The First Pine Hill Steampunk Festival will take place in Pine Hill, New York, on October 26, 27, and 28.
Pine Hill is a historic “Victorian Resort Community” nestled at the foot of Belleayre Mountain at the extreme west end of Ulster County. The town website is http://www.pinehill-in-the-catskills.com/
The promoters of the Pine Hill Steam Punk Festival are Chelsea Goodwin and Rusty Mae Moore of Pine Hill Books. The idea has been discussed with many people over the past two years. There have been two reactions: half the people say “hey, Steampunk, I love it, great idea!” and the other half ask “what is Steampunk?”.
We usually explain Steampunk by saying that it is an art movement with roots in Victorian science fiction (Jules Verne, H.G. Wells), which projects from this base into visions of the future. In fact, one word often used for explaining Steampunk is “retrofuturism.”
A 1990 novel which is one of the bases of Steampunk is “The Difference Engine,” a novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling which is a tale of a society in which computers utilizing steam power help create visions of the future.
An aspect of Steampunk culture is an esthetic based on Victorian and Edwardian style (let’s say up to the 1920’s) which extends to music, dress, jewelry, home furnishings, and even architecture. For example, there is a fantastic new house going up on Wittenburg Road near Woodstock that has a strong Steampunk character.
Two of the most popular steampunk bands are “Abney Park” and “Frenchy and the Punk”. Chelsea plays the music of both frequently on her www.WIOXradio.org , or 91.3 FM show “In Goth We Trust” (Wednesdays and alternate Thursdays from 10:00pm to 12:00am). Frenchy and the Punk will be interviewed on the show next Wednesday, and the festival will be discussed.
There are many Steampunk events taking place around the US these days. (http://steampunkworldsfair.com/). The Pine Hill Festival will be different in that it will take place in a historic Victorian resort community rather than in a large, modern hotel. The events of the festival will be held in several venues throughout the hamlet, with the participants walking the streets between them, enjoying the mountains in late October.
Events will be held at the Pine Hill Community Center, the Pine Hill Arms, the Morton Memorial Library, the Pine Hill Fire Station, and the Pine Hill Bookstore, among others.
Some of the planned events include a Steampunk fashion show, a Victorian High Tea, a séance, a Belly Dance Exhibition and Workshop by Sybil Wilen of Maine. (http://sybilwilen.com) and (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psw1j5QECns), and a formal Steampunk Dinner Dance. The list of musical performers includes Jonah Knight (http://www.jonahofthesea.com), Mike Lunapiena the Wandering Cellist (http://www.cellomike.com), and guitarist and mandolin virtuoso Damon Francisco III.
Arrangements have been made to reserve a 1949 streamlined train on the Delaware and Ulster Railroad to be called the “Quicksilver Special”, on which a unique luncheon will be served for festival participants in the dining and club cars as the train rolls from Arkville to Roxbury and back through the October afternoon (http://www.durr.org).
Do-it-yourself creativity is a characteristic of the Steampunk genre. In keeping with this, the Pine Hill Steampunk Festival will be an ongoing creative process open to participation by those who are interested. A Facebook page has been created at http://www.facebook.com/groups/323516351075684/permalink/325644374196215/?notif_t=like.
One idea which has come in to have a pop-up office of the Catskill Mountain Telegraph Company set up at the festival. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwestern-Pennsylvania-Railroad-Telegraph-Company/186674568041648?sk=photos).
The telegraph company uses genuine 19th Century telegraph equipment coupled with 21st Century computer technology for communication.
Further aspects of the First Pine Hill Steampunk Festival will be discussed on this Pine Hill Books space on the http://www.WatershedPost.comin coming weeks. Anyone interested in participating in the festival as a performer, stage crew, vendor, or presenter of a workshop should contact Chelsea Goodwin or Rusty Mae Moore at Pine Hill Books, 845-254-3344, or pinehillbookbunny@gmail.com.
Lodging will be available to out of town festival participants at the three Pine Hill lodging establishments: The Pine Hill Arms (http://www.pinehillarms.com), The Colonial Inn (http://www.colonialinn.com), and the Belleayre Lodge (http://www.belleayrelodge.com). Many other alternatives are also available at Bed and Breakfast Inns with a few miles of Pine Hill.
