The Pine Hill Steampunk Festival is a mash-up of family friendly performances, conversations, and artistic experiences which will make up an enjoyable hour, day, or weekend.
DANCERS
The festival starts out Friday evening with the B 3 Belly Dancers, who were the most popular act at last year’s festival.
This year an added attraction will be dance artist Elizabeth Muise presenting a belly dance class and exhibition on Saturday morning.
MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
After the B 3 dancers, the Emily Danger Band will play their hauntingly beautiful and dark music. This group originated on the West Coast and is now based hard by Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal.
Friday evening will come to a memorable end with a performance by Boom-Boom Shake., who have traveled from Georgia to participate in the festival.
Music continues on Saturday with a concert at 5:00pm of Victorian and 1940’s popular music sung by the “Bodyguards,” a traditional barbershop quartet traveling in from Long Island.
At 7:00pm Saturday the stage in the Pine Hill Community Center will be taken by singer song writer Jeff Mach (see picture above), one of the best known personalities in the steampunk genre. Jeff is taking time out from his hectic schedule of creating steampunk events throughout the Northeast to play Pine Hill. His most recent performance was at the Steampunk World’s Fair, the largest steampunk event in the world with over 5,000 participants.
Jeff Mach will be followed on the Community Center Stage by Mamalama, a Hudson Valley Band headed by Elizabeth Clark. Mamalama plays original music featuring Clark (harp, piano, voice, compositions), Henry Lowengard (hammered dulcimer, flute, melodica, pocket monks) Eric Ortner (violin, french horn), Annie Roland (voice, tenor mandolin, percussion), and Cornelia Logan (cello).
After the Mamalama performance there will be a chance for festival goers to meet with the band and discuss their music at an informal session in the Pine Hill Bookstore, up the street from the Community Center.
Saturday’s music program will end with a performance by Woodstock’s Will Play and Nina Mars, who are the only musical act this year who also played the first festival in 2012.
On Sunday the music will start in the late morning with Jack Warren, a student at Onteora High School whose singing and guitar playing is becoming known throughout the Catskills. Jack will sing songs made famous by the iconic steampunk band “Steam Powered Giraffe,” as well as other selections.
Classical guitar virtuouso Phil Micciche will end the musical side of the festival on Sunday afternoon with his entrancing guitar interpretations of J.S. Bach and other writers.
Chelsea Goodwin and Cythia Brian Kate, the Cast of the WIOX Radio show “In Goth We Trust”, will lead a discussion and retrospective of the music of the 2013 Pine Hill Steampunk Festival following Phil Micciche’s performance.
VENDORS
Goth Fae is a well known purveyor of steampunk , renaissance faire and faery clothing. Jeanne Thompson, the fashionista behind Goth Fae, was one of the organizaers of the fashion show at last year’s Steampunk World’s Fair. We are delighted that she is coming to Pine Hill with her wonderful creations.
As Jeff Mach always says, vendors are the heart of a festival. Some of the other vendors in the Pine Hill Steampunk Marketplace this year will include Michael Pereira (fantastical miniature bird tableaus), Eternal Glyphics (traditional spiritualist symbols), and Francesca Warnes (beaded jewelry).
COMEDY AND MAGIC
Wacky Wendy, the maker of crazy hats while-u-wait (and cracker of funny jokes) will return to the festival. Last year she was a great favorite of both children and adults, many of whom still cherish the hats and smiles she made.
Also back again this year is “The Amazing Great” Brian Foley. The Amazing Great not only does awesome rope tricks with a smooth patter, but also wows (and educates) people of all ages with mathematical tricks which are little known aspects of math.
Richard Treitner, well known poet, performance artist, and Tarot Reader will also be back at the festival with his brand of “real magic.”
SCIENCE FICTION DISCUSSION
Discussion of the writing of H.P.Lovecraft will be led by Cynthia Brian Kate and John Schindler on Sunday morning in the Firehouse. If the audience twists their arms it is possible that Cynthia and John will do a version of their rap song “Lovecraft.”
There will be a discussion of Herny Morton, science showman and educator of the Victorian age for whom the Morton Memorial Library in Pine Hill was named. A visit will also be made to put flowers on his grave in the picturesque cemetery in Pine Hill.
ART
There will be an opening at the newly renamed Merry Boonedangle Gallery (Main and Bonnieview) at 7:00pm Friday, featuring the work of Arkville NY artist Peter Mayer. Mayer was a well known street artist in New York City some years ago, and has a fascinating collection of works to be displayed. There will be refreshments at the opening. (the pictures below are examples of Mayer's post-apocalyptic modernist art).
VICTORIAN COSTUMES
Playing dress-up in Victorian costumes is an important aspect of Steampunk Festivals. It is surprising how many Victorian style elements can be found in one’s own closet. Part of steampunk is creating things: costumes, gizmos, music, parties.
The Victorian Costume Collection of the Town of Roxbury has been made available to the Pine Hill Steampunk Fesival for use by festival goers. There will also be a photo booth to record the costume after it is together.
OUT-OF-DOORS ACTIVITIES
The various events will be all over the Pine Hill Historic District, so bring your walking shoes. Specifically outdoor activities include a Tweed Ride/Picnic on Sunday (a slow bicycle event in Steampunk Costume, lots of tweed (or not). Some bicycles are available, but bringing your own is always good. Another activity will be a talk about the history and future of the old Ulster and Delaware RR as we walk along the still existing tracks, which may soon be rehabilitated by the Delaware and Ulster tourist RR.
The “Dress Up Your Steampunk Pet” will also be held outdoors on Saturday at 3:00pm, in Smith Park, Pine Hill.
