THE MINISTRY OF STEAMPUNK
NEWS FLASH!!
The weekend timetable is now complete and can be downloaded as a PDF from here or via the link below. Please make sure you check back before the event to ensure you have the latest version, as a whole host of supernatural processes could mean that changes must be made.
Having run successful Steampunk Halloween events in Hull in 2022 and 2023, the Ministry of Steampunk have this year decided to bring the event to Lincoln, based at The County Assembly Rooms on Bailgate.
Friday Evening
​Steampunk Halloween 2024 will kick off on Friday evening with Ghost Night, a musical evening featuring two of Steampunk's favourite bands.
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The doors to the street will open at 7PM so you can come inside, meet up with friends and grab a drink at the bar.
But don't leave it too long before heading off to brave the spooky 'M1' passage to gain entry into the magnificent Regency Ballroom, for an evening of fully seated entertainment. ​​​​​
First to perform will be Jacob and Ellwood Brass, The Brass Brothers, who are sure to include plenty of spooky songs in their set.
Next up and headlining the evening will be The Wight Hot Pipes, firm MoS favourites who also headlined Time Travellers at Asylum this year.
Get ready for some fabulous covers, some of the band's original songs and a liberal dash of bagpipes.
Incidentally, if you've been looking for an opportunity to wear that UV reactive makeup, then this could be the night!​​​
Also on Friday night you are invited to bring along a carved or steampunk Pumpkin to be displayed for the evening as part of 'The Gourd Exhibition'. A small prize will be awarded to the winner of the best pumpkin.
You can take your pumpkin home with you on Friday evening if you wish, or leave it on display over the weekend.
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Saturday Daytime
The doors to the Assembly Rooms will open on Saturday at 10AM. If you have a ticket for either Ghost Night or The Immortal Ball then admission is free; otherwise it will be £2 (cash only please) on the door.
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When you arrive you will be able to collect any pre-ordered medals.
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There will be a curated Steampunk market in the body of the Ballroom from 10AM to 4PM but we will be leaving space for performances by S.C.O.N.E. (the Steampunk Choir of Notorious Excellence) and the Boston Witches (who performed to a great reception at Asylum XIV) as well as Halloween-themed Teapot Racing.
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In the Edwardian Suite we will be holding a number of talks and features, including:
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Step into the World of Tellus with Ed Purle - an interview and Q&A session with author Ed Purle​​
​​The Mummy Lives! - From Hammer Horror to Hollywook Blockbusters, The Mummy is a popular horror trope and 'trick or treat' theme. An exploration of the reality of ancient Egyptian practices and history with some reconstructed props and behind the scene footage from a documentary show or two - with John Naylor.​
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​Tea Duelling, including an opportunity for the winner to take part in the World Championship at Asylum XV.
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Halloween, Blood and Brains. Come and find out about the medical inspiration for Vampires, how your brain works (part I) and the neurological explanations for some weird and scary symptoms - with Nimrod Lancaster.​
​The Making and Costumes of 'The Witches Daughter'. A talk on this award-winning short film which tells one aspect of the Pendle Whitches story - with Karen Grover, costume designer.
Saturday Evening
Saturday evening will be the centrepiece of the weekend, The Immortal Ball.
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The Halloween theme lends itself perfectly to a Grand Halloween Ball with atmosphere, great food and this year the wonderful voice of Alice Strange who will be entertaining us after dinner.
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Doors to the venue will open at 7PM and the event will begin at 7:30PM.
Please do try and arrive at The Assembly Rooms between 7 and 7:30PM as the doors from the Oval Room to the Ballroom will open at 7:30PM sharp and you won't want to miss the start of the evening!
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The meal at The Immortal Ball will begin with artisan breads and balsamic vinegar followed by a hot buffet with several choices, including of course a vegan option, accompanied by chips and/or rice and/or salad all followed by a chocolate brownie sundae with ice cream or vegan ice cream.
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Once we have all eaten we will be entertained by the incomparable Alice Strange who has made it no scecret that Halloween is her favourite time of the year. You can expect Alice's magical voice and a collection of songs chosen to reflect the occasion.
Throughout the evening Annie Griffith/Madame Scone will be offering free Tarot Readings in the Oval Room, so this could be an opportunity for you to discover some very important information at the same time as having a fabulous evening (but please note what Madame Scone says on the subject; "Tarot Readings can be as silly of as serious as you like, but should never be treated as serious foretellings of the future")​
​Sadly, sooner or later even the most fabulous things have to come to an end;
Hearses at Midnight
As for what to wear to The Immortal Ball the choice is absolutely yours. You can expect guests in regular Steampunk attire and in ball gowns, but also expect Immortals of all kinds, from ghosts to vampires to the Addams Family to Beetlejuice and all kinds of creatures in between.
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The images below are taken from our previous two Immortal Balls held at The Guildhall in Hull. The County Assembly Rooms in Lincoln is an equally fabulous location for such a splended evening and you can expect a great deal of Steampunk Halloween fun.
Sunday Daytime
Sunday will start slightly later, at 10:30AM when the Assembly Rooms doors will open. Once again entry is free to anyone with a Ghost Night or Immortal Ball ticket, otherwise there will be an entry fee of £2 (cash only please) on the door.
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At 10:45 we will meet up in the Castle for a photo or two and a spot of Trinket Trading at The Old Curiosity Swap , before meandering (or Zombie Shuffling if you prefer) along Bailgate to The Assembly Rooms.
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During the morning there will be an Illicit Market. Sorry let me type that again. There will NOT be an Illicit Market taking place at The Assembly Rooms.
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After the Illicit Market hasn't taken place we will be doing a group video session, to create a Steampunk version of the Michael Jackson 'Thriller' video. No previous experience of similar dancing is required - just come along looking as splendid or zombified as you wish. We will be shooting very short video clips which will then be magically blended into a cohesive Steampunk version of this legendary performance.
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Drinks and snacks will be available throughout Sunday morning and lunchtime from The Nearest Bar at the Assembly Rooms.
Also, our friends at the County Assembly Rooms are offering a pre-bookable Haunted High Tea to take place in the Edwardian Suite at 2:30PM on Sunday. You can find out more here or by clicking the booking link below.
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A downloadable version of the full timetable as a PDF file will be made available prior to the event.
In 2023 we produced our first ever non-Asylum MoS medal for Halloween, as seen here. Only 100 were made and they sold out very quickly.
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For 2024 we have designed a new spooky Steampunk Halloween medal. Many of them have already been pre-ordered on the basis of the artwork, but the final product is now in hand as you can see here.
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You can pre-order yours as well as buy tickets for the evening events using the buttons below.
Accommodation at BGU
We are delighted to announce that our colleagues at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are offering rooms for the nights of 1 and 2 November at their new Student Village accommodation which is diagonally across the roundabout from the main campus at BGU. The cost is £70 per night. The link below will take you to their booking site. Please mention the nights you would like to stay in the comments section when booking rooms.
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