First Timer’s Guide to Expo Info

Gaslight Steampunk Expo is an three and a half day event held annually in San Diego, California by a group of dedicated enthusiasts and volunteers who have a passion for science fiction, the Victorian era, Maker ingenuity, and a flair for costumes.

The majority of our guests do come in costume, but never fear! Costumes are in no way required. In fact, you may find something that takes your fancy in our Vendor Hall or at our Saturday morning Swap Meet. We’ve included some basic steampunk costume items below for your reference if you would like to get something for yourself before the event.

Steampunk is a word created by K. W. Jeter in 1987 in a letter to Locus Magazine (a science fiction literary trade magazine) that played off the recently created sub-genre of cyberpunk (Blade Runner) to describe the steam driven technological Victorian dark fantasies he and fellow authors, James Blaylock and Tim Powers, had been writing.