Walk through a good steampunk market and you are likely to find handmade hats, jewellery, leatherwork, clothing, books, art, lamps, props, curiosities and objects that are difficult to classify at all.
Markets are part of the experience
At steampunk events, trading is not simply retail. The stalls help create the atmosphere and give visitors a chance to meet the people who actually make the things they are buying.
Independent work keeps the scene distinctive
Mass-produced accessories have their place, especially for beginners, but independent makers are where much of steampunk’s originality lives.
Find traders after the event
One problem is that visitors often remember an item after they get home but cannot remember the trader’s name. Steampunk UK’s directory is intended to make those creators easier to find again.
If you trade at UK steampunk events, make sure your work can be discovered between festivals as well as during them.