'A MUSICAL DREAM-PLAY'
- we need to pinch that slogan for the Convivial
- Tiffin Mistress, Diana Clark
Clicking on the photos or text will lead you - who knows where? To something somebody wrote about the Convivial, or photographs they have shared...
Spanning three boroughs and five venues, this was a sprawling monster!
During which remote control whacky races were invented...bedlam ensued!
Outdoor summer picnicking fun with exhibitions, Steampunk Morris dancing, talks, music and ostrich racing!
STEAMPUNK ZONE
AT THE COSTUME GAMES + AFTERGLOW AT THE YELLOW BOOK BRIGHTON
Outdoors again - we took the event title and ran with it, playing a selection of Very Silly Games, including Splendid Teapot Racing, Battle Croquet, Tea Duelling, Ostrich Racing - even the Fling a Familiar Bazooka came out to play. Chain Mail talks from Clym and Valerie, and book readings from Ceri-Leigh and Daren Callow - it was a regular riot! The Yellow Book is (rumour has it) the UK's first Steampunk tavern, so we went and quaffed a few as an afterglow to the event - and what a wonderful day it was too!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL III
Expanding the market into the church over the road meant we could hold a miniature battle of Waterloo!
Pole dancing, Splendid Teapot Racing, outdoor snail racing, brolly duelling, Fling-a-Familiar and the first ever Battle Croquet!
THE NONSUCH CHRISTMAS GATHERING
A perfect way to end the year 2015 - decent food, wonderful company and excellent entertainment - this event invaded the historic Merton Abbey Mills with a Christmas market, a Mad Hatter's Christmas Party at the William Morris pub - with several Queen's speeches,; an evening variety show that was simply brimming with talented acts who performed from the heart...and a late night real ale session until 1am!
Splendid Teapot Racing - during which "the tunnel of love" was born, Umbrella fencing with the all new asphyxiation helmets, Fling-a-Familiar with Kit Cox, and sythesisers, the miniature battle of Pegasus bridge, bands, Snakes and Slatter...and so much more!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XII
I looked in the car. There was a sheep called Amy.
I remember shepherding Amy through the pub. Amy is a nice sheep.
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XIII
There was so much music - over at the church, and games downstairs in the pub, and upstairs, a plethora of newly discovered parlour games - including Lemon Golf, Orange Battling, The Hat Dance and of course several firm favourites.
Bozwell X Crow even made a film about it all, so if you missed it, you can catch up here!
We also got a lovely write up in Vice - how super!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XIV
A huge variety of parlour games, including Feather and Matchbox Race (which was slightly sabotaged, it must be said), music from a wide variety of wonderful musicians, stalls with ostriches racing through them, wonderful exhibitions and the "Make Your Own Frankenstein's Monster" competition...and the first Nonsuch Court Hearing!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XV
The first Convivial at our new venue, The Station in Stoneleigh was great fun! Upstairs in the function hall, Captain of the Lost Waves headlined, and Captain Kuppa T and the Zeppelin Crew played alongside a super cast of performers - Are you there Moriarty substituted balloons for newspapers on the Sunday at Mason's bar next door, with outdoor teapot racing, binocular football and an impromptu game of Ibble Dibble. Ben was hauled to the Nonsuch Court Hearing by The League Against Familiar Flinging: for crimes against Familiars...but despite pleading guilty until found innocent - managed to be found innocent!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XVI
August 2019
Returning to our new favourite place, we saw a large number of Victorian parlour games based on newspaper. News stand, the Newspaper race, The Newspaper Game and of course a bit of Moriarty...now there are other newspaper games as well, but there was so much music to pack in: we enjoyed a superb set from The Filthy Spectacula and a huge number of other brilliant musicians...and other craziness involving a bizarre drinking game involving what appeared to be a gallows, and a surprise birthday present of five hundred rubber ducks. Making it very difficult to have a bath right now.
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XVII
October 2019
Wow, what a super weekend that was - absolutely off the scale bonkers!
