In just a fortnight, the Chicago Steampunk Exposition will reopen its inter-dimensional time portals to an alternative 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition! One filled with awe, wonder, science, and magic!
This week’s big updates were the release of the FREE Steam & Sorcery Players’ Guide (see below), more extensive information added to our ADA Hotel Accessibility page, and the tea tasting was a huge success.
IMPORTANT UPDATE – We have managed to get the host hotel to extend the discount room block availability up until the actual weekend of the show, however, to get this rate you will need to call the hotel directly at (847) 605-1234 and ask for “In House Booking” to request being part of the Steampunk Block.
So Many Delightful Tea Parties!
PLEASE NOTE the last day to purchase Tea Tickets is April 7th, 2023.
On Saturday, March 15th, the 2PM sitting is with various guest of honor, but at 4PM there will also be a Lolitas, Fairies, & Steampunks Tea Party (pictured below). One does NOT have to be in Lolita or Fairy attire to attend, and regular tables are also available.
This week we had a sample tasting of the delightful foods that will be served with tea and they were fantastic! The scones were delicious and spot with the British style, and the clotted cream was heavenly! The final plates will include more food (this was just a sampler) and the scones will be larger.
Tea partiers will be served a choice of teas: English Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey, Assam, or Darjeeling. Food served to accompany the tea consists of: British scone with jam and clotted cream, 2 cucumber sandwiches, 2 egg salad sandwiches, 2 mini eclairs, 2 lemon tartlets, cup of fruit, and 2 Chessmen cookies (for Tea Dueling).
Tickets are still available for both Saturday and Sunday to share tea and finger foods with our fantastic Guests of Honor:
- Gail Carriger (Saturday and Sunday sold out)
- Leanna Renee Hieber
- SJ Tucker
- Frenchy & the Punk (Saturday sold out)
- Tobias McCurry
The Guests of Honor Tea Parties start at 2PM in the Cyan Tea Parlor. Pre-sales are electronic, but a physical ticket to the Tea Party will be given during check-in with the Exposition Registration Desk. Tickets are required when arriving at the Tea Parlor.
Click Here to Buy
Tea Tickets
Immerse Yourself in the Adventure!
This April, the Exposition invites you to immerse yourself into the weekend’s story arc as we solve the fae mysteries at the 1893 World’s Fair with our Live Action Role Play game Steam & Sorcery.
Despite various delays, the FREE downloadable printer friendly Steam & Sorcery Players’ Guide is now available HERE.
Assemble your team of Smog Runners, get a mission from your Fixer, and run weekend long espionage and investigations into the four Robber Baronies that rule over Chicago in this 1893 timeline. You’ll need a QR code reader on your smartphone, a deck of playing cards, and your wits.
Program Updates
The big program update this week was . . . yup, Steam & Sorcery!
The full Schedule has been published and soon we shall also have a printer friendly PDF version available for those who prefer paper.
Victorian Fae at the 1893 World’s Fair
Each year the Chicago Steampunk Exposition hosts a Special Exhibit that sets the underlying “theme” for that year’s convention; for 2023 our special exhibit will be “Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Fantastic Discovery of the Fae World” setting the theme of Victorian Fae at the 1893 World’s Fair.
The Exposition will celebrate the many cultures, achievements, and art of Faekind, and be joined by ambassadors and representatives of these magical realms as we welcome them to Chicago. In many ways this will be like Carnival Row (pictured above), but unlike the Republic of the Burgue, Chicago embraces diversity and multicultural exchanges.
PLEASE NOTE that ALL costuming is welcome, not just Fae, and you don’t even have to come in costume; 21st Century “Time Tumblers” are welcome to 1893 as well 🙂
Join the Exposition Crew!
The Exposition is dedicated to providing Steampunk Fans a fun and safe weekend of entertainment, and to do so we need a dedicated Crew of fine volunteers.
If you would like to be part of the Exposition Crew, please fill out our Volunteer Application Form HERE and we will send you an invite to the next Crew Meeting.
The Venue
IMPORTANT UPDATE – We have managed to get the host hotel to extend the discount room block availability up until the actual weekend of the show, however, to get this rate you will need to call the hotel directly at (847) 605-1234 and ask for “In House Booking” to request being part of the Steampunk Block.
Great room prices, free parking, a number of nearby restaurants, and easy to find, the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg is our new home for the Chicago Steampunk Exposition!
The discount room rates for the Chicago Steampunk Exposition are:
- King/Double – $119/night (plus fees & tax)
- Junior Suite – $139/night (plus fees & tax)
- Executive Suite – $169/night (plus fees & tax)
- 1 bedroom VIP Suite – $199/night (plus fees & tax)
- 2 bedroom VIP Suite – $319/night (plus fees & tax)
This upscale hotel is a short drive from O’Hare International Airport with many facilities both in the hotel and surrounding it, plus FREE PARKING.
Please let us know if you are having trouble booking a room by emailing CarabasEvents@gmail.com
Visit our Venue Page to learn more about the layout of the show floors and what to expect from the Exposition new home.
Room prices and booking information are all listed on the Book Rooms page.
Social Media
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- LIKE the Chicago Steampunk Expo page on Facebook for regular updates!
- RSVP to our Facebook event page!
- JOIN the Chicago Steampunk Exposition Adventurers’ Club group of Facebook to make plans with other steampunks!
- Yes, it’s all Facebook, but when we start posting on other platforms, we’ll be sure to add them to this list.
On the Horizon . . .
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- Oh, dang! Just two weeks left to go!
- Buffalo Bill’s Weird West Show
- The Goblin King’s Masquerade
- . . . and . . . even more steamtastic information!
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