STEAMPUNK Festival Hits Waltham, Mass With[out] NEIL GAIMAN And WILLIAM GIBSON. I’m There.

[Note: William Gibson and Neil Gaiman will not be attending.   See comments for more info.]

I enjoy steampunk whenever I pass by it in my cultural travels. Not enough to dress in its elegant swag, nor to delve deeply into the literature. Enough to appreciate it. Even at this novice level however, I’m beyond bonerized for the steampunk festival coming to my home state.

Boing Boing:

Jackie sez, “On May 12th & 13th, 2012, the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation presents the third annual Watch City Festival! This is a city-wide community event that celebrates the imagination, history and ingenuity behind steampunk. Ride the Steampunk Tourbus; vote for Mayor of Steampunk and preserve robot rights!; Meet celebrity steampunk guests, Neil Gaiman and William Gibson; learn to ride the high-wheeler or join the dirigible race; take a hot air balloon ride or try your hand at blacksmithing.”

Guests will be transported into a world where dirigibles and hot air balloons race the skies, an old-fashioned midway entertains the crowds, and there are unique performers, musicians, and characters at every corner all telling the story of their world. International published authors and entertainers known nationwide will fill our bookstores and auditoriums. The town common will be transformed into a bazaar filled with vendors offering fine leatherwork, costumes and wearables, gadgets and jewelery along with buskers and demonstrations that tip their hat to a realm forgotten. There is even a race for Mayor to put the best man or woman into the seat to make decisions on the future of Watch City!

The event is family-friendly but will also offer some adult entertainment in the form of “Steampunk after dark” events which will entice guests with musical acts, burlesque dancers and carnival side-show performances.

The Watch City Festival is not just another convention. It is an event that literally brings a community together. From the Museum to small businesses to schools, and even the Mayor’s office, there is no event that celebrates culture and the arts with fun, food and fantasy like this one.

Sounds fantastic to me. I’ll be going there for the atmosphere, stay for the William Gibson action, and secretly intend on watching myself some burlesque.