Watch City Steampunk Festival

Waltham, MA

Centered on Waltham’s beautiful Common at the corner of Main and Moody Streets, the Watch City Steampunk Festival is the great outdoor festival of the Steampunk genre—a cultural and social movement melding elements of Victorian-era history and fashion with retro-futuristic technology.

Watch City 2015 will featuring a broad array of theatrical and musical performers as well as clothing, jewelry, art, and food vendors. The Festival is will also include kids programming, making this most definitely a family friendly event, as well.

Ask a Steampunk: Do I Have to Dress Up?

April 20, 2023  /  Melissa Honig

You do not need to dress up for the Watch City Steampunk Festival! Feel free to come as you are. We welcome time travelers from any century!

If you do want to dress in a Steampunk style without breaking your budget, here are some tips:

  • Look in your own closet first. You may have some ruffly skirts and blouses, vests and pants, or other good fundamental clothing items already. You’re looking for something that reminds you of that late 1800’s and turn-of-the-century style. An Old West vibe also works!

  • Check your local thrift stores for old-style clothes, accessories, and bits and pieces that you could craft into an accessory or prop.

  • Often it’s the accessories that push an outfit into Steampunk territory. A pair of goggles is always fashionable! You can find inexpensive pocket watches online. Maybe all you need is a good hat!

  • The costume stores and the online retailers have started carrying “steampunk” themed outfits. Go for it! All we suggest is that you do something to it - add a chain, a flower, a pin - to make it your own.

  • Of course on Festival day we will have plenty of vendors who can outfit you with whatever you need!

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