The post Clockwork Alchemy 2026 Celebrates Steampunk Creativity and Community appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>This year’s Clockwork Alchemy had a “Rogue Makers & Air Pirates” theme, celebrating “the spirit of independence” with crafting and creativity. The convention ran from October 16-18, so let’s take a look and see what it had to offer.
Steampunk
Clockwork Alchemy is a steampunk convention, which gives it a unique atmosphere compared to other conventions in the area. While larger comic cons may focus on guests of honor, and anime cons may be more shopping and cosplay-centric, Clockwork Alchemy was more focused on crafts, creators, and community.
The sense of fandom and community was strong from the moment attendees arrived, with many wearing handmade gear or outfits they’d bought at previous conventions and greeting longtime friends. All around, people wore their fanciest gear-covered outfits, displaying their steampunk style and individuality with impressive feats of fashion.
For attendees lacking steampunk garments, there was the Garb Giveaway on Friday, and plenty of hand-crafted costume pieces for sale at the con.
Rather than a dealer’s hall filled with vendors selling plastic figurines and prop weapons (not that there’s anything wrong with that), it had a bazaar filled with handmade wares, with everything from steampunk outfits and jewelry to incense and headphones. The bazaar also hosted several guest writers who could sell their books, including a variety of genres, styles, and comics and novels alike.
Clockwork Alchemy also had an Artists Gallery and Exhibition, where local creators could show off their works. This included steampunk crafts, paintings, costumes, and even large pieces of origami.
In short: Clockwork Alchemy embraces steampunk and all the creativity that goes into it.
Guests of Honor
Clockwork Alchemy is known for bringing in multiple guests from among the community’s makers, writers, musicians, and more. 2026 was no exception, with plenty of Featured Guests and Guests of Honor to celebrate.
Among the authors, Clockwork Alchemy’s featured guests were David L. Drake and Katherine L. Morse, creators of “The Adventures of Drake and McTrowell,” alongside Featured Author Gail Carriger, author of “The Parasol Protectorate,” “The Supernatural Society,” and more.
Fashion Guests of Honor Kathe and Philip Gust brought their costuming expertise to the con, alongside Bazaar Featured Artist Elizabeth McComb. Clockwork Alchemy also included Featured Lecturer Andrei Pischalnikoff, also known as “Doctor R. Snick,” a storyteller and researcher who provided insightful presentations about his many topics of expertise, and EmCee Jaime Jessup to entertain the crowds.
Clockwork Alchemy is also known for bringing in multiple musical guests for its shows, and 2026 was no exception. This year featured many familiar faces among the musical guests, including Unwoman, Avalon Rising, Field of Embers, and The Forgetmenauts, who provided musical entertainment throughout the weekend.
Events and Activities
Clockwork Alchemy was filled with things to do, from panels to games to unique activities no other con has. The itinerary featured panels and presentations covering a range of unique topics, including “What’s Taking Us So Long to Get Time Travel?” “Rogue Makers in Victorian Science Fiction and Steampunk,” and “Victorian Occultism,” where presenters discussed their subjects of expertise with insights not seen anywhere else.
Along with the panels, attendees could join crafting workshops, where they could learn to create wearable pins with LED circuits, craft vacuum tube brooches, or fold some origami. Many of these crafting workshops did have an additional fee, but it was in order to pay for the materials so they had something to take home after the con.
Let’s not forget the gaming. Clockwork Alchemy had a game room where attendees could sit down for some tabletop games, including Dungeons & Dragons, board games, card games, and more. For those who prefer less dice and more weapons, the War Room provided training in a variety of weapons and martial arts throughout the weekend.
This year, Clockwork Alchemy added an interactive activity for attendees to enjoy. The convention guide included a mystery on the back, guiding attendees to get stamps at various rooms across the convention and find telegrams with clues to decipher. Not only did this add another fun activity to the con, but it helped guide attendees around the convention so they could gain a wider experience of the con.
Clockwork Alchemy is also known for its Teapot Racing, where competitors would drive remote-controlled teapots around a track. The competitive tea events didn’t end there, with Tea Dueling pitting competitors against each other in a game of Chicken, where they’d dip biscuits in hot tea and try to outlast their opponent.
