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Program

Animal Tricksters: Myriad Tales of the White Rabbit’s Kin (13+)

Presented by M. Leigh Hood

Meet furred menaces to society and feathered guides to other worlds as we burrow into folklore and legend that may have inspired Lewis Carrol’s chronophobic bunny. It’s story time for the charmingly deviant and wildly disturbing.


M. Leigh Hood is a rare beast of the Cincinnati wilds, most often found walking her monstrous hound, Shuck, or working hard to exacerbate her carpal tunnel syndrome at the computer. Her work appears in Fairy Tales Punk’d Volume II, Cincinnati Magazine, and the in-development MonThology project.


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Chicago Steampunk Exposition

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Exhibitors

Dana Fraedrich, Steampunk Fantasy Author

At Dana’s booth, you’ll find her steampunk book series, of course, but also handmade scented candles based on her characters, handmade polyhedral dice, crocheted goods, handmade stickers, jewelry, handmade cosplay accessories, and 3D printed items.


Dana Fraedrich is a dog lover, self-professed geek, and author of the steampunk fantasy series Broken Gears, which includes the Amazon bestseller, Out of the Shadows. Dana’s books are full of secrets and colorful characters that examine the many shades of grey that paint the world. In addition, Dana creates in a myriad of other mediums. At Dana’s booth, you’ll find her steampunk book series, of course, but also handmade scented candles based on her characters, handmade polyhedral dice, crocheted goods, jewelry, and more.

Click on the banners to learn more about Dana Fraedrich . . . 


The Exposition has four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Program

Otherworlds Before Wonderland (13+)

Presented by M. Leigh Hood

Venture through the mists and under the sea to discover a host of strange and wonderful places a step removed from our own. We’ll discover various lands ruled by the Good Folk, elemental fairies, and very damp kings in sunken realms.


M. Leigh Hood is a rare beast of the Cincinnati wilds, most often found walking her monstrous hound, Shuck, or working hard to exacerbate her carpal tunnel syndrome at the computer. Her work appears in Fairy Tales Punk’d Volume II, Cincinnati Magazine, and the in-development MonThology project.


See the Current Program


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exhibitors

Raven Designs

Raven Designs with their plush bots, handmade journals, creative keepsakes, and unique one of a kind art and gifts return again this June to the Exposition’s Underground Market.

Raven Design’s art is unique, full of whimsy, and fun fantasy themes. They provide one of a kind gifts that are wonderful to take home or to give as a gift.


I love my work and so enjoy being with our friends at the Chicago Steampunk Expo!

Click on the banner to learn more about them . . .

 


The Exposition has four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exposition Updates

29 Weeks until the Exposition!

We are now 29 weeks away from passing through the looking glass into the 1893 Chicago Exposition turned topsy-turvy into a realm of absurdity, whimsy, and wonder! In another month we will be exactly half a year away so it is time to begin our weekly updates as we countdown to welcoming special guests Gail Carriger, UnWoman, Leanna Renee Hieber, and a number of other people who make Steampunk truly wonderful.


Exposition Exhibitors

This week we highlighted the following exhibitors whom you will find in the Exposition halls.

We have four main exhibitor spaces:


The Exposition at Other Conventions

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the first episode of Doctor Who and the Exposition is excited to be part of next weekend’s Chicago TARDIS convention. We shall be giving a presentation titled “The Victorian Doctor” (Sunday 12PM) which surveys the Doctor’s adventures in Victorian Britain and the Steampunk motifs that permeate the show.

Additionally, we shall be running games in their Gaming Room, a Victorian London adventure called “A Study in Flax” in which the newly established Torchwood Institute investigates reports of alien technology and murder! The game will use the Cthulhu by Gaslight system, no experience is necessary, and all materials are supplied. “A Study in Flax” runs for approximately three hours, the Saturday session starts at 10AM, and the Sunday session starts at 2PM.




The Program

Over the next nine months the Exposition is putting together the 2026 Program for amusement and education. We are currently accepted session proposals. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

We will list session descriptions as we countdown to June 12th, 2026, and should have the full and final schedule online by mid-April, 2026.


Exhibitor Updates

For 2026 we have FOUR exhibitor spaces.

  • The Underground Market remains downstairs in Sienna
  • The Midway Market (formerly known as Artists’ Alley and Printers’ Row) is in Slate.
  • Hallway Exhibitors in the Atrium Lobby, the North hallway, the South hallway, and the Central hallway.
  • The Hall of Curiosities in Mahogany 4.

The Exhibitor Application Form is available now!




Social Media


On the Horizon . . .

  • Our NEW newsletter!
  • Exhibitor updates!
  • Programming updates!

Categories
Exhibitors

DragonCrest Studios

Home of fantasy and sci-fi art ranging from the inanely cute to the slightly deranged. Friend of geeky connoisseurs worldwide!


A whole range of steampunk/sci-fi/fantasy art, ranging from the inanely cute to the slightly deranged. Specific products (all made or designed by the artist) include one-of-a-kind clay dioramas, sculpted mushroom folk, over 120 print designs, and a range of art and children’s books. Guaranteed to have something to catch anyone’s eye!