There were so many musicians that I cannot begin to name them all by name, but I’ll try: Ukeholics; Pena; Humphrey and Maude; Boswell X Crow; Dandy Man, Catherine Paver, Moth, Time Machine, Kiss Like Ether, Kosmic Troubadour and Gareth Wax on the Saturday - and Duke Box, Doctor Grey and his Orchestra of One; Huss and Luca; Experimental Sonic Machines; Sum Yee; Alan; Choro Bandido and for the special second wind for the hardcore Steampunks - the marvellous Gareth Wax and assorted drummers and percussionists jammed until we had no more left to give! But also the dancers: the sublime Scarlet Butterfly and the somewhat more ridiculous (they would probably agree heartily) ANT HOT GOSSIP!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XVIII
February 2020
Just prior to The Terrible Plague, we managed to get one final Convivial in.
Pictured here is the wonderful Victor Ghastly, photo by the equally wonderful Jeanette Macklin.
There was a Steampunk auction. We rocked out with The Pink Diamond Revue.
I am not sure how it happened, but this time we tried Newtonian Gravity racing teacups. But we ended up with a live reptile joining in.
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XIX
October 2021
In the brief interim period between Lockdowns, we managed to squeeze another Convivial in. A small but hardcore bunch of us decided that it would be a good idea to see how many people we could squeeze into a Steampunk caravan. It was probably a very silly idea, but fortunately, nobody seemed to catch even a cold.
THE FAKE SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL
As featured on the BSBC
Set during a time of chaos and upheaval in the Kingdoms, and featuring an all-star cast, it portrays a legendary event………that never was. (Following programmes may be subject to delay)
This weekend should have been the Surrey Steampunk Convivial again, but for reasons everyone knows about, this wasn’t able to go ahead. The last Surrey Convivial was at the end of February, just before everyone’s world was turned upside down, and it seems such a long time since we all dressed up, met up and had a jolly splendid Steampunk time. Here’s hoping that the next one, in October, is still on. Maude sends her apologies to anyone not featured in this short film, she was busy night and day, felting the characters for this, and couldn’t get round to making everyone this time.
July 2020, Humphrey and Maude
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XX
February 2022
We were pleased to announce that The Surrey Steampunk Convivial would be holding the "Pneumatic Billiards" World Championship.
Pneumatic Billiards is of course an ancient game from 1894 that has been uncovered - we are looking forward to the revival of this most important sport, and are currently refurbishing and restoring an original Pneumatic Billiards table, which should be completed for our February event.
Contestants will be invited to participate on the day of the event. Prior experience, skill and natural ability was not required.
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XXI
May 2022
There was so much music this time: Victor and the Bully, HUmphrey and Maude, Madam Misfit, the Cogkneys, Hephziwren, HMAS Neovanator, Punk Fiddlers, Sum Ye, DJ Bongo, Sinsing Fling, Maria Evans (the Queen of Ragtime), Dr Gray and his Orchestra of One - and that was just on the Saturday!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XXII
Aug 2022
This one saw the return of the Fibbers, Pena, Livia Pye - and there was a lot of planning that went into the return of the late night curry!
Sunday also saw Boogedy Smak perform for the first time, Sonic 909, Encrypted Love, and our excellent Steampunk DJ flitting in and out, like a phantom on both days!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XXIII
Oct 2022
The hall was bedecked with some terrific traders - such a variety of superb products - I was very pleased with my new top hat. And also to all of the myriad performers that entertained us with book readings from Paul Eccentric and music from Humphrey and Maude, Dr Gray and his Orchestra of One, The Amigos, Kosmic troubadour, Dr Slideshow, Moth, Choro Bandido, The Cogkneys, The Faux Fibbers, Sonic 909, Sum Ye, HMAS Neovanator, Time West, Madam Misfit, Uncle Geoff, Theo Phizza and Banned from the Shed. A weekend full of incredible live music!
Darren Gooding was a marvellous co-host throughout the weekend, there were the wonderful people from Reptile Rescue - and Lady Davros (aka Jeanette Macklin) was not only the photographer in residence but also chief roadie, with her TARDIS, without which I'm not sure how we would have managed!
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XXIV
Feb 2023
According to the schedule, we were supposed to be playing "Lemon golf" this weekend. However, we actually got to be playing turnip golf instead, in accordance with the new government guidelines. The good news is that turnips contain fewer calories than lemons. We, therefore, humbly offer that turnip golf is even better exercise than lemon golf.
The Brass Brothers, and the Burn Outz entertained...
SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL XXV
Aug 2023
For the first time, a strictly limited edition of actual Surrey Steampunk Merchandise was available - the Surrey medal! Madam Misfit took her BAPS out in public for an airing for the very first time at the Convivial.