May 30 event immerses visitors in Victorian science fiction
Steampunk Day returns to Cowtown on Saturday, May 30 to give visitors a one-of-a-kind Victorian science fiction experience straight out of a Jules Verne or H.G. Wells novel. Activities for the entire family are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s featured act is Carnival Epsilon, a madcap group of sword swallowers, fire eaters and other sundry performers from Tulsa, Okla. Admission is $7.75 for adults, $6 for youth and free for children under 4 and Museum members. Cowtown is located at 1865 W. Museum Blvd.
Steampunk is a technically advanced, alternate history where steam power is widely used and anything can exist – airplanes to flying ships, computers to time machines – as long as they’re mechanically made with gears and cogs. Throughout the day, Steampunk fans will bring the genre to life through costuming and displays/activities that are reminiscent of turn-of-the century Barnum & Bailey carnivals.
“Visitors may join in the fun and wear their own Steampunk attire, but it’s not a requirement,” said Cowtown Director David Flask. “The day is all about families having fun and immersing themselves in an alternate history that couldn’t come alive at a better location than Cowtown.”
Performances by Carnival Epsilon will take place at 2 p.m. at the Depot. The group’s show combines suspense and daring with bits of magic and mirth to create their horrifyingly hilarious and nationally traveled steampunk sideshow. Other Steampunk Day entertainment/activities include:
· Performance by the local band NIMBODOG;
· Beard and Mustache Competition;
· Airship Pentathalon (with Airships Vindus, Airship Nox and Airship Defiance);
· Dance by the group Ooyah Tanzen;
· Dr. Dillinger’s Dime Museum;
· Live cannon demonstrations;
· Vendors with Steampunk jewelry, clothing, essential oils and accessories;
· Costume prizes;
· Steampunk literature and science experiments; and
· Steampunk crafts for kids.
For the complete Steampunk Day schedule and more information about the event, call (316) 350-3323 or go to OldCowtown.org.
Historic Wichita Cowtown Inc. works with the City of Wichita to further the Museum and its mission. Established in 1952, Cowtown’s unique programming chronicles Wichita’s transformation from a frontier settlement to a cattle town to an agricultural and manufacturing area. The Museum has the distinction of being accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition achievable by a museum. Accreditation recognizes high standards in individual museums and ensures they continue to uphold public trust. Only 3 percent of the nation’s estimated 34,144 museums are accredited.