion or politics, despite the fact that it's more clear-cut.  There needs to be a connection to the period, however slight. I don't find electronica conducive to a good faire experience, yet the bird-man continues to spread throughout the faire circuit, and is quite popular. Maybe it is only me that still likes a more Renaissance feel. I go to faire to get away from the mundane world, not immerse myself in it.

[groomporter]

It reminds me sometimes of a local Sci/fi/fantasy convention where some people seemed to interpret the fantasy aspect to include sexual fantasy and so we started seeing people in latex or BDSM gear during the day instead of just later when most of the kids would be in bed or not limited to the "adults only" floor of the hotel.

[Rowan MacD]

It reminds me sometimes of a local Sci/fi/fantasy convention where some people seemed to interpret the fantasy aspect to include sexual fantasy and so we started seeing people in latex or BDSM gear during the day instead of just later when most of the kids would be in bed or not limited to the "adults only" floor of the hotel.

I think you have it there, Groomporter......These folks have always been out there, and have always wanted to act out their fantasies.  
  It's starting to look like some are 'testing the waters' to see just how far they can take this before someone points out that they have gone too far.  It's gonna be an interesting aspect to follow.    
   We do see these folks at the Pirate fests, but they haven't been showing up at the Ren faires around here.
   Yet.
 
 

[Rani Zemirah]

Well, at least with Steampunk folks are mostly covered...   

[Rowan MacD]

Well, at least with Steampunk folks are mostly covered...   

True! ^_^.  They are the anti-barbarians!   

    You know, I was thinking that if a faire is big enough, why not have an encampment set aside for the Steamers?  It would take a bit of brainstorming to get it to make sense, and they might need to procure a 'time machine'  as the centerpiece, but what the hey?   Just a thought....
    Disney has Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frountierland, etc.
    Perhaps one day there will be an outdoor  Steampunk Fair, maybe in a setting like the 1894 international exposition and not just conventions...

[Butch]

At KCRF space is at a premium.  Not to shoot down your excellent idea, Rowen MacD, but KCRFdoesn't even have a member's garden (or Friends of the Faire) just because whenever space opens up, it is immediately used for something.  Do Steampunkers have a board like this one here?  If so, couldn't they organize a day to "time travel" to a Renaissance period and visit?

Merlin, loved your post!

[Rani Zemirah]

We do occasionally do that... although when we announce here, publicly, that we're planning an excursion (invasion) to one Faire or another there is always a thread like this one that pops up complaining about "those ridiculous Steampunk people", and how annoying we are to "REAL Rennies"... 

[Delireus]

We do occasionally do that... although when we announce here, publicly, that we're planning an excursion (invasion) to one Faire or another there is always a thread like this one that pops up complaining about "those ridiculous Steampunk people", and how annoying we are to "REAL Rennies"... 

True story, sadly. 

[WindChime]

We do occasionally do that... although when we announce here, publicly, that we're planning an excursion (invasion) to one Faire or another there is always a thread like this one that pops up complaining about "those ridiculous Steampunk people", and how annoying we are to "REAL Rennies"... 

The Kentucky Highland Renaissance Festival has a weekend just for the Steampunk groups to invade. I personally love how much work goes into some of their outfits. I know a couple of people who have made all the leather work they wear themselves along with all the detail tool work to get the designs raised in the leather. A lot of the steampunk community puts in as much work if not more in their outfits and I can't see dismissing them just because they don't fit the theme.

I am a vendor and as long as the outfit is nice I truly see nothing wrong with it, heck even if it is not so great you have to give the people for at least trying.  I have personally been snarked by people in the SCA telling me how my whole outfit was incorrect for the faire. I wear a lot of fairy and gypsy style clothing and the one lady got made at me for asking if she personally weave and dyed the material she was wearing or did she buy something from the store.

[BubbleWright]

Arthur Rowan posted a reply to the "Steampunk at Faire" thread I started on the PaRenFaire dot Netters Forum. Arthur has worked as a performer/director at the PaRenFaire for 4 years and is currently a musician/performer with the musical duo "Rowan and the Rose". He mentions that he and Kelly Morris (Queen Elizabeth at PARF 2008-2009) will be performing at the NJ and the PA Faire this year. Below find Arthur's post, used with his permission. I find it great insight from the performer's point of view...

