Category: Program

Presented by For the Love of Steampunk ~ Lori Schambureck & Belinda Evans

• $20 Session Materials Fee (payable to presenters)
• 20 Attendee Limit (sign ups outside craft room)
• 90 minutes

Enter the wonderland of creativity that is provided to all attendees for this Mad Hatter makers session. A wide variety of hats and materials will be available to decorate to the style of your choice. Both presenters have a passion for creating and will assist with your creative process. First come, first pick for the hat selections. A discounted fee will be offered if you provide your own hat and want to have access to the materials to decorate it.

$20 materials fee will be collected at the session by the presenters.

For the Love of Steampunk is a Facebook Page created by Lori Schambureck that provides her own creative ideas, inspiration for projects, completed costumes, and information from world wide events. Lori has a fine art degree and finds steampunk as the perfect aesthetic for her unique style that incorporates up-cycling items. For the Love of Steampunk was created to inspire others to try new ideas and embrace the creative process. Lori is enthusiastic about the fact that Steampunk has no rules or limits to how creative you can be so everyone can have fun.

Belinda Evans is a dedicated art teacher, with a Bachelor’s degree in art, deeply committed to inspiring creativity in her students. Her artistic journey is fueled by a love of Steampunk, seamlessly blending historical aesthetics with industrial innovation. She finds immense joy in creating Steampunk art and costumes, skillfully incorporating seeing techniques and a talent for transformating found objects into captivating works of wearable art. This passion extends to sharing the Steampunk aesthetic with others. In the upcoming maker session, Belinda will guide participants in crafting Fascinators-a type of small Victorian hat. Utilizing various steampunk themed odds and ends, such as clock parts, gears, and even teacups. These workshops showcase her dedication to fostering imagination, craftsmanship, and a love for the creative process within both her student and the wider community.

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• Games Master: Hoss Brock
• Gaming System: Dungeons & Dragons 5e
• Players: 4 – 6 
• Gaming Time: 3 hours
• Sign Up at the main Registration Desk in the Atrium Lobby

The Hatter has lost his head . . . quite literally!

While attending a magic show at a splendid Faire, our unsuspecting heroes are thrust into a dark, gritty alternate reality.

In order to escape, they must navigate the perils of this grim underground realm and recover the hatmaker’s stolen magic.

Game Master Hoss Brock began GM-ing online during the pandemic, and when in-person gameplay resumed he brought his love of building and crafting to the table. He seeks to provide players an immersive experience through character voicing, visual supplements, and handcrafted props and terrain. While especially passionate about introducing new players to TTRPG’s, seasoned gamers also enjoy his detailed style.

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• Games Master: Hoss Brock
• Gaming System: Dungeons & Dragons 5e
• Players: 4 – 6 
• Gaming Time: 3 hours
• Sign Up at the main Registration Desk in the Atrium Lobby

Denizens of the Underdark have suddenly and inexplicably begun to change size; waking a giant one day and scarcely a dormouse the next! Curiouser and curiouser . . . not to mention quite inconvenient!

Your team of brave adventurers must find out who or what is causing this chaos.

Game Master Hoss Brock began GM-ing online during the pandemic, and when in-person gameplay resumed he brought his love of building and crafting to the table. He seeks to provide players an immersive experience through character voicing, visual supplements, and handcrafted props and terrain. While especially passionate about introducing new players to TTRPG’s, seasoned gamers also enjoy his detailed style.

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Presented Calamity Dawn

Join Calamity for a short but informative look at where the most popular base spirits came from. Learn about what different kinds of cocktails have stood the test of time. Calamity Dawn will share her favorite recipes so that you can take them home and try them for yourself. The session will end with a Q&A where you can ask Calamity your most burning questions about all things boozy!

Calamity Dawn is a semi-retired bartender and forever mixologist. She has well over a decade of experience creating and serving tasty libations both Boozy and non alcoholic. Calamity also has decades of experience enjoying said libations! She has been in the con scene for a very long time and has become a bit of a known figure in some circles. Bringing a bit of hospitality and her congenial nature wherever she goes, Calamity is always happy to stop and talk.

