Steampunk events- Gaslight Gathering 2016

This weekend is Gaslight Gathering in San Diego. From its beginning in 2009 this event has been an annual process that has grown and gathered pace. This year’s event is entitled “All the Steamy Things That Go Bump In The Night” and has bestselling novelist Gail Carriger as guest of honour.

What to expect at Gaslight Gathering

First of all, it’s a really huge event - up to a thousand people attend every year between Thursday and Sunday.

Second, this event is famous for its workshops. From this year’s line-up we’ve singled out a really special (and really specialist) Saturday workshop: “The Magic of Alchemy – Colonel Malcolm Weatherby will be presenting the magic of chemical and electrochemical electroplating techniques that you can do at home. This class will demonstrate how to brass plate copper, copper plate and brass plate steel. We will show both direct chemical and electrolysis techniques.” Wow … that’s hardcore steampunk!

Third, costuming is a very big thing here and it’s important to be weather-aware when planning your outfit. California can be hot in October, and for those not used to corsets and heat, this can be a real test of stamina. For that reason we’d recommend dressing as our Victorian forbears did, with separates being the key to success. For example, our Jasmin corset dress can easily be teamed with a simple skirt and a bolero or shrug - this allows you to ring the changes easily. For a couple of hours by the pool you can slip off the skirt and bolero and sit in your corset dress without feeling at all out of place, but for formal photographs you’ll find the three garments together give a complete Victorian vibe, particularly when teamed with a good steampunk hat such as our fetching top hat with rose embellishment.

Fourth, it’s good to be aware that steampunk events vary quite a bit in relation to their costuming guidelines. A basic rule of thumb is that the more public the event (such as  the Eastbourne Steampunk Festival which takes place on the actual promenade) the less stringent any kind of dress code. Gaslight Gathering had a minor wobble in its first year when one of the volunteers who was described  online as a ‘costume nazi’ was heard telling some participants that they ‘hadn’t got it right’ when it came to steampunk outfit creation. Since then, this is an event that has gone out of its way to be accepting of diversity in costuming and appearance so it’s one of the most open and welcoming, regardless of how you dress and what you believe steampunk to be. In addition, it’s become a centre for costuming with an excellent range of stalls and workshops that specialise in helping people create their own steampunk accessories and gadgets.