Top Brass Gather in Sacramento

Editor’s note: Sacramento, California has long had one of the most active steampunk communities in the U.S. The Sacramento Steampunk Society — with more than 3000 members in its Facebook group — produces its own events in addition to participating in steampunk gatherings elsewhere in California and Nevada.

Each year since 2016, the Society has hosted Top Brass, which organizer Fred Jeska describes as “our formal/dress-up event of the year. With December being so busy for most people, we don’t usually plan a Christmas bash. Therefore, Top Brass gives us the opportunity to dress nice for a pre-holiday event before things get crazy in December.”

The inaugural Top Brass event was envisioned as a fictional gathering of military commanders and escorts from around the world. Since then, each has had a different theme: “Diplomats, Dignitaries (& Double Agents)” in 2017; “Aboard the Nautilus” in 2018; and “A Royal Affair” in 2019. It’s held in a private dining room at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Roseville, California, just outside Sacramento.

Many folks attend in historic military uniforms or diplomatic outfits, but “general steampunk attire is perfectly acceptable and the ‘formal dress’ aspect is quite time period lenient,” Jeska says. It looks expensive, but Jeska notes that Goodwill and other thrift stores are good sources for uniforms and formal wear.

The gallery below includes scenes from each of the four Top Brass events. Thanks to Clara Blackheart and Connie Ricca for allowing use of their photos.