Steampunk Empire Symposium MMXIV: Full Schedule

1:00pm EDT

Curiosities Exhibit Registration (1PM to 6:30PM)

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

The Pandora Society

Friday April 25, 2014 1:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Boardroom 2

Exhibitors & Vending

3:30pm EDT

VIP Preview - Vendor Hall

Merchants

The mission of Festooned Butterfly is to help all people, dress in a style that both flatters and inspires the way they envision themselves. Specializing in unique corsetry and vintage clothing. We are proud to carrying ready-wear and custom steel boned corsets, made here in the... Read More →

Friday April 25, 2014 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Carpenter's Run (Vendor Hall)

Exhibitors & Vending

4:00pm EDT

Jedi vs Borg

Dive into detail about one of the most argued cross-over battles of any sci-fi franchise, as we plug real world science and physics into this theoretical clash of iconic titans.

Speakers

Troy Copes

Friday April 25, 2014 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

4:00pm EDT

The Gentleman’s Art of Backstabbing Kickoff

Join us for a rousing game of Diplomacy which shall be played over the course of the convention. Make new friends, and lose old ones in a strategy game played during the convention. It will require of you cunning, deceit, tactical thinking, and above all, diplomacy. This slight modification of the classic Avalon Hill game includes rules for airships, because what steampunk convention would be complete without them? For those familiar with the game, turn resolution will occur roughly every two hours, during daylight hours.

Speakers

Matthew Oztalay

Friday April 25, 2014 4:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Gaming & LARP

4:00pm EDT

Welcome to the Symposium Tea Stroll

All along the atrium area of the Symposium hotel, the atrium facing suites will offer attendees their own interpretation on a good old tea party.

Start your stroll at suite 104 for the Temperance Tea Room hosted by our dear Tea Wispfaerie (the instigator and organizer behind this fine special event), and then visit the Steamtopia ambassadors in suite 108. Next is suite 112, the Pandora Parlor, and next door to that have tea with the famous Lord Bobbins of TeslaCon in suite 118. Around the corner is suite 130 where you can get a cuppa with the Symposium’s “Secure-it-Tea,” and then join the Steampunk Chronicles & the Traveling Revelers for a spot of tea dueling in suite 134. Next in line is the Lolita Tea Room in suite 138, and finally, but certainly not least, decorate your tea cup in suite 142 with the Painted Lady Tea Parlour.

Speakers

The Pandora Society

Friday April 25, 2014 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Atrium (Exhibitors, Food, & More)

Special Event

4:00pm EDT

Vendor Hall (4PM to 7PM)

Merchants

Festooned Butterfly

Owner, Festooned Butterfly

Friday April 25, 2014 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Carpenter's Run (Vendor Hall)

Exhibitors & Vending

5:00pm EDT

Steampunk Animation of the East

Come with us on a journey to an exotic place, located in the seas of Japan, where will set sail on a quest bigger than anime eyes! Join us for an introduction to Steampunk and Steampunk-influenced anime, including a look into: Last Exile, Steamboy, and several Studio Ghibli films.

Speakers

Daemon Pleiades

Friday April 25, 2014 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

5:00pm EDT

The Roots of Steampunk

Wells or Verne? Or did someone come before? Are you Team Jeter or Team Gibson or Team Moorcock? A fun look at some of the literary roots of the genre as we know it today, and a discussion about where it might go in the future.

Speakers

Cindy Spencer Pape

Pape is the award winning author of the best-selling Gaslight Chronicles, and has released 16 novels and more than 30 shorter works. When not working on her next novel, or nose buried in a book, Pape is a regular at many Steampunk and Renaissance events. Her Gaslight Chronicles are... Read More →

Friday April 25, 2014 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

6:00pm EDT

Q&A with Voltaire

Performers

Voltaire

A songwriter whose music can best be described as a collection of murder ballads, tongue-in-cheek exercises in the macabre, with just enough bawdy songs about Star Trek and Star Wars to keep a convention audience rolling in the aisles. Many know him for his songs “Brains!” and... Read More →

Friday April 25, 2014 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

6:00pm EDT

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 1

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 1: This three part writer's gathering begins with "Hemingway's Happy Hour", Friday evening. Pros and aspiring writers mix in this casual atmosphere. Bring a libation or a sweet treat to tempt the pros to spend some time reading a few pages of your manuscript (yes - bring your WORDS for live critique).

