Waltham Common turned into a sea of brass goggles, brocade and lace, corsets, fancy hats, feathers and pocket watches as the 2026 Watch City Steampunk Festival swung into full gear on Saturday afternoon. The free outdoor event was centered around steampunk, a genre that blends Victorian-era style with retro futuristic technology.
The festival brought costumed performers, vendors, children’s activities, food and community groups to downtown Waltham. Lining the walkways were tents overflowing with genre fashions, jewelry, antique machinery and tools, aromatic soaps and candles, exotic teas and potions appealing to the steampunkers.
A gentleman towering on stilts, clad in red and yellow stripes, delighted the crowd with feats of juggling. Aerial artists Baechtold and Abel entranced spectators with their balletic midair moves. Two dozen performers, with fanciful names such as Mary Puppets, Trevor “The Games Man,” Athena School of Arms, The Cropper Lads, The Harlot Queens and Lucretia’s Daggers, kept up a steady stream of entertainment.
There were games, magic tricks, artisans and curiosities to investigate, such as Dr. J.R. — King of the Impossible, Harmonographica, New England LEGO User’s Group, Prospect Hill Forge, The Great American Street Organ Magic Show, the Museum of Interesting Things and The Steampunk Roadster.
Festival goers could choose from an eclectic array of foods, from Brazilian and pan-Asian treats to barbecue, cannolis and Brelundi’s succulent arancini.
Because of the newly imposed four-hour limit for events on Waltham Common, festival organizers arranged for an array of before and after events, ranging from a Red Cross blood drive at First Parish to open mics, a “Make Your Own Golem” at Temple Beth Israel and a pub and chanty sing-along at In A Pickle.
A number of local dignitaries stopped by, including Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, city councilors Tim King and Sean Durkee and Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.
The Watch City Steampunk Festival has been part of Waltham’s community calendar since 2010 and is described by organizers as one of New England’s largest outdoor steampunk festivals.
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Thank you, Waltham, for your support of vendors like me! It was a steamtastic day!