Steampunk – Salem Happenings

Cirque du Soleil Boston: Kurios

“Curiouser and Curiouser!” The famous phrase from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland certainly sums up the fantastic world that Alice falls into in the story. However, Wonderland is not the only world that the phrase could be used to describe (and no, I’m not talking about our own world even though the phrase probably does apply.) In fact, these well-known words could probably be applied to any number of incredible realms that appear in artwork, books, movies, television, stage performances, and other artistic works. Yet, the one show that these words probably fit better than any other is Cirque du Soleil’s touring production “KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities.”

KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities, which will have its final performance in the Boston area this weekend at Suffolk Downs, is a circus like none you have seen before. This show features some of the most amazing acrobats, dancers, jugglers, percussionists, and other performers that you will ever see performing a series of acts with a steampunk theme. The element that truly makes the show amazing, however, is the huge number of curious objects or, in other words, curios that the performers will display and use throughout each of their acts. This combination of incredible performances and mechanical marvels will give you a chance to see (and, in some cases, not see) a world that is very different from our own. And, if you would like the chance to feel like Alice, you can always take the T from Wonderland to get to the show. For more information on KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities and/or to order tickets, please visit the Cirque du Soleil website.

Photo credit: fabola via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA

Watch City Steampunk Festival 2016

Did you miss out on last week’s OtherWhere Market or are you looking for another Steampunk fix? Well, if the answer to either of these questions is yes, you’re in luck because it just so happens that the Watch City Steampunk Festival is scheduled to take place throughout Waltham from 9:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 7, 2016). This event will give you the opportunity to dress in your finest Victorian/Steampunk garb (or come in your modern-day clothing if you lack the appropriate attire) and explore everything that the Steampunk genre and the Victorian era has to offer. In fact, if you decide to attend the festival, you will have the chance to experience a variety of activities aimed at children and adults alike, including artwork, blacksmithing, crafts, costuming, dancing, games, lectures, live performances, music, a parade, sword fighting, and way more than I could ever hope to list here. For more information on the Watch City Steampunk Festival, which is free and open to the public, please visit the Watch City Steampunk Festival website.

Photo credit: Stf.O via Foter.com / CC BY

The OtherWhere Market at Mill No. 5

Photo credit: taymtaym via VisualHunt.com / CC BY

We live in a world filled with technological marvels that we take for granted every day. From televisions to computers, buses to planes, cell phones to tablets, and microwaves to sophisticated medical equipment, there’s no shortage of incredible devices out there. In fact, all it takes are a few batteries, a wall outlet, or some fuel, and you have an array of ways to work, play, relax, communicate, travel, cook, and heal. Now, all of this is of course great, but what if the world didn’t work that way and there were no batteries or wall outlets. Could you imagine a world in which you couldn’t get the power you needed with a simple flick of switch? A world in which you would need to rely on something else entirely to power your devices? Steam perhaps?

Well, it turns out that this is exactly what the Steampunk genre was designed to explore, as it portrays what the world would have been like during the Victorian era if the world’s technology had taken a very different path and evolved along the route that Jules Verne and H.G. Wells had described in their literary works. A world in which steam power rules and everything is powered by steam and clockwork parts. And, if this world sounds like something you would like to explore, you may want to head down to Mill No. 5 in Lowell, MA this weekend. This is because Mill No. 5, which is located at 250 Jackson Street in Lowell, MA, is hosting their Spring OtherWhere Market from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, April 30, 2016). This event will give you the opportunity to see a number of people in Steampunk and fantasy garb while you peruse a wide assortment of unusual accessories, books, costumes, and other goods related to fantasy, Sci-Fi, Steampunk, and more. For more information on the Spring OtherWhere Market and other similar events at Mill No. 5, please visit the Mill No. 5 website.

http://5.lunalowell.com/event/otherwhere-market/?instance_id=1108087

Geek Out This Mother’s Day

Are you a big fan of Star Wars, steampunk, or just all things geeky? Do random people see the costumes you wear and look at you like you’re actually from another world (Tatooine or Naboo, perhaps)? Have you ever tried to explain to someone what your geeky hobby is and why you do it? Well, if the answer to any of these questions is yes and you are a self-proclaimed geek, nerd, fanboy, or fangirl, you’ll be happy to know that there are several events this weekend that will help you show your friends and family what your geekiness is all about. In fact, if you’re a Star Wars fan, a steampunk Fan, or even an exercise geek, this is the perfect weekend to show Mom (or anyone else for that matter), the geeky things that you truly enjoy.

First, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting their annual Star Wars Day from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Sunday (May 10, 2015.) This event will allow you and your friends and family to see stormtroopers from the 501st Legion, famous characters from the Rebel Legion, participate in a series of Star Wars scavenger hunts, watch animals play with special Star Wars themed enrichment items, and more. Best of all, if you are planning to bring your mother, the zoo is offering free admission to all mothers in honor of Mother’s Day. For more information on Star Wars Day at the Franklin Park Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England Special Events page.

Secondly, if you’re more of a steampunk fan than a Star Wars fan or you love both equally, you’ll probably want to be in Waltham this weekend. This is because the Watch City Steampunk Festival is this Saturday (May 9, 2015) from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on the Common in Waltham, Massachusetts. This festival will give you the opportunity to bring your friends and family into the world of steampunk with artwork, costuming, films, live performances, music, and a whole lot more. However, the thing that will probably truly put a smile on your face is the fact that you won’t have to pay a dime to get in because admission to the festival is free. For more information on the Watch City Steampunk Festival, please visit the Official Watch City Steampunk Festival website.

Finally, if you like to show the world your geekiness by regaling your friends and family with tales of all of the places that you’ve run through and how quickly you ran through them (which is important if you’re trying to avoid imperial stormtroopers or some other nefarious group of villians), you may want to check out the Geek Day Virtual 5K. The Geek Day Virtual 5K is a virtual marathon that runs from now until May 31st. This event will actually allow you to make your own marathon by choosing a 5K route, running it, and then reporting your time (with the appropriate fee of course) to the organizers. You will then receive a Geek Day Medal and a portion of the money from all of the fees collected will go to charity. For more information on the Geek Day Virtual 5K and/or to report your time for the event, please visit the Virtual Run Events website.

Photo credit: Counse / Photo / CC BY