How to Start a Steampunk Social Group
– by Captain Skirmish of Fenwold League of Splendid Steampunks

Okay, so here's the disclaimer. I'm not an expert. I've started just the one social group, with a fellow steampunk and good friend, but as it's been running moderately smoothly since we started in 2021 I can maybe give you a few pointers on what to do and what not to do.

First of all, are there any steampunk groups in your area, or within reasonable travelling distance? If not, great, you may be onto something. If there are, is there call for another? If you're the metaphorical 'only steampunk in the village' you have a couple of options. Find the nearest steampunk catchment area within comfortable travelling distance, and look for a suitable venue. The second option is move house, but obviously that's a lot more long winded!

Find the right venue

Scope out suitable pubs or similar. Our venue is a furniture store and café which opens in the evening especially for us – if you can find someone willing to do that, you're onto a winner. When looking for a venue, make sure first of all that they would be happy to accommodate a bunch of potentially mad and oddly dressed folk one evening each month. (I’d recommend just one meet a month at least initially; if there's a call to expand later on it's easier than cutting back from fortnightly or weekly.)

Look for things like drink range and prices (and food, if available), car parking, accessibility, and if it's in a pub that it’s not too noisy, or that you have a function room to yourselves. You need to be honest with the proprietor, in that this is a speculative exercise at this point, but that the space for you is guaranteed should your plans bear fruit.

If you can, secure a night amenable for the venue – do they for instance have one night which is usually quiet? Try not to pick a night when there’s quizzes or darts matches or the like. Also, try and avoid chain pubs, as they're more likely to have rapid turnover of licensees, and they may want to be 'new brooms' and do things differently. Free houses and community pubs are the best option.

Put out feelers

Hopefully you’ll have some idea of the need for a steampunk social group in your area. Ask around, pose the question on social media. When we started FLOSS (Fenwold League of Splendid Steampunks) we put an ad in the local paper, on local Facebook sites, and printed notices for shops in the area, and got responses and interest from all these. When you've had a few responses, let the chosen venue know you're ready to set the date for your first meeting, and post to the same sites as before, plus any steampunk groups whose admins will kindly let you (contact them first and ask, rather than post with 'I hope this is ok to post' comment, which is not so polite). Assure newbies that they don't have to dress up, at least at first. Everyone should feel comfortable.

Pick a name and aim

What to call your group? Acronyms are nice and easy to remember. Locally we’ve had ELFS, MR SPATS, and FLOSS. Try not to use the name of the venue, as if that changes, you’re kind of stuck with it. Name the town or village, or area if it's more widespread. Remember to use the word 'steampunk' or 'steampunks' in there – I've known groups start up who bizarrely didn't include that, and it makes it harder to find online, or to understand what the group is about. Design a logo for the group, or a motto, as this can be used on promotional material for quick and easy recognition.

Most social groups meet and chat over a beverage or three discussing events and maybe planning days out to places of interest. Some have regular themed quizzes, or games, such as tea duelling. Our group's success has maybe been down to having themes at each meet. We’ve had steampunk music acts, workshops in leathercraft, silversmithing, dance, sewing and powertex, we’ve had games and quizzes, created a fashion show, put on a radio play, had joke nights and talent nights, and set craft challenges for making steambears, masks and goggles, decorated tins and jetpacks.

In Lincolnshire we're lucky to have at least a dozen steampunk social groups, and many members belong to and visit other groups. The prevalence of groups is, I suspect, largely down to the Asylum Steampunk Festival, which has been held annually in Lincoln since 2009 (missing two years due the pandemic). The fact that it's a large county with no motorways and that the towns are pretty much spread out might be another factor.

Your first meeting

So you have a name, you have a venue, the poster has been up for a month, and the reminder poster for a week. You've planned how to introduce yourself and greet newcomers, and you've maybe even prepared some topics to chat about, or perhaps a short fun quiz. Make sure you get there early, and wait patiently. Numbers are all relative, you might have a flurry of people straight away, or it could grow over time.

Some groups have half a dozen or so regulars, and they are cozy groups, everyone gets to know each other pretty well. Other groups can be much bigger, and have little groups within the group, or be one large party. FLOSS attracts somewhere between thirty and fifty people per month, on average, and is probably the largest group in the county regarding attendance. It's no more or less successful because of the size than any other group, though, it's just bigger.

Once your group is up and running, choose others to be admins with you, and get your heads together on how you want the group to progress. Don't make things too regimented. I've seen groups fail that set treasurers, secretaries, even safeguarding officers. Do not take 'subs' unless you need to pay for the venue – and if you need to pay a venue, frankly that's another downward slope, as they should be making their money from the custom, in sales of drink, snacks, and possibly food.

Finally, advertise your group on SteampunkHub.uk so that potential members can easily find it. Good luck, and be splendid!

– Captain Skirmish, October 2025