NYC’s Steampunk Event is The Anachronism…somewhat by default. The Anachronism became the first major Manhattan steampunk event (as far as we could tell) because we were incredibly wise and prescient and knew that Steampunk was going to be huge someday…
…no? You don’t think we had a brilliant plan fifteen years ago?You think it’s more likely that we did it because it was weird and quirky and it gave US an excuse to be weird and quirky?
Yeah, you’re quite right.
A Really Brief History of New York City’s Steampunk Event Origins
The Anachronism hit Webster Hall in 2010 as part of NYC’s emerging steampunk events (although these photos are from 2011).
We were frankly shocked at how many Steampunks showed up. At that NYC steampunk event, we were shocked at how many Steampunks there WERE.
Everyone who was anyone in the imaginary 19th century was there. Mostly for the cocktails, of course.
The air hummed with the clink of absinthe glasses and the faint whir of handmade gadgets. Bands like The Men That Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing belted out rollicking tunes. White Elephant Burlesque dazzled with nerd and Steampunk inspired performance. Likewise, all manner of vendors lined the halls, offering brass goggles and leather-bound journals. (And Goth, Renaissance Faire, magickal, and all manner of other unique things – based on our other events at the time.)
Yesterday and Today
Steampunk in 2010 was still a fledgling subculture, born from 1980s sci-fi novels like K.W. Jeter’s “Infernal Devices” and “Morlock Knight” and nurtured by a love for Victorian literature and retro-futurism. In NYC, it was a whisper among Lower East Side artists and Brooklyn tinkerers, with meetups at cafés like The Slipper Room. The Anachronism changed that game. Launched by a collective of local Steampunk enthusiasts, it was the first event in Gotham to give the NYC steampunk scene a dedicated stage. It predated later festivals like the C.O.G.S. Expo (2013) in New Jersey or Troy’s Enchanted City (2014), although (of course) it came after the first Steampunk World’s Fair.
This event ran again through 2015, at a number of rather famous NYC clubs combining steampunk elements.
The Anachronism’s early years cemented its place in Steampunk lore. It tapped into the genre’s roots—think Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine—while embracing NYC’s DIY spirit. It showcased everything from gaslamp romance to alternate tech. Its influence rippled outward, helping shape the vibrant tri-state steampunk scene we see today, with its maker fairs and cosplay balls. After a hiatus post-2010, The Anachronism’s return is a chance to rekindle that magic with another iconic NYC steampunk event.
And, again, cocktails.