Crowd Gathers for County’s Second Steampunk, Oddities Event

By EMILY HILBERT
ONEONTA

Merriment, mischief and the macabre were all on display at the Otsego County Steampunk + Oddities Expo on Saturday, April 20. Presented by the Eastern Otsego Farmer’s Market, as well as Steamstress & Co., this is the second time the event was held and the first time in Oneonta, this year at Fortin Park. The poster for the event invited guests to “join us for a day of debauchery in Oneonta, NY. Vendors, artists, authors, demonstrations, curated playlists, food trucks, and more.”

The park had two large, interior spaces with open walls for vendors to set up on either side, and even more vendors and artists set up outside on the lawn. Thankfully the rain was polite enough to wait until the end of the event to make an appearance, but the wind was whipping the whole time, making it feel significantly colder than it was supposed to be.

That didn’t deter guests, however, and some used it to their advantage for photos in whatever fun outfits they came in. The real victims in this story were the vendors, both outside and inside, who were in fear of having their stalls blow away. Thankfully, most came prepared, and only a few items for sale blew a little to the left.

Hair extensions, body adornments, henna tattoos, and even real tattoos were available, as well as wares of all kinds for sale, but the most common items one could find walking around were jewelry, resin art and 3D printed objects.

One such vendor was Pipe Fox Shope, run by Jim Lucas and Gabby Saj. The pair had all kinds of 3D printed items, from dice towers, to fun moving animals, to musically functional ocarinas. Usually, 3D prints are hard and sturdy, but the two specialized in a special kind of filament that resulted in a squishy product. They used this filament for their potion jars, which also hold dice. Lucas says their goal “is to encourage the next generation of creators. If people see us and it inspires them to buy a 3D printer, I’ve done my job.”

Also excited to be at the event were Kate and James McKay from Andromeda’s Alchemy. Their specialty was sewn crafts and gifts, with everything from bags, to patches, to hair décor, and even stuffed animals, like the giant dinosaur chicken nugget. Everything is handmade by Kate in their home, so it truly is a one-woman show. The McKays said it was their first year at the expo, after being recruited by a friend who was a fellow vendor, and they hope to be able to come back next year. They thought the day went well and were happily surprised by the good turnout. James is also the director of the North County Comic Con (Nococon, or NCC), which is set to take place later this year in Watertown. Andromeda’s Alchemy will be in attendance there, as well.

After exploring what the vendors had to offer, visitors were able to walk around the grounds to hear some of the live music, as well as see how the dueling was going in the small arena set up toward the end of the green.

As the day drew to an end and the weather began to turn, vendors and attendees alike began to pack their things and head home, eagerly looking forward to what next year will bring.