Or, if you prefer your tea without the competition, the Alchemist Tea Parlour let attendees rest their feet with a nice cuppa.
Music
As mentioned, Clockwork Alchemy had plenty of musical guests, which meant they needed musical activities to go with them. The convention featured the Aural Alchemy concert on Friday night, where the musical guests could perform before an adoring crowd, as well as the Saturday Night Ball for dancing and festivities.
Don’t know how to dance? That’s okay; they also had dance lessons throughout the weekend.
Even if one couldn’t make it to the concert or ball, there was still plenty of opportunities to listen to music, with performances scheduled around the weekend. Even just wandering around the halls, one could sit down and listen to Nathaniel Johnstone of Field of Embers perform, or attend a songwriting workshop with Unwoman.
Or, for the attendees with the energy to stay up singing past midnight, there was Late Night Karaoke, featuring no shortage of songs from Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss.
Overall
Clockwork Alchemy is a staple event for the steampunk community in the Bay Area and beyond, and it’s no wonder why. The sense of community was clear, and there was an undeniable joy among the attendees. The convention featured panels, presentations, and performances other conventions wouldn’t even think to include, making it a unique experience for congoers.
Steampunk conventions are a different beast than your typical comic con, anime con, or even tabletop gaming convention. But for steampunk fans, that’s just how they like their cons to be, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
The post Clockwork Alchemy 2026 Celebrates Steampunk Creativity and Community appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>The post Clockwork Alchemy 2025 Celebrates Steampunk appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>This year, Clockwork Alchemy’s theme was “Gaslight Fantasy,” blending more magical and fantasy elements with steam-powered science. So while attendees still showed up wearing gears, goggles, and gadgets, there was also a touch of magic about the con.
So without further ado, let’s dive into Clockwork Alchemy 2025 and see what it had to offer.
Crafts & Cosplay
One of the biggest draws of Clockwork Alchemy is the creativity of the guests and attendees, and nothing captures this more than the Artist’s Gallery. There, artists displayed their works in a variety of mediums, from sculptures to paintings to handmade outfits. The gallery even included a large replica of H.G. Wells’s time machine, which attendees could pose for pictures on.
Speaking of the attendees, many of them showed up in their best steampunk outfits. Many were dressed in dapper outfits adorned with gears and cogs, complete with the largest of hats. Others took existing series or characters and gave them a steampunk twist, including science fiction staples like Star Trek and Galaxy Express 999. Attendees could display their creativity with outfits overflowing with personality and personal touches, so no two outfits were alike.
Guests of Honor
Clockwork Alchemy tends to bring a good variety of guests, including artists, authors, and plenty of musical performers. Some are familiar to frequent attendees, while others were making their Clockwork Alchemy debut.
Musical guests included Dust Bowl Faeries, The Forgetmenauts, Hobo Goblins, and Unwoman, who brought their various styles to performances throughout the convention weekend. Artist Matt Gaser appeared as the Artist Guest of Honor, along with Author Guest of Honor TE MacArthur.
This year, the guest list also included Charles Bates, better known as Yahzick, who D&D fans may recognize from the “D&D Edition” videos with Mann Shorts. Yahzick performed double duty as a gaming and musical guest, performing game-themed raps at the Aural Alchemy Concert.
Shopping
Shopping at Clockwork Alchemy isn’t like other cons. While your typical convention has a Dealers’ Hall filled with vendors and businesses, and an Artist Alley for independent artists, Clockwork Alchemy featured an Artists’ Bazaar, where attendees could buy handcrafted goods.
The Artists’ Bazaar featured a variety of unique, homemade wares, including clothing, incense, metal sculptures, and even decorations made from naturally sourced animal bones. While prices varied from seller to seller, attendees were paying independent artists for their handmade goods, which is always worth a few extra bucks.
Additionally, attendees could purchase books from the Author’s Alley and Basilisk’s Book Shop within the Artists’ Bazaar. This featured works from guest authors, including science fiction, romance, fantasy, horror, and many combinations thereof.
And for those looking to grab some garb without spending much, they could try their luck at the Garb Giveaway to snag some gently-used jackets, hats, and other outfit pieces in need of a new home.