Speakers

Emilie P. Bush

Editor-in-Chief, Coal City Stories

Emilie P. Bush wears many hats when it comes to writing. She is a Steampunk novelist, a journalist, children's book author, Editor-in-Chief for Steampunk Chronicle and a mentor to other writers as the leader of the Gwinnett County Writer's Guild. Her first novel, Chenda and the... Read More →

Friday April 25, 2014 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Workshop

7:00pm EDT

The Panel Every Con Needs

A discussion about bullying, fandoms, and the lack of common sense that happens at conventions. This will include personal experiences, stories from various conventions, and a chance for others to share their experiences.

Speakers

Piper Blackmore

Mr. LT

Friday April 25, 2014 7:00pm - 7:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

7:00pm EDT

Opening Ceremonies

Speakers

Aloysius Fox

Pandora Promotions

A good friend of mine said that the internet was a fabulous place to meet interesting people and fool them into thinking that you were interesting too.

Friday April 25, 2014 7:00pm - 7:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Special Event Symposium Games

8:00pm EDT

Space 1889 - An Introduction

An explanation of Space:1889 role playing game, including basic story and play mechanics. Actual game play will happen on Saturday.

Speakers

Steve A Pontious

costuming, attending conventions, my Grandkids.

Friday April 25, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Gaming & LARP Panel

8:00pm EDT

History and Technology of Airships

Dirigibles are a fixture of steampunk literature but what does it really take for them to fly and how did a century of technological development get them there? From the Montgolfier Brothers to Ferdinand von Zeppelin, from Ben Franklin’s airship commandos to luxury liners of the sky, from triumph to tragedy.

Speakers

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike

Friday April 25, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

8:00pm EDT

Bocce

Learn more HERE

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Making the world a better place. Introducing people to the finer things in life, and educating them in intelligent decadence, lavish etiquette, and the benefits of generous attention to the social graces.

Caelyn Nagle

Friday April 25, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

9:00pm EDT

A Colloquium of Tastes: The World of Rum

Join Calamity Dawn and Dorian to explore the world of rum! Samples of several types of rum will be available. You'll learn a little about the history and manufacture of rum. Grog will be served, Calamity Labs style! This event is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Donors of 15$ or more will receive a free Calamity Labs shooter glass, while supplies last! (Supplies are limited so come early!)

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

Friday April 25, 2014 9:00pm - 9:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

9:00pm EDT

Dancing with the Green Fairy

Curious about the mysterious & intoxicating world of Absinthe? Let the crew of the HMAS Dauntless take you on a fascinating trip thru the history and the finer points of preparing and drinking Absinthe

Speakers

HMAS Dauntless

Edwina Tweed

Friday April 25, 2014 9:00pm - 9:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Panel

9:00pm EDT

High Times in Victorian England

The Victorians were not the prudish upright citizens the history books would have us believe! Explore the forbidden world of Victorian drug use, from opium to cocaine to cannabis. Alas, samples and instructions will NOT be provided. 18+ age restriction

Speakers

Airship Archon

Friday April 25, 2014 9:00pm - 9:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

9:00pm EDT

Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands

The group has an eclectic, haunting but yet whimsical, carnivalesque world folk sound, dubbed “kaleidophrenic cabaret”. Singer/Songwriter Crystal Bright plays accordion, musical saw, concertina, piano, Taiko drum, adungu (Ugandan harp), and various others.

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Travis Fessler from the Pickled Brothers Circus will be the MC of entertainment. His Steam-Powered Circus Freak show has been all over the country at festivals, steampunk conventions, and other events since 1999. He has also been seen on the Tonight Show, Jerry Springer, Animal Planet... Read More →

Performers

Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands

Friday April 25, 2014 9:00pm - 9:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

10:00pm EDT

Gothic Paranormal

The Gothic Paranormal: The intersection where all your greatest desires, fears and secret fantasies reside. Why do we love (or passionately hate) the traditional Gothic, and why are so many paranormal threads found in it? From the ridiculously fabulous magic helmet of The Castle of Otronto to the romp of modern shows like Sleepy Hollow (Leanna LOVES this show, so haters beware, she's feisty and combat trained), Leanna, who has made a career out of the Victorian Gothic Paranormal in her novels and persona, will lead a discussion on the strangely beautiful and what keeps society coming back for more.