From a former performer standpoint, I LOVED playing with people in out of period costumes. I remember the day a fully-decked Imperial Stormtrooper showed up at opening gate, and within fifteen minutes at least three of us had demanded 'TK-421, wherefore are thou not upon thy post?'

On numerous occasions I've engaged Star Trek Away teams with a 'Good my lords in strange garb, prithee, approach...' then once they were near I'd lower my voice, drop all accent and Elizabethan character entirely, and demand 'What the hell are you doing breaking the Prime Directive by not blending in with this pre-warp culture?! I have been undercover on this research assignment for FOUR YEARS, and so help me God if you blow this assignment for me there will be HELL to pay back at Star Fleet command.'

Klingons are also a favorite... I welcome them openly and publicly as, clearly, Ambassadors from the Dutch, and then I tell the crowd how I'm about to engage them in their native Dutch tongue. Then I would, in hopefully decent Klingon, tell them 'Your father is a coward who died without honor.' One time, the Klingon in question even understood me, and hilarity ensued as he showed his fury, causing me to grovel before him at my poor understanding of the Dutch language.

And as for Doctor Who, well, everyone knows that he actually IS period, as Queen Elizabeth took out a very high bounty on his head for 'reasons unknown...'

The point being, one of the most fun parts of street improv for me is finding new and creative ways to incorporate literally anything that's thrown at me, period or no. That being said, it's understandable if someone wants as close to a specifically Renaissance experience as they can (although it should be said that walking around in a medieval knight outfit circa 1000 AD is as equally out of period as a StarFleet uniform, just in the other direction on the timeline.)

In conclusion, one of the things I love about Renaissance Faires is that every faire has its own personality. Some are wonderfully hyper-historical. The PA Faire is not. They've been taking things in a slightly different direction ever since they paved the roads, amped the stages, and put a soundtrack and fireballs into the Ultimate Joust. I've always enjoyed the more theatrical, 'spirit of the law not the letter' approach to the period that the PA Faire takes, but it's also totally reasonable to dislike it. And the beauty of the Ren Faire world is that there are other Faires that will probably be more to those tastes, frequently within equal driving distance of the PA Faire.

One final thought: please be careful when throwing around the phrase 'They make these decisions because they don't really care about us loyal fans. Anyone who's ever had to plan a party for even a hundred friends, much less ten thousand, knows how INSANELY difficult it is to please everyone, even if (perhaps *especially* if) they're someone you care a lot about.

[Rani Zemirah]

Sir Rowan sounds like someone I would greatly enjoy interacting with at Faire... or anywhere else!  I admire his sense of fun, and his adaptability.   

[BubbleWright]

Arthur is a real hoot to be around. He recently toured in Spamalot, playing King Arthur

[Delireus]

That being said, it's understandable if someone wants as close to a specifically Renaissance experience as they can (although it should be said that walking around in a medieval knight outfit circa 1000 AD is as equally out of period as a StarFleet uniform, just in the other direction on the timeline.)

He's got a wonderful perspective on things, and it's so refreshing to hear that everyone is accepted in his view. I completely agree with everything he's said, especially this snippet. A knight in armor would probably be welcomed by those who are not fond of steampunk, but like he said, they are both out of period. I wish more people would adopt his perspective on being friendly to anyone and everyone, no matter what they are wearing. He sounds like a great guy, thanks for sharing BubbleWright!

[ttuskey]

And honestly, I think I'd rather see a Steampunk costume than plain clothes (...says the mundane who has no garb of any kind).

This is true.  I think some of the (most of the) Steampunk garb I've seen at Bristol has been really REALLY well done, and I'd rather see that than just street clothes.

But the Star Trek, Doctor Who's, come on now..

[Merlin the Elder]

Saw a quartet of Trekkies at KCRF yesterday that was pretty clever.  Their garb had the cut of Ren period clothing, with the colours you'd expect of Star Fleet. The Vulcan of the group created the ear effect via jewelry.