Friday 7/22

Schedule for FRIDAY, 7/22/2011

ALL PROGRAMMING SUBJECT TO CHANGE, CANCELLATION, OR RESCHEDULING

Refer to the hotel’s meeting room map here: PDF link.

1pm – Steampunk and the Apocalypse – Bellmont A

Learn how to survive the apocalypse and explore the history of Victorian and contemporary apocalyptic literature. – Magpie Killjoy

1pm – Steampunk Worldbuilding for Authors – Windsor B

Is your steampunk story set in our past’s future, a different past, or some other time & place altogether? Any speculative fiction setting poses certain questions; does steampunk confine or liberate your answers?

2pm – Writers’ Read-Around – Bellmont A

A daily open session for steampunk writers to share their work & offer supportive criticism.

2pm – Cross-Genre Steampunk – Windsor B

The contemporary steampunk publishing field is rife with detectives, vampires, superheroes, desperadoes, and star-crossed lovers. How do we mix steampunk with other genres without the seams showing? – Meljean Brook, Andrew Mayer, Shanna Germain

2pm – Irene Radford Reading & Q/A – Windsor A

AKA P.R. Frost & C.F. Bentley, Irene Radford is a veteran speculative fiction author and an editor of Book View Cafe’s The Shadow Conspiracy steampunk shared-universe anthologies.

2pm – Victorian Puppetry – Windsor C

Steampunk automata aside, the Victorians really could breathe life into inanimate objects. Learn about classic puppetry techniques and technologies from a globe-trotting professional. – Mary Robinette Kowal

3pm – Anachronistic Musical Instruments – Bellmont B & C

Steampunk music draws from an intersection of the classical, the quaintly-vintage, and the daringly modern. Explore some of the instrumentation that straddles so many eras to entertain us. – Erica Mulkey

3pm – Steam Around the World: Steampunk Beyond Victoriana – Windsor B

Beyond Victoriana, what steampunk possibilities exist? Come join us as we take you on a trip around the world to see how steampunk manifests in the minds of those who don’t think within an Eurocentric context, whether they blend Western influences, or use recognizably steampunk elements within a distinct flavor outside of Europe. We will also approach the ethical challenges that come up when engaging in multicultural steampunk and discuss matters of race, privilege, and cultural appropriation. – Jaymee Goh

3pm – “Is it Steampunk?” – Bellmont A

It’s an argument that may never end: with so many opinions about just what steampunk is, how do we decide what belongs and what’s out of bounds? – Diana Vick, mod.

3pm – The Medicine Show: A History – Windsor C

Snake oil didn’t sell itself–some of our favorite entertainments started out as attention-grabbers for the patent medicine peddler’s wagon. – Xander Almeida

4pm – Mary Robinette Kowal Reading & Q/A – Windsor A

Vice President of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, winner of the Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and the author of Shades of Milk and Honey, a novel of love, manners, and magic.

4pm – The Portland Variety Revival – Bellmont B & C

Circus Arts, vaudeville, burlesque, and cabaret have experienced a world-wide renaissance. Learn about Portland’s thriving variety entertainment community and how it’s grown to become an amazing pool of talent. – Noah Mickens, Xander Almeida, guests

5pm – What Lies Beneath the Clocktower – Bellmont A

An interactive reading of an interactive novel. Come participate in an adventure of your own choosing! – Magpie Killjoy

5pm – Steampunk Community-Building – Bellmont B & C

The Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of steampunk culture, rich with creative people, hard-working collectives, and world-renowned events. A panel of the region’s biggest steampunk names tell you how it got that way. – Diana Vick, Mrs. Sullivan, Steffen Criss, guests

5pm – Steam Power – A Demonstration of Model Engines – Windsor A

It does what it says on the tin. – Guy Letourneau

5pm – What Makes Steampunk “Punk”? – Windsor B

Some say it’s the DIY ethic or the re-imagining of an empowered Industrial working class, some say it’s all in the name. How “punk” is steampunk, and how much more so could it be? – Andrew Mayer

5pm – Budget Steampunk Fashion Tricks – Windsor C

For a scene made up almost entirely of lords, ladies, inventors, and pirate captains, some of us are pretty strapped for cash. Learn how to look like a million pounds on a shoestring. – M.K. Hobson and guests

6pm – Cherie Priest Reading & Q/A – Windsor A

Author of the Clockwork Century steampunk novels Boneshaker, Dreadnought, Clementine, and the forthcoming Ganymede, and sundry other excellent novels.

6pm – The Goggle and How to Wear It – Windsor C

You have them on your hat right now. How did the goggle become the ubiquitous steampunk accessory, and how do you choose the best pair for your money? – Mac McGowan

6pm – Vintage Tomorrows – Windsor B

Intel’s futurism department is making a documentary and book about steampunk for public consumption and their own benefit. Come hear about the project, and share your thoughts about technology and society. – James Carrott

7pm – Welcoming Remarks & Meet the Press – Bellmont A, B & C

Greet and be greeted by our multitudinous cast and crew, and extend your warmest welcome to the journalistic adventurers reporting on our arcane costume and techno-utopian ravings. This is your chance to host a “what is steampunk?” panel en masse for the entire city of Portland. – everybody, the Fourth Estate, and you

8pm – Vagabond Opera in Concert – Bellmont A, B & C

With Professor Gall, Veronique Chevalier, Fein and Dandee, DJ Beatnik Betty, DJ Number 6, and guests.