Speakers

Leanna Renee Hieber

Author at Tor Books, Actress, Playwright, Perky Goth

Leanna is an actress, playwright and award winning, bestselling author of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Gaslamp Fantasy) for adults and teens, such as the Strangely Beautiful saga, the Magic Most Foul saga and the Eterna Files saga with Tor books. Her Strangely Beautiful saga won... Read More →

Friday April 25, 2014 10:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

10:00pm EDT

Mentioning Unmentionables

What DID they wear under there to get the right silhouette? Take a look at what ladies wore in several different time periods to achieve their current standards of beauty and get tips and ideas on how to make your own modern versions. We’ll explore the 18th century, Regency, Civil War, Bustle era and perhaps even reach into Edwardian times. We’ll also provide some ideas on incorporating historical undergarments into your steampunk wardrobe.

Speakers

Airship Archon

Friday April 25, 2014 10:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Panel

10:00pm EDT

Victorian Erotica

Ready for a little after-dark historical fun? See images the Victorians hid for their private time, and hear ladies reading period stories from The Pearl. 18+

Speakers

Airship Passepartout

Friday April 25, 2014 10:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

10:00pm EDT

Drunk & Sailor

Drunk & Sailor rock the boat with rousing drinking songs and sea chanteys performed in a highly interactive format. “Lucky” audience members might find themselves dragged onstage to be part of the crew!

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Drunk & Sailor

Friday April 25, 2014 10:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

11:00pm EDT

Voltaire

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Voltaire

Friday April 25, 2014 11:00pm - Saturday April 26, 2014 12:00am EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

11:00pm EDT

History of Silent Film

Speakers

Cincinnati Film Festival

Friday April 25, 2014 11:00pm - Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00am EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

11:00pm EDT

Anti-Temperance Hallway Revival (aka Room Parties)

The Hallway is collection of rooms far from the main tower of the hotel that have been specifically designated for room parties; attendees must be over 21 to enter the Hallway and this is strictly enforced by Symposium Security. This year theHallway is comprised of ten suites and a few kings, all hosting parties in their own styles, but open to all who are of age and have a Symposium badge.

Speakers

The Pandora Society

Friday April 25, 2014 11:00pm - Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00am EDT
Atrium (Exhibitors, Food, & More)

Special Event

9:30am EDT

VIP Preview - Curiosities Exhibit

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

The Pandora Society

Saturday April 26, 2014 9:30am - 11:00am EDT
Boardroom 2

Exhibitors & Vending

10:00am EDT

Steampunk Music 101

Steampunk music is music steampunks like, right? Hopefully we can narrow it down a bit more than that! Music aficionado Sir Ernerst from Airship Passepartout will help broaden your horizons and leave you with a really awesome playlist.

Speakers

Airship Passepartout

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

10:00am EDT

Pod Races

Sponsored by Frenzy Universe

Learn more HERE

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Caelyn Nagle

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

10:00am EDT

Makeup for Steampunks

So you've got the great outfit...now what? From skincare & prep to makeup that'll stay put all day, the crew of the HMAS Dauntless can help you craft a look to fit your costume or your persona.

Speakers

HMAS Dauntless

Edwina Tweed

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

10:00am EDT

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 2

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 2: Saturday Morning: The "short form" challenge. Join us for a discussion of plotting and telling a story in just a few words. Attendees can enter the 6-word and 12-word story challenge.

Speakers

Emilie P. Bush

Editor-in-Chief, Coal City Stories

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Workshop

10:00am EDT

Curiosities Exhibit (10AM to 6PM)

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 6:00pm EDT
Boardroom 2

Exhibitors & Vending

10:00am EDT

British Vintage Car Show (10AM to 6PM)

The Steampunk Empire Symposium has teamed up with the British Car Club of Greater Cincinnati (BCCGC) to add a display of British vintage cars to the weekend. On Saturday, April 26th, the BCCGC will be exhibiting a selection of fine cars from the early 20th Century, and the time traveling Delorean from "Back to the Future."

