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Greene County Museum plans Steampunk Garden Party

By Frances Borsodi Zajac fzajac@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read
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Partygoers explore the world of steampunk through vendors at Greene County Museum’s 2017 Steampunk Garden Party. The Waynesburg museum is offering its third annual party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9. Alexandra Johnson, party coordinator, said of steampunk, “If people ask, we tell them it’s what Victorian Era people would think the future looks like.’’ (Submitted photo)

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Lavinia, part of Miracle Elixir Sideshow, eats fire during a performance at the 2017 Steampunk Garden Party at the Greene County Museum. Miracle Elixir Sideshow is set to return when the Waynesburg museum offers its third annual party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9 with entertainment, vendors, refreshments and tours of the museum. (Submitted photo)

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Submitted photo

People enjoy dressing up at the Greene County Museum’s annual Steampunk Garden Party, which includes a costume contest. Costumes, however, are not required. The Waynesburg museum is offering its third annual party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9 with entertainment, vendors, refreshments and tours of the museum.

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Music is part of the Steampunk Garden Party at the Greene County Museum as shown in this photo from the 2017 event. This year’s entertainment lineup includes Curse of Cassandra, which plays music describes as a darker, dance-club style. (Submitted photo)

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Ken and Caitlin Carlisle of western Greene County enjoy a picnic on the grounds of the Greene County Museum at the 2017 Steampunk Garden Party. While refreshments are provided, partygoers are permitted to bring their own picnic food. The Waynesburg museum is offering its third annual party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9 with entertainment, vendors, refreshments and tours of the museum. (Submitted photo)

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Lavinia and Professor Styles are performing as part of Miracle Elixir Sideshow at the 2016 Steampunk Garden Party at the Greene County Museum in Waynesburg. The show returns this year with a fire eater, escape act and comedy mind-reading performance. (Submitted photo)

The museum’s third annual party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9 with entertainment, vendors, refreshments and tours of the museum.

Mix Victorian Era fashion with some steam-powered gadgets and you have steampunk. Mix steampunk with the Greene County Museum and you have a party!

The Waynesburg museum, located at 918 Rolling Meadows Road, is hosting its third annual Steampunk Garden Party from 5 to 10 p.m. June 9 with entertainment, vendors and refreshments.

It’s an event for those who enjoy steampunk as well as those who want to learn about this pop culture phenomenon.

“There are so many interpretations of steampunk. If people ask, we tell them it’s what Victorian Era people would think the future looks like,” said Alexandra Johnson, who’s coordinating the event. “It’s inspired by Jules Verne novels like ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.’ It’s mixing Victorian Era fashion with steam-powered gadgets. ‘Punk’ adds a modern twist to the name.”

Staff at the museum, which is operated by the Greene County Historical Society, had never been to a party before deciding to host their own but learned about steampunk from friends.

“We have this giant Victorian Era building and artifacts. Our grounds are 17 acres. It’s a perfect venue for a garden party,” said Johnson. “We used to have a garden party but we wanted to change it.”

Staff prepared for the first event by traveling to Parkersburg, West Virginia, for a steampunk-science fiction convention called Vandalia-Con. Traveling is not unusual for steampunk fans. Johnson noted the Steampunk Garden Party at the Greene County Museum has had a great response, attracting people from many Pennsylvania counties as well as other states.

People attending the Greene County party are invited to tour the museum, which is composed of 52 rooms at the former Greene Hills Poor Farm. The museum has a collection that includes Native American, Victorian Era, 20th century and some contemporary artifacts.

Admission to the party includes refreshments, such as tea sandwiches, fruit plate, cheese and cupcakes. Partygoers may also bring their own picnic baskets.

There are a variety of vendors, including those who sell steampunk items, such as leather goods and jewelry, as well as an artist who creates charcoal drawings that are both steampunk and nature themed.

For fun, you can play period carnival games. There are art and costume contests as well as a scavenger hunt.

Entertainment features two bands, including Curse of Cassandra, which will play at night and incorporate lights into their show. Johnson said steampunk bands have different interpretations and that Curse of Cassandra plays a darker, dance club style of music.

The well-received Miracle Elixir Sideshow will return with a number of acts.

“They do a Victorian Era medicine show – it’s tongue in cheek because they’re not selling snake oil,” said Johnson. “There’s a woman who eats fire, a professor who does an escape act and someone who lies on a bed of nails. This year, they’re adding a mind-reading comedy act.”

“I think what people like the most is the creativity,” said Johnson. “You can be as creative as you want.”

Johnson said party-goers don’t have to dress in costume but can come to see what others are wearing.

“We had one gentleman who came not dressed in costume. He left after a half hour and came back with a costume he put together,” Johnson said. “You can come this year and get inspired and then come next year with a costume.”

All this steampunk combines history with popular culture to make for a festive night.

“It’s one of the most fun events we put on,” said Johnson. “People discover new things. There’s food, vendors, entertainment – so much going on!”

Admission to the Steampunk Garden Party is $20 and $10 after 8:30 p.m. Contest entry is $5. More information is available by calling 724-627-3204 or visiting the Greene County Museum website at www.greenecountyhistory.org where partygoers can also buy tickets by clicking on Events on the home page. Tickets can also be purchased by searching on the Eventbrite website and on the museum’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/gchsofpa.

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