Panels, Workshops, and Weapons
Throughout the con, attendees could sit down and attend panels covering a wide array of topics, presented by knowledgeable experts and fans. The panels covered a wide array of topics, including “Steampunk Occultism,” the storytelling in “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” steampunk in tabletop RPGs, a history of San Francisco in the gaslight era, and more. Suffice it to say, the variety and subjects made for unique panels and discussions you can’t find anywhere else.
In addition to informational panels and discussions, Clockwork Alchemy also featured hands-on workshops, where attendees could learn and practice their own crafts. This included a butterfly pinning workshop, plush sewing, origami (including both all-ages and adult origami workshops), Victorian hat pins, and more. While many of these workshops did have a cost to cover the materials, they gave attendees a chance to make something new and take home their creations.
Speaking of hands-on experiences, Clockwork Alchemy’s War Room featured weapon demonstrations and training throughout the convention. Attendees had the chance to learn martial arts, self-defense techniques, and a variety of weapons, from knives to naginata. There were guidelines in place to make sure that attendees of all ages and physical abilities could safely learn and practice, under the careful instruction and guidance of trained staff.
Events and Activities
The schedule contained plenty of other activities throughout the convention weekend, including several unique to Clockwork Alchemy. Tea Dueling, for instance, is an always-popular competition, wherein competitors would compete in what’s essentially a game of “chicken” to cleanly eat biscuits dunked in hot tea.
Speaking of tea, there was the Teapot Racing contest, where competitors drove remote-controlled cars mounted with teapots through an obstacle course. Naturally, there was also the Alchemist Tea Parlor, where attendees could rest their feet and sit down for a nice hot cuppa and converse with other attendees.
The game room provided another opportunity for attendees to relax and meet new friends, with a nice selection of board games (many steampunk-themed, of course) and several TTRPGs scheduled throughout the weekend. This included Dungeons & Dragons, of course, but also systems like In Nomine, Deadlands Classic, and even a new game-in-progress by guest Yahzick called “The Florida Mann.”
Attendees hoping to enjoy some music had plenty of opportunities, with concerts and performances by the con’s musical guests throughout the weekend. For those who wanted a little more movement with their music, the Forgotten Mists Ball provided an opportunity to get on the floor and dance.
In short, there was no shortage of things to do at Clockwork Alchemy.
From Friday through Sunday, the hotel was packed full of attendees in their best steampunk garb and gears. The Grand Bay Hotel proved a fine location for the convention, complete with a scenic lakeside view and a good selection of food options (not to mention convenient parking, which is always a plus). For steampunk fans or anyone interested in the genre, Clockwork Alchemy is a con well worth checking out.
The post Clockwork Alchemy 2025 Celebrates Steampunk appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>The post Clockwork Alchemy 2024 Brings Steampunk to the Bay Area appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>
Every year, Steampunk aficionados don their finest outfits, load them up with as many gears and gadgets as they can fit, and gather together for Clockwork Alchemy, a three-day celebration of all things Steampunk.
This year’s Clockwork Alchemy, held at the San Mateo Marriott, gathered crafters, creators, combat enthusiasts, and more, with the overarching theme of “Aetheric Ocean.” As such, many attendees came clad in their finest naval or pirate gear, complete with all the cogs and contraptions that makes Steampunk so visually exciting.
So, how was the con itself?
Art Exhibition
As a celebration of all things Steampunk, Clockwork Alchemy had a dedicated room for showing off art, crafts, and any other steam-adjacent creations. The Artists Gallery and Exhibition room displayed creations by artist attendees, including clothing, costumes, paintings, and props.
Panels & Workshops
Clockwork Alchemy’s schedule was packed with panels and workshops, and many attendees spent the weekend hopping between them (with occasional breaks for food and shopping).
The panels covered a wide range of topics, including everything from writing Steampunk stories to British naval history. Other panel topics included “Which Dystopia Are We In?” “Tesla: Genius or Madman?” and the 18+ panel simply titled “Steampunk Sex.”
Workshops provided attendees with a more hands-on experience, where they could craft items like hat wings or parasols. Some of the workshops were run by the con’s maker guests, while others were recurring events from longtime attendees. Because the workshops required the hosts to bring materials to work with, they did require preregistration and payment, but the attendees got to leave with both the items they created and the experience that comes with the workshops.