– Stickers of dapper animals and various characters
– Original bookmarks
– Clear acrylic and wooden pins
– Over 100 sci-fi, fantasy, and fan art print designs in 8×10, 11×14, and/or 17×22-inches
– Self-published art and children’s books, including The Alphabet of Gentlemen Animals
– Cutting boards engraved with illustrated cryptid butchery cut diagrams
– Over 250 original drawings and paintings of various sizes
– Stationary sets and greeting cards
– Steampunk potion bottles and sketchbooks
– Awesomeness

Click on the banner below to learn more about DragonCrest Studios . . . 


The Exposition has four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exhibitors

M Squared Creations

From keychains to clocks, magnets to hats, let M Squared Creations be your purveyors of practical trinkets!


M Squared Creations offer handcrafted leather products ranging from keyfobs and lighter covers to custom-order top hats. Other products include bags, wallets, passport covers, laser-engraved clocks, cross-stitched magnets and custom portraits, hand embroidered coasters and more. They also welcome custom orders!


Click on the banner below to learn more about M Squared Creations . . . 


The Exposition has four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exhibitors

WhmZcoat

WhmZcoat designs coats, capes, tailcoats, and cloaks, which cross fantasy into the everyday world, making the mundane magical. Styles are inspired by Harry Potter, Star Trek, Star Wars, Cosplay, Anime, Steampunk, Comic Book Characters or whatever sparks the imagination.


WhmZcoat is about the creation of that whimsical coat that can cross Steampunk and Victorian into the everyday world, making the mundane magical.

The whimsy starts with you. It all depends upon the fabric and theme you choose. All coats are one of a kind, and made and sewn by the owner. In order to be more versatile, designs are sleeveless so that one can wear them in nightclubs, with other clothing, or in warmer climates. Size is not a problem because WhmZcoat does custom work and can take measurements and make that coat you have always seen yourself wearing! Custom work is available to fit all sizes.

Designs are meant to “give” as far as the ribbons in the back so there are always a few inches to spare should one’s size change a bit. Attention to small detail is essential, as is the lining of a WhmZcoat, because the inside of a coat should be as nice as the outside. Size is not a problem because WhmZcoat does custom work and can take measurements and make that coat you have always seen yourself wearing! Empower imagination.

Click on the banners to learn more about WhmZcoat . . . 


We have four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exhibitors

Cloud Orchid Publishing

Cloud Orchid Publishing returns to the Exposition this coming June.


Cloud Orchid Publishing specializes in a variety of indie publication genres of books including novels, poetry collections, and art books.

Cloud Orchid Publishing is featuring authors Alice Liddell (aka Lauren A. R. Masterson) and Neal F. Litherland. Their high quality paper books are also available in ebook form and soon to be audio book format. Neal F. Litherland also writes TTRPGs and features these alongside his novels. Alice is also an artist and illustrates her own books.

Click on the banner to learn more about Cloud Orchid Publishing . . . 


The Exposition has four main exhibitor spaces:


Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets


Chicago Steampunk Exposition

Categories
Exposition Updates

Seven Months until the Exposition!

We are now 30 weeks away from passing through the looking glass into the 1893 Chicago Exposition turned topsy-turvy into a realm of absurdity, whimsy, and wonder! In another month we will be exactly half a year away so it is time to begin our weekly updates as we countdown to welcoming special guests Gail Carriger, UnWoman, Leanna Renee Hieber, and a number of other people who make Steampunk truly wonderful.


The Exposition at Other Conventions

Last weekend, the Exposition Crew had a great time chasing the White Rabbit through Teslacon’s Nordic folklore and crossing the Bifröst to Wonderland (picture above)!

We also had a VERY successful first year of sponsoring and running the new Teslacon Gaming Room which offered 45 hours of tabletop gaming (picture below). The Vaesen RPG was the main game on offer, to fit with the weekend’s theme and inspiration, and the vast majority of sessions had a full table of players.

We are happy to announce that the Exposition shall run the Teslacon Gaming Room again in November 2026 and is already planning a wider selection of games that will include Cthulhu by Gaslight and Dungeons & Dragons 5E compatible Oz themed scenarios.

Later this month, the Exposition will be at Chicago TARDIS presenting a panel of Doctor Who’s adventures in Victorian Britain and the Steampunk motifs that permeate the longest running Sci-Fi TV show. Additionally, we shall be running games in their Gaming Room, a Victorian London adventure in which the newly established Torchwood Institute investigates reports of alien technology and murder!



The Program

Over the next nine months the Exposition is putting together the 2026 Program for amusement and education. We are currently accepted session proposals. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

We will list session descriptions as we countdown to June 12th, 2026, and should have the full and final schedule online by mid-April, 2026.


Exhibitor Updates

For 2026 we have FOUR exhibitor spaces.

  • The Underground Market remains downstairs in Sienna
  • The Midway Market (formerly known as Artists’ Alley and Printers’ Row) is in Slate.
  • Hallway Exhibitors in the Atrium Lobby, the North hallway, the South hallway, and the Central hallway.
  • The Hall of Curiosities in Mahogany 4.

The Exhibitor Application Form is available now!




Social Media


On the Horizon . . .

  • Our NEW newsletter!
  • Exhibitor updates!
  • Programming updates!