Steampunk NZ Festival 2015 - Oamaru 28-31 May

[Colonel Hawthorne]

For steampunks and the steam-curious in this part of the world, this is the big one.

Oamaru, with its beautiful Victorian precinct, has become synonymous with steampunk in New Zealand, and the annual Queen's Birthday weekend festival just keeps growing.  This year, the early arrivals can start with a magic and quiz night on the Thursday.  On Friday night, Oamaru on Fire lights up the Victorian quarter with fire, lasers, acrobats, dance and music, then you can dance into the wee hours at the Steampunk After Party, hosted by international steamfunk performer Montague Jacques Fromage.

The main festival on Saturday includes the fabulous Souk Market and writers' and readers' workshops (following which Capital! Steampunk will present their celebrated ambulatory reading of The Hunting of the Snark).  In the evening, the League of Victorian Imagineers Mess Dinner will encompass feasting, tall stories, teapot, dirigible and magic carpet racing.  Sunday brings the Steampunk NZ Fashion Show, with spectacular creations from all over, then it all winds up with the Gala Ball - the reason for your excess baggage!

For more information and bookings, head to Eventfinder.

If you're anywhere within a couple of thousand kilometres of New Zealand around the end of May, don't miss this.

[Hurricane Annie]

 THE OAMARU  VICTORIAN PRECINCT has a   fine and handsome  Facebook page. One should paste up a link forth with  Colonel .

It does look and exciting and intriguing event  

[Colonel Hawthorne]

Indeed it has, Miss Annie.  And it will send you here, where you will find many more details of the planned activities.  But then in turn, that page will send you to Eventfinder.  I think it's one of those circley things.

[Sammiannnz]

Just giving this a bump since it starts tonight. (well, technically last night, but anyway....)
I'm ready and waiting...bring on tonight and the rest of the weekend. If any BG people are floating around Oamaru and the Steampunk events, I'm currently sporting bright pink hair, and my companion, bright green so I'm sure you'll see us strutting our stuff. This promises to be a most exciting and pleasing event.

I must admit, getting up at stupid o'clock this morning to fly to down to Christchurch and then drive down to Oamaru has been an interesting experience. I don't know how you South Island people deal with this cold. As I write, I'm in the motel, cuddled up in thermals and with the heater cranked to max. My theory has always been that if you can see your breath in the air....it's too fucking cold.

[Colonel Hawthorne]

Alas, dear madam, I was too slack to start a new topic for the 2016 festival, from which we finally finished returning yesterday.

Cold?  That wasn't cold!  You should have been there last year - minus five degrees (C) when we left the ball, compared to a balmy plus two this year!

I'm sorry I missed you.  That was me, sending the fastest teapot (or in fact, the fastest two teapots) through the course, then ordering everybody about for the world record attempt afterwards.  I hope you had a splendid time; maybe we'll catch up in Thames in November.

[Drew P]

Hope someone brought a camera.
Hope someone used it, a lot.

[Sammiannnz]

Alas, dear madam, I was too slack to start a new topic for the 2016 festival, from which we finally finished returning yesterday.

Cold?  That wasn't cold!  You should have been there last year - minus five degrees (C) when we left the ball, compared to a balmy plus two this year!

I'm sorry I missed you.  That was me, sending the fastest teapot (or in fact, the fastest two teapots) through the course, then ordering everybody about for the world record attempt afterwards.  I hope you had a splendid time; maybe we'll catch up in Thames in November.

Yes, I certainly enjoyed myself, and had plenty of fun and games, and in fact am planning to attend Thames' festival. Unfortunately I did not make it to the teapot races in the end, so that will be an occasion for next year, certainly. Congrats on your times though.

Cold, yes cold. This is coming from somebody who lives in Auckland, and in a very wrapped up, warm, coma like state during winter. Winter and I do not mix. At least Oamaru wasn't humid/damp cold, that was in fact it's one saving grace. Thames on the other hand will be right up my alley.
I believe I saw you, I was at the world record attempt and yes organising and directing are two great qualities that steampunkers have in copious quantities