Gears to Corsets: A Steampunk Festival

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Out with the new, and in with the old as Cortland County welcomes Gears to Corsets, a Steampunk Festival, to this year’s festival lineup! The family-friendly affair, taking place Friday, September 27 through Sunday, September 29, will offer music, games, performances, and fantasy, as the county businesses transform into an alternative reality where Victorian-era design, industrial technology, and modern know-how meld into one. For those who are unfamiliar with the subculture, steampunk incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk is also heavily focused on Victorian-era customs. The extensive history of mechanical innovation in Cortland embodies the steampunk spirit. Cortland was built by Victorian industrialists who used new machines and fabrication methods to drive economic development. Companies like Brockway Carriage, The Wickwire Brothers and the Cortland Corset Company created a hotbed of innovation. Join a wide array of creative organizations in Cortland County as we delve into this moment in time through machines, performances, music, costumes, lectures and more. “Cortland County’s rich industrial history makes it the perfect setting for a steampunk-themed festival,” said Meghan Lawton, Executive Director of the Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are very excited to announce this event and cannot wait to see it come to fruition this September.” Gears to Corsets is unique, not only in being the first Steampunk festival in Cortland County, but also in its set-up. The festival will feature events at multiple locations throughout Cortland County, and will feature many participating organizations. Events are planned for The Corset Building, the 1890 House, the CNY Living History Center, the Cortland County Historical Society and the Center for the Arts of Homer currently, with more events and locations being finalized. Planned events over the course of the three days include: a promenade, steampunk-themed happy hour, informational seminars, vendors, a fashion show, and Steampunk music. More details, and an ever-updating events schedule, can be found on the official event website: www.gearstocorsets.com.