Speakers

British Car Club of Greater Cincinnati

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 6:00pm EDT
Back Parking Lot

Special Event

10:00am EDT

Steampunk Boba Fett Showdown (10AM to 8PM)

Attendees of the Symposium will be able to place a price on the heads of other attendees by making a donation to NAMI. Both Steampunk Boba Fetts will be given the target’s details and the first to capture the bounty will receive the credit for the NAMI donation. Captured bounties will be taken to the heart of the aether’s crime lords where they will be “frozen” in carbon-night for all to see

Speakers

Danny Ashby

John Strangeway

Steampunk Boba Fett (John F. Strangeway) is one of the most recognized figures in both the Steampunk and Star Wars fan communities. The idea originated in John’s lifelong love ofStar Wars and in particular the cult figure of bounty hunter Boba Fett. He had the idea for a Steampunk... Read More →

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00am - 8:00pm EDT
Atrium (Exhibitors, Food, & More)

Special Event

10:30am EDT

VIP Preview - Vendor Hall

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Carpenter's Run (Vendor Hall)

Exhibitors & Vending

11:00am EDT

All About Automatons

Come learn about the history of clockwork humans and the secrets of how they were constructed. A demonstration will be given of an automaton called the Aetherologist.

Speakers

Gustaf Danielsson

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

11:00am EDT

NERF Dueling

(sponsored by Tandy Leather Factory) Learn more HERE

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Caelyn Nagle

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

11:00am EDT

Bartitsu

Popularized by the works of Sir A. Conan Doyle, Bartitsu consists of several martial arts and fighting techniques blended together. Participants will get the chance to engage bartitsu-style moves on each other. The sexier gentleman is armed with wits and cool moves! Be advised that this class will require more movement, so restrictive garments will prevent participants from getting the full experience. Mats will be provided.

Speakers

Ring of Steel

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Vendor Hall (11AM to 7PM)

Merchants

Festooned Butterfly

Owner, Festooned Butterfly

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00am - 7:00pm EDT
Carpenter's Run (Vendor Hall)

Exhibitors & Vending

12:00pm EDT

Basic Leather Crafting

A discussion and demonstration in basic leather crafting.

Speakers

Sass-O-Frass

Saturday April 26, 2014 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

12:00pm EDT

Men's Fashion

Performers

Sir Reginald Pikedevant, Esquire

From an alternate timeline where nations race to be the first to claim the soil of Mars, but Victoria is still Queen of England, comes Sir Reginald Pikedevant, Esquire: professional dilettante and curmudgeon, and sometime lyricist.

Saturday April 26, 2014 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

12:00pm EDT

Cane Fighting

The cane, a simple stick, evolved into a highly sophisticated martial art during the Victorian era. Attendees get the opportunity to learn and practice cane fighting techniques adapted for stage (no hitting each other, sorry guys) with a partner. A pleasant time is guaranteed for all!

Speakers

Ring of Steel

Saturday April 26, 2014 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

1:00pm EDT

Steam Lolita

The ladies of the Airship Archon review the essentials of the Japanese fashion called Lolita and how itcan be incorporated into your Steampunk look, complete with advice on where to shop. A fun, fresh look for ladies who don’t always want to wear floor length gowns!

Speakers

Airship Archon

Saturday April 26, 2014 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

1:00pm EDT

Chakras

Chakras originated in 2008. As time progressed and members changed, the sound has progressed to the personality of the current 2010 lineup. Influences range from Faith No More, Lacuna Coil, Tool, Tori Amos to Mazzy Star. Chakras drummer, Steve K., & guitarist, Bill M., both came from metal backgrounds. This is balanced by Bassist, Jeff C., Guitarist , Mark S., & Keyboardist / Cello, Trice S., who come from mainstream rock backgrounds. Andrea’s vocal stylings fall somewhere in the middle.

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Chakras

Saturday April 26, 2014 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

1:00pm EDT

Whip Work

This workshop will meet in Hunt before going outside. No traveling adventurer, be they pirate or professor, should be without this delightfully explosive skill. Whips, ear protection, and eye protection will be provided for participants to try their hand at whip cracking. Limited number of participants. Garments which cover the length of the legs are advised, but not required.

Speakers

Ring of Steel

Saturday April 26, 2014 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

2:00pm EDT

Steampunk Youth: Trying to Carve Our Niche

A look into the world of Steampunk, for those under the age of "30". Everything you see leans to women in their prime, the feisty older gentleman, the parents who just sent their children to college. It almost makes the Steampunk world feel as though no one under the age of "30" exists. We're here to prove just how wrong that assumption is.

Speakers

Daemon Pleiades

Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

2:00pm EDT

Tea Dueling

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Caelyn Nagle

Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

2:00pm EDT

Cosplay Photography

Get the MOST from photos of your costuming! Discover tips and tricks for self-styling, posing, using light and angle. Find more ways to maximize photography of your cosplay!

