From Baltimore to SF, a Jam-Packed Month for U.S. Steampunk Fans

The next month will be a busy one for steampunk fans in the U.S., with multiple events over each of the first three weekends of April. The calendar includes happenings in Galveston, Chicago, Baltimore, the San Francisco area, and points in between.

The Galveston Steampunk Festival will return for its second run at the Galveston Railroad Museum in Texas. The main festival happens on Saturday, April 6, with a program that includes music by Frenchy and the Punk. Activities are also slated for Friday and Sunday.

Learn more: Website | Facebook

Steampunk Stampede will happen that same weekend, April 6 and 7, in Downtown McAlester, Oklahoma, about 90 miles south of Tulsa and 120 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. The program includes live entertainment, a costume contest, vendors, and more. General admission is free but some activities will require paid tickets.

Learn more: Website

The Chicago Steampunk Exposition takes place the following weekend, April 12-14, at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg. Speakers include steampunk artist Michael Parodi along with authors Jim Butcher and Leanna Renee Hieber. The performance lineup includes gothic metal duo Valentine Wolfe and fire artist Steampunk Xena, among others.

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13 Gears: An Eclectic Steampunk Event returns April 13-14 to a new venue, Hidden MN in Roseville, Minnesota, between Minneapolis and St. Paul. The family-friendly gathering features cosplay, music, contests, artisan vendors, and more. It’s free and open to the public.

Learn more: Website | Facebook

Clockwork Alchemy, the San Francisco Bay Area steampunk convention, will take place April 19-21 in San Mateo with a guest lineup that includes Frenchy and the Punk, Unwoman, Lee Presson and the Nails, and The Historical Conjurer Professor DR Schrieber. The theme is “Aetheric Ocean.”

This is our “home convention,” and we’ll be discussing what’s new with The Steampunk Explorer during a session on Saturday.

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The Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival will be back for its second run, April 20-21 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Baltimore North in Pikesville, Maryland. This year’s theme is related to the works of Sir Author Conan Doyle. The event is presented by The Baroness Alexandria along with Kolleen Kilduff of Design by Night Accessories. Both are well known figures in the East Coast steampunk scene.

Learn more: Website | Facebook

The Lake George Fantasy Festival is one of two festivals taking place on Saturday, April 20, in upstate New York. This one will cover genres including steampunk, goth, industrial, Renaissance, and Wild West. It’s hosted by the Wild West Ranch, a resort in Lake George about 60 miles north of Albany.

Learn more: Website

Otsego County Steampunk & Oddities Expo is set for April 20 at Fortin Park in Oneonta, about 80 miles southwest of Albany and 90 miles southeast of Syracuse. Activities will include music, dance performance, and workshops. It’s presented by Eastern Otsego Farmers Market and Steamstress & Co. Admission is free.

Learn more: Facebook

The two New York locations are about 120 miles apart. A reader asked if Jeff Mach, the controversial East Coast event producer, was associated with one of these festivals. The organizers of both events told us that Mach is not involved.

See our website for comprehensive event listings, including steampunk events and regional fandom events in Canada, the U.K., Australia/New Zealand, and the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, South Central, Mountain, and Pacific regions of the U.S.