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Steampunk festival creates an unlikely capital for Victorian style and sci-fi oddity in New Zealand

On Saturday, May 30, 2026, thousands of visitors gathered in Lamaru, New Zealand, for the annual four-day steampunk festival, transforming the small South Island town of 14,000 people into a creative hub.
Lamaru features a preserved 19th-century Victorian street by the harbor, with cream-colored stone buildings once serving as a commercial powerhouse for meat and wool exports to Britain, now providing the backdrop for steampunk adventures.
Steampunks pride themselves on DIY craftsmanship through sewing and metalworking to create elaborate personas. Festival co-founder Iain Clark, known as Agent Darling, calls it an "equal opportunity society," stating "Women, unlike in Victorian times, can be anything."
Creative competitions highlighted the festival, including remote-controlled teapot races on obstacle courses and elaborate fashion shows. Ross McKay, a sport creator, noted "If you go out of bounds, that's a disqualification."
Now in its 17th year, the festival ranks among the world's best-known steampunk events. Later this year, Lamaru will host a historically accurate Victorian festival, with both communities coexisting peacefully in the town.

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Steampunk festival creates an unlikely capital for Victorian style and sci-fi oddity in New Zealand

Thousands of people in New Zealand have attended one of the world’s best-known steampunk festivals. The four-day event in rural Ōamaru is a celebration of Victorian aesthetics mixed with science fiction.

1 day ago·New York, United States

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