Festival offers a ‘slightly eccentric’ experience for all
THE 9th annual Steampunk NZ Festival takes place in Oamaru over Queen’s Birthday weekend.
‘‘Steampunk’’ imagines modern technology — computers, robotics, air travel — created with materials and technology from Victorian times. A steampunk character would be well aware of steam and iron but wouldn’t recognise the cars, plastics, and cellphones that we take for granted today.
The Oamaru festival offers the quirky and slightly eccentric experience that steampunks enjoy, with events such as teapot-racing, parasol duelling, the mess dinner with airship-racing, and the sold-out Gala Ball — where many of the costumes would qualify as works of art.
Most activities take place in or around the Oamaru Victorian Precinct, so put on your most splendid steampunk (or Victorian) costume, or simply come in your civvies to admire the fabulous clothes, gadgets and accessories on show, especially during the Steampunk Parade on Saturday morning. This year’s Steampunk NZ Fashion Show at the Oamaru Opera House includes three entrants from Oamaru.
Browse for treasure at the Steampunk Market, where stallholders from across New Zealand will display an incredible array of steampunk clothing, hats, accessories, art and artefacts. Pop in to the Forrester Gallery to see ‘‘Sprocket and Gear: Elements of Steampunk’’ and dress up for a selfie (no entry charge).
Free-of-charge events include tea duelling, awesome monsterpot-racing, parasol duelling, Op Shopping Tour, the Steampunk Market, and the Steampunk Parade, so take this opportunity to test your biscuit-dunking skills, your parasol-twirling, or cheer on your favourite monsterpot on Sunday.
The New Zealand Steampunk movement has grown in leaps and bounds since its 2009 inception in Oamaru, and festival ticketholders come from all over New Zealand, as well as Australia, the UK, and the USA. It represents a major tourism boost for Waitaki during the winter season.
The festival is run by the Steampunk NZ Trust, a registered charity, and represents several thousand hours of volunteer time! A small group of local volunteers is supplemented by visiting volunteers during festival week.
Steampunk NZ Festival: May 31-June 4. For more information, or if you’d like to help out, visit steampunknz.co.nz