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Thanks to Jim Willis (video) and Michael Alford (stills) for this 14 minute video peek into the Steampunk theme of 3rd Friday Art Walk.

Due to the recent article in Texas Highways,  some Steampunkers from other communities found their way to our event and by all reports had a great time. 

You'll see a gathering of fashionable guests mingling with local residents at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts.  There are also many shots of those in costume walking through restaurants to the delight and surprise of the guests dining.  Phones came out of purses and pockets to capture the unexpected Fashion Walk.

Winnsboro, thanks to the efforts of Art & Espresso, is now officially sanctioned by the national Tea Duel organization.  If you aren't familiar with this "like watching paint dry" but more fun event, the point is to get a shortbread dipped in tea to reach a competitor's mouth

Steampunk is a very popular theme (think Wild, Wild West, Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey, Jr., The Prestige and other TV shows and movies) however, other actual historic eras have been represented as well, including Lords and Ladies from centuries past.

Note that 3rd Friday is scheduled every month.  The theme is always announced in advance.

Medieval, Renaissance and Victorian eras have also been featured.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy participating in, sign up for the free Weekend Planner (see the Home page)to get the information in advance so you have plenty of time to pull your costume together! 

On Friday, July 20, the historic downtown area of Winnsboro was alive, well with just about every space that even looked like a parking  spot filled.  (No parking meters anywhere! All parking is free, day or night.)

The usual suspects - Art & Espresso, Keyring Gallery, Silhouette Dressmaking, Sayadeam Studio, Winnsboro Emporium , Liefie's and Beauweevils - opened their doors for the evening.

The only way to describe the evening was fun.  The businesses that organize the 3rd Friday Art Walk are scheduling themed events to make it more fun.  Don't worry.  We'll alert you ahead of time what the upcoming themes are.

The downtown area was flooded with people from the surrounding lakes as well as locals in steampunk costumes.

What is steampunk? The best examples are in the works of Jules Verne and other imaginative authors of the time.  You see how the new Industrial Era excited the imaginations of  Victorians. Much of the literature and illustrations of the time reflect how people thought the 20th century would look like with airships, exciting expeditions and much more.

Steampunk fashion is based on Victorian dress, with the addition of industrial symbols. For example, railroad-style watches point to the extensive railways laid to make travel easier. Goggles are a nod to aeronauts and airships.  Gears and custom gadgets are often blended together with clothing, "weapons" and strange inventions.

You'll find more photos on Winnsboro-related facebook pages.