Gears are turning as the clock counts down to to the eleventh hour for this year’s Steampunk The Thames four-day festival on November 12-15.
The theme, Time Marches On, will see a focus on clockwork and gadgetry.
“Expect lots of clocks, hourglasses, general time-related stuff,” steampunk chair Richard Hornell said.
“We thought it was appropriate since it’s our 11th event.”
There are some new events to enjoy at this year’s festival, including the Great Exhibition, a collection of personalised flat-pack trinket boxes designed and filled by festival-goers.
The boxes will be on display during the festival, with winners decided by popular vote.
The Steampunk Mascots also make their debut this year, with participants able to design and showcase a steampunk-themed stuffed animal to display alongside the live animals featured in the Punk My Pet competition.
Of course, there will also be plenty of familiar favourites to entertain over the weekend, including socials, quizzes, markets and photo booths, a fashion show, and the iconic Saturday morning parade.
Special guests Toe Jam The Band will take the stage at the Bella Street Pumphouse, and families will be able to participate in the teapot racing, hobby-horse courses, and Give-it-a-Go Circus at the Sunday morning Unwound and Unplugged market.
“We’ve got a lot of new people on our committee, so there’s a lot of fresh ideas coming in,” Richard said.
“We’ve got pretty packed lineups every day [and] we’re getting really good support from the community and from businesses and the Thames Community Board.”
DETAILS: Time Marches On, Steampunk The Thames, November 12-15. See www.steampunkthethames.co.nz for more information.
