When do wristbands go on sale for Asylum XV?

Weekend wristbands for Asylum 16 will be on sale soon; we aim for the end of February but at the time of writing (11 February) an exact date has not been announced. 

​​

What is 'The Asylum'?

Weekend at the Asylum (commonly referred to as 'The Asylum') is a Steampunk Festival which in 2026 will take place in the Historic Quarter of Lincoln, UK, from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August.

 

The event is organised by The Ministry of Steampunk.

​​​

The first Weekend at the Asylum was held in 2009 and it really was a weekend at the asylum as it was held at The Lawn, a former psychiatric hospital. That is where the name came from. The event has been held annually since, apart from two years during the covid pandemic.​

​

You can find out more about the event on this website and on the Facebook page 'Welcome to the Asylum'.

​

Do I need to buy a wristband to attend the event?​​

​​It is possible to enjoy elements of The Asylum without buying a wristband, but for the full experience including a number of perks available only to wristband holders, you will need to buy a day or weekend wristband.

​

In 2026 we anticipate that a wristband will give you access to the Castle Grounds, both castle marquees, the seating area around the castle stage and the Viewpoint (formerly known as the Heritage Centre). In 2025 it also gave access to Westgate Academy, Bailgate Methodist's Hall and the County Assembly Rooms including the Oval Room, the Ballroom and the Edwardian Suite; we have yet to finalise arrangements with some venues but anticipate broadly the same arrangements as in 2025. 

​​​​

In 2024 and 2025 wristband holders were given a discount by a number of local businesses displaying a spoof 'Blue Plaque' in their window. We plan to run a similar scheme in 2026. 

​​

You can order wristbands in advance. On purchase you will be emailed a QR code which is then scanned in either at The Advance Guard evening event on Thursday (see below) or at Event Control in Castle Square, daytime, between Friday morning and Monday afternoon. You will be fitted with a wristband. You cannot collect wristbands for other people; each person must collect their own wristband. 

​​​

Subject to availability, single day wristbands can also be purchased at Event Control during the weekend. 

​​​

Instead of buying a wristband you can access the castle grounds (but not the Viewpoint, one of the castle marquees or the seating area by the castle stage) by buying a castle admission ticket. A castle admission ticket will not give you access to Westgate Academy or the County Assembly Rooms. None of the money from castle admission tickets is paid to the Ministry of Steampunk or goes towards any of the steampunk content in the castle. 

​​​​

Just by coming along to the area around the castle, the cathedral, along Bailgate and Westgate you can enjoy some of the amazing sights and sounds of the event and you can access a selection of market stalls in public areas. Likewise you can line the streets on Monday at 11:00 to watch the 'Grand Promenade' go by.

​

But if you want to support the event, the only way to do so is to buy a daytime wristband or evening tickets.

​

Can I bring a carer with me?

Free carer’s daytime wristbands are available to adult wristband holders. Buy your own wristband and show your PIP/DLA entitlement letter at control when you collect it. Your carer will be given an equivalent wristband to yours. There is no need to prebook for your carer.

 

We are sorry but we are not able to provide free carer tickets for evening shows however the venues we use for evening shows do all have disabled access.  

​​

What about evening events?

​Evening events take place every night of the event from Thursday through to Monday.

 

The events vary from year to year, but the first evening event on Thursday night is called 'The Advanced Guard' for people who can't wait for the main event to start on the Friday morning. The last evening event on Monday evening is called the 'Dead Dog Party' and it is aimed at those who have had such a brilliant time that they don't want to go home.

​​

To attend any of the evening events you need to buy a ticket for that particular event. You will be emailed a QR code which you need to show at the door when you attend the event. 

​

More news about the evening events for Asylum 16 will be released shortly.

​​​

How do I order and collect medals and other merch?

For each Weekend at the Asylum we produce a collectable medal. They can be pre-ordered and then collected at the same time as your wristband. If there are any medals left when the event begins they are sold at event control; they usually sell out quickly. ​

​​​

There will be a dedicated web page dealing with merchandise for Asylum 16 and a link will be added to this page in due course. 

​

Where can I stay during The Asylum?

​​​​Weekend at the Asylum is  the biggest event of the year in the city of Lincoln. The city has a limited number of hotels and the rooms do get booked up quite early on.

​

In 2025 The Ministry of Steampunk came to arrangements with the Bishop Grosseteste University and Lincoln University, both of whom offered a considerable number of student rooms for use during the event. The university room prices are generally significantly cheaper than local hotel rooms. We hope to arange the same for 2026. ​

​​

Although The Asylum has taken place in Lincoln for a number of years the location of Asylum 17 in 2027 has not yet been decided and it may not be in Lincoln. We strongly advise against making any accommodation bookings for 2027 which cannot be cancelled without financial penalty.  

​

Do I need to dress up to attend The Asylum?

One of the most obvious things about The Asylum is that it attracts thousands of amazingly costumed Steampunks who come from all over the world. But you do not need to be dressed up to come along and enjoy the event, although there is a real risk that you will find yourself buying a hat and maybe a pair of goggles before you go home. Everyone is welcome, whether in costume or not. 

​

What actually happens at The Asylum?

The Asylum is a convention for Steampunks who come together to share their creativity and have fun. During the event there are more than a hundred features you can experience, from musical and dance performances, to races, competitions, panels, talks, dancing lessons, tea parties, tea duelling, teapot racing and so much more. There are markets in the streets and in the castle. There is a uniform parade in the castle on Sunday morning and the Grand Promenade in the streets on Monday morning. 

​

You will find descriptions of some of the regular features under the 'Features' tab above. 

