Steampunk group plans events

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Sep. 16—MANCHESTER — David Carlson and his event planning group, Oddball Newt, have a full slate of activities to wind down 2021 with a book festival next week and an outdoor celebration in October.

On Sept. 25, Oddball Newt is hosting Book Fiend Readers Fest at Cheney Hall with panels, signings, book readings, and other activities.

"It's a celebration of steampunk, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers with a bit of poetry mixed in," Carlson said.

More than a dozen writers are set to appear, and eight panels are organized for the daylong event.

Then on Oct. 16 at Purnell Place, east of Main Street, Oddball Newt will host the Silk City Steampunk Festival with live music and performances, vendors, and food.

Carlson said he received a downtown arts and culture mini grant from the town to help put on the festival.

Carlson describes Oddball Newt as a "niche" business that hosts steampunk-related events.

"Steampunk is the mixing of Victorian aesthetic and elements of sci-fi," Carlson said.

Another annual event, the Stupid Cupid Steampunk Ball, returns in February for its seventh year. Carlson said this year's ball will be two days long. He and Oddball Newt even managed to host the annual Valentines Day event during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's been going strong — we haven't missed an event yet," Carlson said. "Even in COVID, we've been able to put the play in plague."

Carlson said the first seeds of Oddball Newt began when he was a child and tasked with coming up the name for a business for class.

"Flash forward 30, 40 years, I own a business and I'm calling it Oddball Newt," Carlson said.

He said he started putting on events in the area because he noticed a lack of steampunk activities in Connecticut.

While Manchester is Oddball Newt's hometown for events, Carlson has hosted things statewide. His first event was the Stupid Cupid Steampunk Ball in Norwich several years ago and he's also hosted events in Simsbury and other towns.

"Although we do things outside of town, we are making Manchester its base," Carlson said. "Manchester is such a fabulous place to live, it should be the epicenter of steampunk events in Connecticut."

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