Phantasmagoria will perform at MegaCon. Photo: Chris Bridges
It may be February, but the steampunk calendar is heating up this weekend with CONpossible happening in the Atlanta area and MegaCon in Orlando. Meanwhile, Whitby Steampunk Weekend will return to North Yorkshire in the U.K. And in New Zealand (where it’s summer), the Cog and Compass Fantasizers Festival is taking place in Christchurch.
CONpossible
This event, formerly known as the Atlanta Steampunk Exposition, returns to the Atlanta area with “Travel Beyond the Veil” as the theme. Special guests include Author Guest of Honor Gail Carriger; Maker Guests of Honor Steve Blaydon and Leah Blaydon; and Tea Ambassadors Madame Askew and The Grand Arbiter.
The theme alludes to “Victorian mysticism, mythology, death culture from around the world, magic and, of course, mayhem when you join us,” in the words of the organizers.
Programming includes panels, workshops, performances, contests, and special events.
It’s set for Feb. 7-9 at the Sonesta Gwinnett Place, 1775 Pleasant Hill Rd. in Duluth, Georgia. See the website for more info and the event’s Linktree for social media links.
MegaCon
Phantasmagoria, the Victorian horror theatrical troupe, will once again have a major presence at this pop culture convention, which runs Feb. 6-9 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. This year, they’ll be presenting “Tales from a Darkened Attic” from their own performance room, South Concourse S330E.
The half-hour shows will feature storytelling, dance, music, and poetry, along with “circus and danger arts.” Each will have a different mix of performers. Get the details on the Phantasmagoria website.
MegaCon itself is one of the larger pop culture conventions in the U.S., featuring panels, celebrities, cosplay events, an artist alley, and more.
Celebrity guests this year include Jude Law, Millie Bobby Brown, Ron Howard, Nicholas Hoult, Andy Serkis, Elizabeth Shue, Morena Baccarin, and Adam Savage.
Many cast members from Doctor Who will also be there, including Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston, Mandip Gill, and Catherine Tate.
Learn more on the MegaCon website.
Whitby Steampunk Weekend
This event returns to Whitby Pavilion on the North Yorkshire coast with more than 70 trade stalls along with talks, workshops, entertainment, and lots of cosplay.
The main event happens on Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9. The Antipoet (Paul Eccentric and Ian Newman) will present a live performance on both days at 2 p.m. The organisers will also present a fashion show on Friday night in the Royal Hotel ballroom. Admission to all these activities is free.
The weekend will also include a ticketed concert on Saturday night with The Urban Voodoo Machine and The Red Barn.
Learn more on the website and Facebook page.
This will be the first of two Whitby Steampunk Weekends this year. The other one takes place July 25-27 at the same location.
Cog and Compass Fantasizers Festival
The Cog and Compass Society in Christchurch, New Zealand, will present this festival with live music, market stalls, and a variety of competitions including teapot racing and hobby horse racing.
The main event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Riccarton Park Event Centre in Christchurch. It will be accompanied by premium events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, though many are sold out.
Learn more on the website.