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Presented Calamity Dawn

Malört! It’s a Chicago tradition. What exactly is it? Where did it come from? How did it gain its cult like following? Why do people love it, hate it? Why does Calamity Dawn love it? The story behind this controversial spirit is fascinating. Crime, love, greed! Learn a little about one man’s quest to make Malört a spirit for the ages!

Calamity Dawn is a semi-retired bartender and forever mixologist. She has well over a decade of experience creating and serving tasty libations both Boozy and non alcoholic. Calamity also has decades of experience enjoying said libations! She has been in the con scene for a very long time and has become a bit of a known figure in some circles. Bringing a bit of hospitality and her congenial nature wherever she goes, Calamity is always happy to stop and talk.

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Join the Gregula gang for a spooktacular evening of fun as we bring the madness to Chicago Steampunk Expo! Count, Countess and their Fiends will be showing the 1915 silent film Alice in Wonderland and YOU the audience get to participate! Feel free to shout out jokes and make up your own dialogue as we watch this vintage gem together.

Count Gregula’s Crypt (#TeamGregula) is a major entertainment entity, press outlet, and horror brand. Founder Count Bela Gregula started the franchise in 1998, and it has been running strong for over 25 years and COUNTing. Insert evil laughter here. Bwahaha!!!

The brand became a TV horror host show also called “Count Gregula’s Crypt” that was seen on various cable channels and online outlets from 2005 to 2011. From 2014 to 2015, Count Sam Gregula was a recurring guest with Chicago radio personality Erich “Mancow” Muller. First appearing in 2014 during the “MANCOW!” show on My50 Chicago and then in 2015 during the “Mancow Morning Show” on The Loop 97.9 FM – Chicago’s Classic Rock Station. Most importantly, Count Gregula’s Crypt was well known during a 10 year span from 2012 to 2022 as an entertainment blog on ChicagoNow that was part of the Chicago Tribune Media Group.

Their current entertainment blog is linked to Count Gregula’s main site (www.Count-Gregula.com). Official Crypt Crew for 2025 includes Count Sam Gregula, Countess Lily Gregula, Deadly Dex, and Robert Dicke. New material added on a regular basis.

For more info about Count Gregula’s Crypt, visit their website at: https://count-gregula.com/count-gregulas-crypt/

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Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

• Games Master: Hoss Brock
• Gaming System: Dungeons & Dragons 5e
• Players: 4 – 6 
• Gaming Time: 3 hours
• Sign Up at the main Registration Desk in the Atrium Lobby

A heartless queen. A headless haberdasher. Baffling riddles and mysterious beverages.

Experience Lewis Carroll’s iconic encounters turned on their heads in this harrowing expedition through the Underdark.

Game Master Hoss Brock began GM-ing online during the pandemic, and when in-person gameplay resumed he brought his love of building and crafting to the table. He seeks to provide players an immersive experience through character voicing, visual supplements, and handcrafted props and terrain. While especially passionate about introducing new players to TTRPG’s, seasoned gamers also enjoy his detailed style.

See the Current Program

Buy Your Discount Exposition Tickets

Presented by Chi-Town Tea Scout Troop #606 & Leader Mizz Christine

Gather with Steampunk Tea Scouts and duel your way to malarkey and shenanigans!

• Enjoy the classic and breath-taking Tea Dueling.
• Learn or Renew the Tea Scout Oath.
• Compete in a thrilling bout of MAD Tea Party Bingo!

Tea dueling is a Steampunk hobby that is played whenever three or more steampunks gather in what is known as a “Tiffin Party”. It works best when the tea duelists are surrounded by a throng of excited onlookers eager to cheer on the victor and point out any instances of cheating to the wise and patient referee, known as the Tiffin Master.

Mizz Christine – An Odd One, a Bubbly TeaPot, or a Sweetie-Pie: Mizz Christine has been called by many titles. All that is truly known is that she originated in the City of Big Shoulders, has roamed the globe, and is still seeking a never-ending Cup of Assam. Milk or cream, please.

Tiffin Guides: Mistress and Master Hansen The Duo.

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