Cogs and Corsets steampunk fest takes over Bloomington for 6th year

Amy O'Neal talks about events coming up at Cogs and Corsets

BLOOMINGTON — Devin Larson of Springfield said he was first drawn to the steampunk community when he was 13 and described it as the first "nerdy" thing that got him involved.

Since then, Larson and his partner, Emily Smith, have attended numerous conventions dedicated to steampunk, which is a subgenre of science fiction that infuses 19th century industrial technology into futuristic designs and aesthetics.

"I've gone all the way to Baltimore," Larson said. "I've gone to New York, Florida (and) pretty much around the East Coast."

Although he didn't plan to attend many events this year, Larson and Smith still made time for the sixth annual Cogs and Corsets steampunk festival in downtown Bloomington this weekend.

The event kicked off Friday evening with a promenade to the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, where dozens of vendors were selling steampunk-inspired clothing and other accessories.

Deborah Olson works on a Tyrolean-style hat at her booth on Friday during the Cogs and Corsets Steampunk Vendor Market at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. Olson has been working on hats for 25 years and is from Holmen, Wisconsin.

Melanie Shellito, the event's organizer, said about 500 people attended the first year of the festival. The event didn't catch on locally at first, with most of the attendees coming from elsewhere in the Midwest.

"Over the years, we have gotten a lot more local involvement and we have been pulling from a lot further away from the Midwest," Shellito said.

Last year, approximately 2,000 people showed up from as far away as California and parts of Canada.

Jeff Platt, a Bloomington Junior High School teacher who also sells steampunk accessories via Highwind Steamworks, said he has participated in steampunk events since 2009 and praises their inclusive environment.

"(Cogs and Corsets) is a nice, hometown event that pulls in folks from literally all over," Platt said. "I'm seeing friends from Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Missouri."

Larson said there was a boom of steampunk events in 2016-17, but the movement has experienced a recent resurgence.

Randa Lay of Edina, Missouri, who runs a booth called Pockets Plus that sells pocket watches and other accessories, said she recently attended a steampunk event in Quincy where there were 50 vendors. In previous years, there had been around five vendors at the event.

Springfield's Devin Larson checks out the booths on Friday during the Cogs and Corsets Steampunk Vendor Market at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. Larson dressed the part of a Spelljammer, an adventurer from Dungeons & Dragons who travels to the alternate steampunk reality.

Lay added that she has participated in steampunk activities for the last 10 years.

"As you walk around, you're going to find things made out of weird stuff and that's the thing about steampunk," she said.

John Mamrak of Bensenville sells custom lamps and light fixtures that he makes with various pipes and vintage objects such as bee smokers. The lamps and piping are fashioned into various humanoid designs, such as a man walking a dog and a man going fishing.

Although he doesn't attend many steampunk events, Mamrak said this is the second time he has attended Cogs and Corsets.

Cee Jones works at his booth on Friday during the Cogs and Corsets Steampunk Vendor Market at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. Jones, from Sherman, was at a booth with Bri Skeels titled "The Menagerie of Misplaced Memories."

"It's pretty much a hobby," Mamrak said. "I medically retired after a heart transplant, so this is what keeps me busy now."

Saturday is when a majority of the activities took place, including parasol dueling, a fashion show and costume contest, Nerf gun dueling, and live music from John Sprocket of the steampunk music act The Cog is Dead.

Vendors and the festival's tea room still will be open Sunday.

For more information and the full events lineup, go to cogsandcorsetsil.com.

A dog named Titan Chaos enjoys Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

A clue from a murder mystery dinner hosted at Epiphany Farms Restaurant as part of Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in downtown Bloomington.

"Happy" Landon surveys suspects in a murder mystery hosted at Epiphany Farms Restaurant as part of Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets, Friday June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Choosing a necklace at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Steampunk style clothing at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Masks for sale at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Young people choose masks at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Vendors sell steampunk merchandise at Cogs and Corsets Friday in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

A vendor sells mini top hats and potion necklaces at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Handmade mini top hats at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Necklaces made from camera lenses at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in the McLean County History Museum in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets kicked off Friday, June 3 in downtown Bloomington.

Contestants line up for an airship race at Cogs and Corsets Friday, June 3 in downtown Bloomington.

A concerned citizen reads the news to President Lincoln at Cogs and Corsets Friday in downtown Bloomington.

A to Z's Catering and Parties sold food at Cogs and Corsets Friday in downtown Bloomington.

A child clears his vision before an airship race at Cogs and Corsets Friday in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets kicked off Friday in downtown Bloomington.

The Cogs and Corsets steampunk festival kicked off Friday in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets kicked off Friday in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets kicked off Friday in downtown Bloomington.

Cogs and Corsets kicked off Friday in downtown Bloomington.

Contact Drew Zimmerman at 309-820-3276. Follow Drew on Twitter: @DZimmermanLee

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