Speakers

Paige Ex Libris Smith

Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Workshop

2:00pm EDT

Space 1889

Speakers

Steve A Pontious

costuming, attending conventions, my Grandkids.

Saturday April 26, 2014 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Gaming & LARP

3:00pm EDT

Desperate Steam punk

The Desperate Steampunk pulls back the curtain on building costuming with the minimum of skills and limited resources. Costume shortcuts, illusions and cheats encouraged!

Speakers

Paige Ex Libris Smith

Saturday April 26, 2014 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

3:00pm EDT

What is the Aether?

The luminiferous aether is nearly ubiquitous in steampunk but what is it really? How did the 19th Century understand this mysterious and magical material? How do we know that it doesn’t actually exist? Why can we go ahead an ignore that anyway when writing?

Speakers

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike

Saturday April 26, 2014 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

3:30pm EDT

Drunk & Sailor

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Drunk & Sailor

Saturday April 26, 2014 3:30pm - 4:15pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

4:00pm EDT

Star Wars

Speakers

Eric Jon Larson

President, Vector Art House

Saturday April 26, 2014 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

4:00pm EDT

Steampunk Multiculturalism

How different cultures do steampunk. What we can learn, what we can take & how we can respect different races/nationalities when doing our costumes.

Speakers

Airship Archon

Saturday April 26, 2014 4:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

4:00pm EDT

Afternoon Tea in the Garden

Ticket sales end on April 23 and MUST be purchased through the hotel at shill@cpcincinnati.com

At four o’clock on Saturday afternoon, April 26th, many members of the Steampunk Empire Symposium shall be stopping for tea. For the delightfully low cost of $12 per person (plus tax and gratuity), attendees can expect a selection of teas accompanied by two plates full of tea time foods.

Tea Option #1 has the first plate with a British Scone with bowls of Strawberry Jam, Molded butter and Whipped Cream, accompanied by a second plate that has 2 Cream Cheese and Cucumber Finger Sandwiches on White, 1 Egg Salad Finger Sandwich on White, 1 Cream Cheese on Marble Bread, 1 Petit Four, 1 Lemon Tart, Cup of Fruit, Cheese and Crackers.

Tea Option #2 has the first plate with a British Scone with bowls of Strawberry Jam, Molded butter and Whipped Cream, and a the second plate has 2 Egg Salad Finger Sandwiches on White, 2 Turkey Sandwiches on White, Cup of Fruit, Vegetable Sticks, 1 Petit Four, and 1 Lemon Tart.

The Additional Dessert Option has 2 mini éclairs, 2 petite fours and 2 lemon tartlets for $6.00, but needs to be purchased as an addition to one of the tea options.

Mustard and Mayonnaise Packets, Honey, Milk and an Assortment of Teas will be on the table to accompany the tea option plates. Lemon served on request; also on request, Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, Iced Tea, and Water.

The standard plate also comes with a scone, cream, and jam.
The Symposium’s second stage is located in the hotel’s beautiful atrium cafe from which the afternoon teas will be serenaded by the gentle ambient music of our resident cellist.

Afternoon tea is a very popular special event, but seating is limited. Please make sure to book your place in advance by emailing Susan Hill at the Crowne Plaza Blue Ash at shill@cpcincinnati.com and RSVP to the Facebook Event Page.

Speakers

The Pandora Society

Saturday April 26, 2014 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Atrium (Exhibitors, Food, & More)

Special Event

4:30pm EDT

Lightsaber Cricket

Learn more HERE

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Caelyn Nagle

Saturday April 26, 2014 4:30pm - 5:15pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

5:00pm EDT

Custom Action Figures

Speakers

Sillof's Workshop

Saturday April 26, 2014 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

5:00pm EDT

Reading Hour with Leanna Renee Hieber

Actress, playwright, award-winning authoress and Cincinnati native Leanna returns home to share with you her latest Gothic Historical Fantasy novel, The Double Life of Incorporate Things, and preview her upcoming Eterna Files series with Tor/Forge and the re-issue of the Strangely Beautiful saga! With prizes!

Speakers

Leanna Renee Hieber

Author at Tor Books, Actress, Playwright, Perky Goth

Saturday April 26, 2014 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

5:00pm EDT

Steampunk Pin Up Contest

Join us for the first ever Miss Steampunk Empire Symposium, Pinup Contest!!!!! Hosted by: BANG BANG Salon. To enter, simply throw your name in to the list of interested contestants, we will compile a final list before the show. There will be a short interview portion for each lady, consisting of 3 questions, and we will allow 2 minutes each, to showcase a "talent", whatever that may be!!! Just sign up on the Facebook event page!!!