​

Because there is so much to fit into the timetable there can be up to ten different features happening in different locations at the same time, so it really is impossible to see everything that is going on.

​

In the weeks running up to the event the Ministry of Steampunk release the full event timetable which you can download as a PDF so you can see what is on each day, what each feature involves, where and at what time it will be taking place .

​​

Can you tell me about parking?

Weekend at the Asylum is a very busy event and it attracts thousands of people to the city. The car parks get very busy. You can find out more about parking on the Visit Lincoln website at www.visitlincoln.com.

 

Can I come by train?

Yes. You can reach Lincoln Station direct from Kings Cross as well as from many other stations. The station is in the lower part of the city, fairly close to the Engine Shed evening venue. According to Google maps the walk from Lincon Station to Lincoln Castle is around 16 minutes, but this does include Steep Hill (see below). It might take slightly longer than 16 minutes in full Steampunk attire, but it is definitely walkable.   

​

Are the streets and roads flat and are there any hills I should know about? 

The Historic Quarter of Lincoln is separated from the lower part of the city by a partly pedestrianised road called Steep Hill. It is called Steep Hill for a very good reason; it is extremely steep. There are some slightly longer routes from the lower city up to the area around the castle which are not so steep. Again, maps and advice from local people (about buses which make the journey, for example) are likely to be covered on Facebook closer to the event. 

​

Castle Square (the area immediately outside the East Gate of the castle) is cobbled, as are parts of Bailgate. There is an 'almost' cobble free route to the castle across a diagonal path near the Tourist Information Centre. Some of the pavements in the area are somewhat uneven too. 

​

Many people strongly recommend wearing sturdy and comfortable shoes, not just because of the cobbles but also because after several days on your feet, seeing even a fraction of what there is to see can leave you with very tired feet. 

​

Is the event suitable for Wheelchairs?

All of our venues are accessible and this is something we take very seriously.

 

It is not a good idea to tackle Steep Hill in a wheelchair. 

​

Even with the limited parking and the cobbles, plenty of wheelchair users come to The Asylum and they generally report good experiences. A new Facebook group called the Steampunk Accessibility Squadron was set up in 2025. 

​​

Are dogs allowed at Asylum?

The following statement was been released by Lincoln Castle in advance of Asylum 15 in 2025 and we expect the same rules to apply for 2026:

 

“Lincoln Castle permits access only to dogs that are accredited assistance dogs, trained by recognised organisations to support a person with a disability. Emotional support animals or other pets are not permitted on site. Please be aware that this policy will be in place during Weekend at the Asylum.”​

​

The same rules apply to indoor events at Westgate Academy as well as the indoor market at the Methodist Church.

​

The 'house rules' at the County Assembly Rooms are that the owners are happy for dogs to be brought into the building, but please note that during Asylum this only applies to areas not being used for Asylum features, such as the entrance hallway and the bar area.

 

Only acredited assistance dogs are allowed into features being run by the Ministry of Steampunk during the Asylum weekend. This applies equally to the daytime and evening events and includes the Oval Room, the Ballroom and the Edwardian Suite. 

​

I have heard the event gets very busy. Are there quiet places I can go?

The event does get very busy yes, particularly in the streets around the castle and also around the Bandstand. But there are plenty of quieter areas where you can get away from the noise and bustle. 

​

There is a big grassy slope in the castle and it is usually possible to find a quiet spot there. The back entrance (West Gate) is usually quieter than the front (East Gate). There are a number of places that only wristband holders can access including The County Assembly Rooms and it is often possible to find somewhere quieter there. Also the Viewpoint in the castle (where we have a talks venue) has some quiet spaces. Another generally very quiet space is inside the cathedral which is quite close to the castle. 

​

A significant number of people with autism and/or anxiety and/or ADHD (for example) attend the event and their experiences are generally positive. Again, this is something which is commonly discussed on the Facebook page closer to the event. 

​​

Are there places to eat and drink?

Yes. The city has many nice places to eat, including pubs, restaurants and coffee shops near to the castle. We will also have street food vendors inside the Castle and at Westgate Academy and there will be wristband holder tea rooms in the Castle and the County Assembly Rooms. With the massive influx of people at Asylum, some of the regular places do get quite busy.

​

Do I need to bring cash with me?

Most shops and many of the event traders will take card payments, but it is a good idea to bring some cash along. 

​

There are very few cashpoint machines in this part of the city, and because the event is so busy it is not unheard of for them to run out of money.

​

Is the event safe?

Yes. We have been told that the crime rate in Lincoln actually drops during The Asylum. The historic quarter become very busy, but it is a generally joyful and peaceful place. 

​​

Are there ways I can get involved?

Yes. There are a number of pages on the 'Get Involved' tab above, so if you would like to trade, to perform, to volunteer or take part in some other way please do fill in the relevant form and a member of the MoS will get back to you. 

​

The core team of the Ministry are very few in number and we welcome people who are willing to give up some of their time over the event to volunteer with tasks such as checking tickets and handing out wristbands.

​

Once volunteers who have completed their agreed duties over the weekend we are happy to reimburse their wristband money if they wish. 

​

In 2024 for the first time we created some limited edition 'unobtainium-14' pins which were given out to volunteers and others who helped us create the event by running features; we did trhe same thing with 'unobtainium-15' pins in 2025. If you see someone wearing an unobtainium-14 or an unobtainium-15 pin you will know they made a real difference to Asylum in 2024 or 2025. This year we hope to secure a shipment of unobtainium-16 pins. They will never be sold, only ever given as a 'thank you' to those who have earned them.  ​