Anyone in Stroud wanting a little music, mystery, tea duelling and Hobby Horse dressage in their lives this summer should look no further than the Stroud Steampunk day at the Museum in the Park this Saturday, August 6th.
The organisers of Stroud Steampunk day are hosting a free daytime event with music, games, workshops, food and exhibitions in partnership with the Museum in the Park, which will be followed by a ticketed evening concert featuring music from Ominous Folk of Hopeless, Maine, Madam Misfit and Victor and the Bully.
Steampunk writers, makers and performers from all over the UK will be descending on the Museum in the Park from 11am on Saturday morning, and the free daytime event will be largely held outdoors and easily accessible.
There will be fun for all the family in the Museum courtyard, with Hobby Horse dressage, mini cheese rolling, music from Jessica Law, a chance to meet a dust cat puppet, brought to life from the pages of co-organisers Tom and Nimue Brown’s graphic novel Hopeless, Maine and more. Indoors, there will be talks on numerous subjects, including the works of HP Lovecraft, about how to build a world when you write, the Cottingley fairies.
In the garden pavilion, Gregg McNeill will be introducing people to the wonders of Dark Box photography all day. Gregg will also be giving a talk about the history of photography at the Centre for Science and Art at 7pm on Friday, August 5th (tickets £6 on the door).
“We think it is important to give people something to get excited about and enjoy as a community,” says co-organiser John Bassett. “Steampunk is primarily a social phenomenon, with a focus on creativity and celebration. It takes its aesthetic inspiration from Victorian times but folds in so many eclectic influences.”
“In times like this, access to the arts, culture and entertainment are actually more important, not less,” adds Tom Brown. “It helps us remember why we get though the difficult bits and gives us good memories to hold onto, when we need them most.”
The evening concert is ticketed, and features Ominous Folk of Hopeless, Maine with their repertoire of ‘dark, strange and sometimes funny stories and haunting harmonies with tentacles on’, supporting the ‘mesmerising and scintillating music’ of Madam Misfit and a ‘carnival blend’ of steampunk, swing, mariachi, classical, electro-swing and punk with headliners Victor and the Bully.
The Stroud Steampunk day at the Museum in the Park starts at 11am on Saturday, August 6th. Doors open for the ticketed evening concert in the Orangery at 6.30pm and the show begins at 7pm. For more information, and to book tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3OM65MY