Speakers

Bang Bang Salon

Saturday April 26, 2014 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Symposium Games

6:00pm EDT

Full-Figured Fashion

Think you can’t wear the Steampunk look because you’re not young & thin? Think again! We will demonstrate how to dress a voluptuous body using shapewear, targeted focal points, proportion, pattern, & your best accessory: the proper attitude. Let the crew of the HMAS Dauntless show you how to turn your ‘O’ shape into ‘Oh Wow’..!

Speakers

HMAS Dauntless

Edwina Tweed

Saturday April 26, 2014 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

6:00pm EDT

Adventures on Hoth with Luc Vadersson

Adventures on Höth with Luc Vadersson - A long time ago in a land far, far away, a young man left the Tunisian desert to help free Scandinavia from the clutches of the Russian empire. Hear the tales of his journey and learn the ways of the aether in this entertaining, interactive panel.

Saturday April 26, 2014 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel Performance

7:00pm EDT

Steampunk Boba Fett Web Series

Learn more about the making of and future plans for the Steampunk Boba Fett Web Series.

Speakers

Dave Lee

David Lee is the principal artist at Hatton Cross Steampunk, located in Gloucester Virginia. David's Steampunk art has been featured in numerous art exhibits such as 'Steampunk Bizarre Exhibit' with Dr. Grymm and has had exhibits in Steampunk conventions, festivals and art galleries... Read More →

John Strangeway

Saturday April 26, 2014 7:00pm - 7:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

7:00pm EDT

Fashion Contest

Speakers

Paige Ex Libris Smith

John Strangeway

Saturday April 26, 2014 7:00pm - 7:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Symposium Games

8:00pm EDT

Mixology 101

Come learn the basics of the home wet bar! Let Calamity and Dorian show you how to make a basic cocktail. We'll give you some of our tips and tricks on how to impress your friends with mixology know-how!

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

Saturday April 26, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

8:00pm EDT

Steampunk Cookery

Steampunk began its life as a literary genre, but has grown to be much more than that, now encompassing fashion, interior, and industrial design—indeed, the term is used by some to describe an entire lifestyle, a retro-futuristic approach to living. It follows, then, that food should be a part of the genre, inspired by the past but created for the present. Join Aaron Egan, the Steampunk Chef, for a discussion and demonstration of how to cook Steampunk Food—without ending up on Cake Wrecks.

Saturday April 26, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel Workshop

8:00pm EDT

Ford Theatre Reunion

Ford Theatre Reunion has been on a quest to return sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to the circus since 2008. Despite the unusual instrumentation, challenging song arrangements, and fanciful dress, even the casual observer will recognize what FTR’s main purpose is . . . Let no one say the accordion cannot devastate buildings and earlobes. Let no one say the clarinet cannot be scary. The Ford Theatre Reunion. We are here to eat you.

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Ford Theatre Reunion

Saturday April 26, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

8:00pm EDT

Beard and Mustache Competition

Speakers

Paige Ex Libris Smith

John Strangeway

Saturday April 26, 2014 8:00pm - 8:45pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Symposium Games

9:00pm EDT

Medicine to Fetish

The 19th century saw a huge leap in scientific endeavors. This included the study of the human body and medicine. This increase in knowledge had a few bumps in the road. We will look at those bumps and see how they are still practiced today. Not in the hospitals but in the bedrooms and basements of our freaky friends.

Speakers

Andrew Daiker

Saturday April 26, 2014 9:00pm - 9:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

9:00pm EDT

Steampunk Chronicle Readers' Choice Awards

Speakers

Emilie P. Bush

Editor-in-Chief, Coal City Stories

Saturday April 26, 2014 9:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Special Event

9:00pm EDT

Sounds of Steam Podcast

Speakers

Wendy Callahan

Travis Sivart

Saturday April 26, 2014 9:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Special Event

10:00pm EDT

Those Naughty Victorians

Even in an era of high necklines and covered piano legs, there was a thriving industry of erotica and pornography in the Victorian age. Get a look at some of the dirty little secrets of our uptight ancestors.

