Steampunkers take Galveston back to the retro-future It has become Galveston’s ultimate cosplay gathering. Hundreds turned out for the 3rd Galveston Steampunk Festival on Saturday (4/12/2025) at Moody Gardens. For the uninitiated, Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retro-futuristic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Mix the works of H.G. Wells’ “Time Machine” with Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the TV series “Wild, Wild West,” and you capture the spirit of Steampunk. Festival founder Johnny Steverson said Galveston is the perfect backdrop for such a festival because of the island’s Victorian architecture, history, and the industrial transformation along the waterfront and medical branch in the 1900s that are still a part of modern life on the island. People came to the festival in custom-made costumes, with creativity only limited by their imaginations. The atmosphere made the costume contest a fan favorite, showcasing attendees' creativity. It was the young festival's first year at Moody Gardens, which recently opened a "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" interactive experience at its Discovery Pyramid. This made for a themed tie-in to the festival. The festival wraps up Sunday (4/13/20265) at the League Kempner Mansion, 1702 Broadway, with a picnic, airship racing, tea and parasol dueling, Victorian lawn and parlor games, and a Steampunk fortune teller.

Posted by i45NOW at 2025-04-13 15:27:16 UTC