FANTASTIC!

I went to the World's Fair in New Jersey this year, and it was a lot of fun. This three day convention was full of games and cosplay as well as fantastic music, merchandise, and mystery.... ooohh the alliteration.

Games:

1. Several fun things on the agenda included: Cards Against Humanity, monopoly, and other board games that you and other steampunk enthusiasts could enjoy. I made several new friends while playing. We also swapped costume ideas and book/t.v show recommendations.

2. One of the booth owners created an augmented reality game where folks would be given a starter pack of cards. Then he would text you clues throughout the weekend on where special events and cards would be held. People could challenge other members of the game at random, and the winner of the challenge collected all their opponent's cards. There were prizes for special cards.

3. Interactive improv was also part of this convention. If you want a good laugh, I suggest going to one of these.

Cosplay:

Need I say more? Everyone looked incredible! From Steampunk Batman to civil war android soldiers, the World's Fair had it all! Cons are one of the few places where you can rev up your creative side into full GEAR. Walking around the hotel courtyard surrounded by hundreds of people dressed in a "retro-futuristic style" really brought the whole convention to life. It was surreal.

Of course, what is a convention without a cosplay fashion show?

Music:

There were two tents with stages (Each location of this event may have a different set-up.) I will be honest, I hadn't heard of many of the bands before the convention- aside from Steam-powered Giraffe, who by the way, totally rocked.

Music added to the ambiance and gave the convention a positive vibe. Live music at a convention- definitely a plus.

Merchandise:

There were several large rooms full of merchandise, as well as many hotel rooms which were being used as booths for specific types of steampunk gear. There were old coins, metal trinkets, leather jackets, aviators, weaponry, jewelry, lingerie, and more. I would shop around before you make any purchases. The prices varied and a lot of the vendors were a bit pricey, but if you kept a keen eye, you could find what you were looking for for a decent price.

Also, on Sundays, the last day of the convention, many vendors have sales.

Mystery:

-I attended a murder mystery dinner. This dinner was fun, though I was sitting in the back, so it was hard to hear at times. The food was decent and had a lot of variety (buffet style.) The mystery dinner is yet another way the World's Fair strives to immerse you into the steampunk universe. The hosts are fun and comical, and for you gentlemen out there, they have a pretty lady co-host.

-There was also an absinthe tasting event. I enjoyed this event as I got to learn about French culture and the origin of absinthe. You get small shots of each brand offered. Our group was lucky as they had a few extra at the end of the event. We were also served snacks.

Overall:

I had a lot of fun at this convention. If I would have brought more money with me, I would have purchased all kinds of things. I do recommend this convention for any steampunk enthusiasts, or even if you are just curious about it. The hotel was nice, the people were fun and open, and the events were well managed.

Coming in May in Piscataway, NJ

http://steampunkworldsfair.com/location/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk_World's_Fair