Speakers

Cindy Spencer Pape

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:00pm - 10:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

10:30pm EDT

Symposium Ball - The Imperial Officer's Ball (and Rebel Steerage Party)

To those of the great Victorian Empire, we invite those Grand Moffs, Admirals, and other Imperial Officers to a fine and wondrous experience hosted by the fine people of the Artifice Club. We are pleased to host this most austere event in honor of The Great Emperor. We hope this event will be as remarkable as the attendees. Our doors are open to all officers, honor guard, and hired bounty hunters and mercenaries under Imperial Employ.

**BEGIN TRANSMISSION** Attention citizens of a free republic, join the rebel alliance and help us crash this posh gathering of military elite and hired guns. For the ALLIANCE! **END TRANSMISSION**

Our grand ball begins at 10pm at the Steampunk Empire Symposium in the Blue Ash Ballroom. Featuring music by DJ Doctor Q and MC Sir Reginald Pikedevant, Esquire.

Facebook RSVP HERE

Speakers

Doctor Q

Performers

Sir Reginald Pikedevant, Esquire

Saturday April 26, 2014 10:30pm - Sunday April 27, 2014 1:30am EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance Special Event

11:00pm EDT

Mixology 210

So, you have your wetbar, and you know how to make a martini and manhattan. What next? In Mixology 210 Calamity Dawn and Lord Dorian will get a little deeper into the creation of cocktails. We'll deconstruct some popular drinks to show you just why they work so well. You'll get a chance to get an even deeper look into just how we come up with our special cocktails.

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00pm - 11:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

11:00pm EDT

Anti-Temperance Hallway Revival (aka Room Parties)

Speakers

The Pandora Society

Saturday April 26, 2014 11:00pm - Sunday April 27, 2014 2:00am EDT
Atrium (Exhibitors, Food, & More)

Special Event

10:00am EDT

Victorian Courtship

You see someone you fancy – what do you do now? You can’t just get her digits – the telephone hadn’t been invented yet. We’ll take you through the delicate dance of wooing at the turn of the century: from fan flirting to ‘calling’ to what brides were told about the wedding night.

Speakers

HMAS Dauntless

Edwina Tweed

Sunday April 27, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

10:00am EDT

Swordplay

An introduction to stage combat using "real" steel swords. This workshop will begin with a lecture on safety practices employed by professional fight folk. Attendees will learn a simple but impressive stage fight which they can perform with a partner. No one to fight with? We will either match you with another attendee or pair you with one of our members. Eye protection will be provided. People who do not receive the safety lecture will NOT be allowed to pick up a sword, so make sure you make it to the beginning!

Speakers

Ring of Steel

Sunday April 27, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

10:00am EDT

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 3

The Way of the Jedi: a writing challenge Part 3:Sunday Morning - The Empire Speaks Back - see the results from the challenge! get more insight from the pros and see who wins the prize for the best 6-and-12 word stories. Please join us for this special writers trilogy of sessions.

Speakers

Emilie P. Bush

Editor-in-Chief, Coal City Stories

Sunday April 27, 2014 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Workshop

10:00am EDT

Curiosities Exhibit (10AM to 1PM)

Speakers

Calamity Dawn

Bartender/Server, Barleycorn's Dayton, OH

If ya' know me, ya knows me... I'm a pretty simple creature at the end of the day...

Sunday April 27, 2014 10:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Boardroom 2

Exhibitors & Vending

11:00am EDT

Space 1889

Speakers

Steve A Pontious

costuming, attending conventions, my Grandkids.

Sunday April 27, 2014 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Gaming & LARP

11:00am EDT

Steam and other Punks

Are you a dieselpunk, a cowpunk or a rococco-punk? Some of your favorite authors discuss steampunk and many of its related subgenres. Laugh along as they try to pin definitions on the various incarnations of punk.

Speakers

Cindy Spencer Pape

Sunday April 27, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

11:00am EDT

The Making of Teslacon

Speakers

Eric Jon Larson

President, Vector Art House

Sunday April 27, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

11:00am EDT

Dirigible Races

(sponsored by Toledo Santa) Learn more HERE

Speakers

Peter B.Slayer

Instructor / Entertainer / Master of Ceremony, The Traveling Revelers

Caelyn Nagle

Sunday April 27, 2014 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Symposium Games

11:00am EDT

Vendor Hall (11AM to 3PM)

Merchants

Festooned Butterfly

Owner, Festooned Butterfly

Sunday April 27, 2014 11:00am - 3:00pm EDT
Carpenter's Run (Vendor Hall)

Exhibitors & Vending

12:00pm EDT

Steampunk Film

Speakers

Mike Zawacki

Sunday April 27, 2014 12:00pm - 12:45am EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

12:00pm EDT

Outland Armor with Danny Ashby

Danny Ashby is a Sculptor, Actor, Special Effects Artist, Performance Artist, Visual Artist, and Set Builder living in Atlanta, GA. He is the CEO and Co-Founder of Outland Armour, a small but world famous fabrication, props, and special effects company operating since 2004. Danny’s creations have won awards at conventions across the country and with Outland Armour, he travels the country making appearances at media conventions, hosting panels, and judging costume contests.