Musical Performances & Stage Shows
The convention held several performances throughout the weekend, with several musical guests in attendance, including:
Each brought a different style of music to Clockwork Alchemy, giving attendees plenty of options based on their musical tastes.
Additionally, the convention included performances from local Bay Area belly dancers to a fashion show from their Fashion Guest of Honor, Katherine the Great. Attendees could even catch a magic show from Professor DR Schreiber, who combined the history of parlor magic and entertainment with his acts of prestidigitation.
Shopping
Naturally, pretty much any convention gives attendees a chance to do some shopping, and Clockwork Alchemy was no exception. But what makes this convention different from others is that every vendor is selling wares of their own creation, so rather than booths for larger stores, it’s all independent creators.
The Artist’s Bazaar was the main shopping room, and was filled with handcrafted Steampunk outfits and accessories for sale. This ranged from accessories to full outfits, as well as headphones, home decor, corsets, leather crafts, and much more. It was a great opportunity for independent creators to sell their crafts directly to interested customers.
There was also an Authors Alley, where writers could sell their books. There were several local or guest authors in attendance, with everything from science fiction novels to comic books for sale. This year, author Anthony Francis was a Guest of honor, selling his books and answering questions while enjoying tea with attendees.
Guests
Clockwork Alchemy had several Guests of Honor, encompassing different aspects of the maker and Steampunk communities. These included:
- Fashion Guest of Honor, Kathering Becvar of Blue Moon Designs
- Maker Guests of Honor Buck Potter and Charles Mason
- Author Guest of Honor Anthony Francis
- Musical Guest of Honor Frenchy and the Punk
Each of the guests had their own presentations and panels, allowing them to interact with attendees and answer their questions. Clockwork Alchemy also gave them the opportunity to bring their own passions to the con, whether it was tabletop games or foam crafting.
Games
Attendees looking for some fun and games had plenty of opportunities. The convention had two rooms for tabletop games, including a sizable library of games attendees could borrow (mostly Steampunk-themed, of course, but not necessarily).
There were several TTRPG sessions scheduled throughout the weekend, including Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and even an art-based RPG where the players’ drawings impacted the game. Maker Guest of Honor Buck Potter also ran a few one-shot adventures including a D&D Spelljammer game and a Wildsea TTRPG one-shot.
Those looking for games with a more historical twist could also join in the Victorian Parlor Games, where they’d learn authentic 19th century games.
Additionally, Clockwork Alchemy had a few unique games of its own. The convention hosted a Teapot Racing competition, where players had to drive remote controlled teapots around a course filled with obstacles. There was also the ever-popular Tea Dueling game, where competitors competed in games of Chicken by dipping biscuits in hot tea.
And More
Clockwork Alchemy had several rooms filled with activities, so attendees could always find something to watch or participate in.
The War Room, for instance, featured weapon demonstrations and training throughout the weekend, including everything from bartitsu (the martial arts technique made famous by Sherlock Holmes) to Hawaiian weaponry. Those looking for more of a science fiction bend could watch combat demonstrations from The Saber Legion Steampunk Charter, who showed off their Aetherblade (and definitely not Lightsaber) techniques.
For those in need of a moment of relaxation, and perhaps a spot of tea, the Tea Room provided an opportunity to sit down and snack. There attendees would be able to enjoy a calm atmosphere, cup of tea, and some biscuits as they took a moment to unwind. After the Tea Room closed, attendees could also stick around for a bit of fortune telling.
However, one concern that hung over the convention was the fate of its location. The San Mateo Marriott is closing down within weeks of the con, making Clockwork Alchemy 2024 the last event to be held there. While the convention organizers are currently looking for a new location, they have every confidence that Clockwork Alchemy will find a new home for 2025.
So Clockwork Alchemy 2024 bid a fond farewell to its home in the Marriott, but the attendees still left with the full convention experience. Whether they were there for the Steampunk aesthetics, workshops, panels, or art, they could find it all in Clockwork Alchemy.
The post Clockwork Alchemy 2024 Brings Steampunk to the Bay Area appeared first on G33K-HQ.
]]>