Steampunk's Steaming in to Portland Basin

PORTLAND Basin Museum has long allowed people to get a taste of life in days gone by, but on Saturday, September 16, it’ll be offering time travel with a twist when it hosts its first Steampunk day.

What is Steampunk? It’s been described as many things, such as imagining the future as a Victorian living through the Industrial Revolution might have expected it to be. Most of all though, it’s lots of fun.

‍Visitors can expect stalls selling Steampunk clothing, accessories and books. Blackpool writer Nathan Parker will be one of a trio of northern poets reading their work, and there’ll be a vocalist singing songs to suit all tastes.

There’ll also be people dressed to impress in their Steampunk finery. Expect to see lots of top hats and goggles which are pretty much the Steampunk trademark.

Goggles serve many purposes in the world of Steampunk such as keeping the wind on an airship from drying out your eyes, and protecting them from sparks and hot steam in the laboratory or boiler room.

Cllr Sangita Patel, Tameside Council’s assistant executive member for culture, heritage and digital inclusivity, said: "The Steampunk extravaganza promises to be a real spectacle. It’ll be full of costumes, colour and imagination.

“With music and poetry it’ll be a feast for all the senses. If you want to enjoy something a little different and in the picturesque canalside setting of an award-winning museum, then get to the Steampunk event on Saturday, September 16. It’ll definitely be worth it.

“Who knows, you might enjoy it so much you could get together with the friends staging the extravaganza to form a Tameside group.”

Admission to the festival, which takes place from 11am to 4pm is free. Portland Basin Museum can be found at Portland Place, Ashton, OL7 0QA – 0161 342 5480.

www.tameside.gov.uk/portlandbasin

September is also Tameside Heritage Month which takes in Heritage Open Days when buildings across the borough open their doors to allow the public to get a look behind the scenes.

For full details visit www.tameside.gov.uk/archives/news or www.intameside.co.uk/whats-on