Having been involved in the theatre and creating art since he was a small child, his propensity for dressing and behaving strangely for the amusment of anyone around him has evolved into a career in the entertainment industry.

Speakers

Danny Ashby

Sunday April 27, 2014 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

12:30pm EDT

AUTOMATON

(sponsored by Good Photographics - Learn more HERE)

The premiere power metal troupe! As a concept group, the band weaves their steampunk epic through stage costume, larger-than-life glory-seeking lyrics, and a heavy sound. AUTOMATON’s influences include the classic Iron Maiden and Dio, as well as modern power metal acts such as Falconer and Turisas.

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

AUTOMATON

The premiere power metal troupe! As a concept group, the band weaves their steampunk epic through stage costume, larger-than-life glory-seeking lyrics, and a heavy sound. AUTOMATON’s influences include the classic Iron Maiden and Dio, as well as modern power metal acts such as Falconer... Read More →

Sunday April 27, 2014 12:30pm - 1:15pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

1:00pm EDT

Feedback Session

Take a moment to meet with the con director himself and provide feedback on what works and what might be better with the Steampunk Symposium.

Speakers

Aloysius Fox

Pandora Promotions

A good friend of mine said that the internet was a fabulous place to meet interesting people and fool them into thinking that you were interesting too.

Sunday April 27, 2014 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

1:00pm EDT

Steampunk on a Budget

Are you interested in steampunk but don’t have a lot of cash? Or are you just frugal? Either way, come learn how to look fabulous while saving money from the Airship Archon! We’ll explore several ways to save from sewing and crafting to thrifting to modding and making.

Speakers

Airship Archon

Jenni

Convention Liaison, Airship Archon

I'm a proud member of the Airship Archon crew and command staff! My passion is sewing, and I have been named the ship

Sunday April 27, 2014 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

1:00pm EDT

Victorian Fisticuffs

An introduction to hand-to-hand combat techniques both historical and modern, all adapted for safe use in stage applications. This is a hands-on workshop, so to speak, so attendees should come prepared to do some moving. (Corsets and other restricted garments will do just fine.) No friend or partner to beat up? Not to worry! We'll either match you up with another participant or pair you with one of our members.

Speakers

Ring of Steel

Sunday April 27, 2014 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Hunt (Workshops)

Workshop

2:00pm EDT

Airship Combat

The brilliant brace of the Steampunks Chef and Mixologist step outside their usual area of purview to facilitate a real-life, actual, totally-not-silly, completely-serious, highly-simulated airship battle. Audience participation is strongly encouraged.

Speakers

Matthew Oztalay

Sunday April 27, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
White Oak (Panels)

Panel

2:00pm EDT

Sewing for Cosplay

This panel covers topics for sewers of every skill level! From making alterations on thrift store finds, to working with historical patterns, to creating your own designs. We’ll provide information on resources for instruction and where to find tools, supplies, patterns, and fabric. We’ll talk about some of our favorite tools and time-saving tricks, and tackle some steampunk-specific techniques like adding ruffles, pockets and linings.

Speakers

Airship Archon

Sunday April 27, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
Sycamore (Panels)

Panel

2:00pm EDT

Ford Theatre Reunion

Moderators

Pickled Brothers Circus

Performers

Ford Theatre Reunion

Sunday April 27, 2014 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Performance

3:00pm EDT

Closing Ceremonies

Find out which Airship won the Symposium Games Trophy. Find out which Steampunk Boba Fett raised the most bounty for our charity NAMI. Find out what exciting things await you at the 2015 Symposium.

Speakers

Aloysius Fox

Pandora Promotions

A good friend of mine said that the internet was a fabulous place to meet interesting people and fool them into thinking that you were interesting too.

Sunday April 27, 2014 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Blue Ash (Performances & Symposium Games)

Special Event Symposium Games