TeslaCon 2025 Programing Schedule

Nearly every coastal culture had a tradition of non-human aquatic beings, who range from gods and monsters to – wives and husbands. I will present lore and stories and poems about mermaids and mermen from around the world: Africa, Aboriginal Australia, Japan, the Inuit lands, ancient Assyria, Scotland, Thailand, and many more!

Confused about what all those eras are, and what they looked like? Come on down to my lecture about the history of fashion! This will be a brief overview of 1775-1950, and will include all sort of interesting information.

This one is for the kids! Bring your steampunked Nerf gun and have some fun with fellow TeslaCon Kids! We'll have target-shooting games and Nerf gun playing for kids up to 14 years old. Goggles or any other eye protection is required. We'll have Nerf guns available.

An examination and exploration of lands once above water, but which are now submerged. The presentation ranges from the mythical to the actual, and from Atlantis to Zealandia.

One of my favorite demonstrations as a fur trade reenactor is Native American Foods. We could touch, smell, and taste different food and drinks of the Americas. While the East India Company brought supplies and spices into the Americas, they never left with empty cargo ships.

I'm planning to do a history on shanties, why they were useful for ships. I also would like to have some audience participation in sing-alongs and possible instrumental portions. Kid-friendly as much as possible, I know some fun kids versions of some shanties and nothing bawdy.

Dive into an enchanting panel presented by a live mermaid, where you'll discover a treasure trove of travel tips for mingling with the locals on your own submarine adventure. Immerse yourself in the whimsical world of undersea etiquette and learn the secrets of making waves in subaquatic society. Join us for an unforgettable journey beneath the waves where gears mesh with scales, brass meets barnacles, and adventure awaits around every coral-covered corner!

In this presentation we will explore how to use clothing & accessories, style, and thematic details to create a look that communicates your persona to others, whether you're a chimney sweep or charlatan, airship pilot or lay about aristocrat. Get ideas on how to research and find inspiration... use clothing and accessories *with intention* in order to really project your character! Whether historical or fantastical in nature, you can could be a walking story for everyone you encounter. Be ready for lots of images, in-person examples of visually expressive personas, and even some idea workshopping at the end of the presentation!

Full translation of Jules Vernes' novel "20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea" has revealed the scientific secret of the famous submarine's advanced propulsion system--and it's SO Steampunk! This presentation will delve into the real science of Nemo's ship, his lighting system, weapons, and underwater breathing apparatus.

This is a brief survey of technologies that profoundly impacted human culture and civilization. So what is your favorite? The stirrup, lets you finally put some real power behind that saber cut. Or maybe the Archimedes Screw. I will entice the audience to provide their thoughts and then contrast them with my own list. This will be an open discussion.

Dive into the historical depths of Wisconsin’s waterways! Steam-powered ships have carried both cargo and passengers across the Great Lakes since the early 1800s, but their use didn’t reach its prime until around the turn of the twentieth century. We will explore the stories of those vessels, crews, and passengers that didn’t quite reach their destinations, aided by historical images, maps, and modern archeological records.

Explore the fascinating genre of alternate history in media, where writers and artists imagine scenarios of a past that never was. In this panel, we’ll discuss some of the most popular and influential works of the genre in media, such as Watchmen, Anno Dracula, and Loki. We will also examine the themes, challenges, and implications of creating and consuming alternate history stories.

What is SteamPunk without the steam? Join Magister Aloysius Von Diesel​ as he travels back to ancient Greece to investigate the first known use of steam to perform a task, to Victorian England to pump water, power early factories, and even cleal the Thames river of a powerful odor. Then on to the New World of the United States, where steam is put to work building a country, and transporting goods and people across the vast distances of North America.

Anne Bonny is the most famous of the Pirate Queens of the Golden Age of Piracy. Learn about her childhood, her life on the high seas with “Calico” Jack Rackham and Mary Read, and why Hollywood (and the rest of us) still can’t get enough of her.

The women! Meet a daring tactician of the ancient world, a Muslim woman Corsair; enterprising and vengeful pirate widows; a mother-and-daughter-in-law ship-stealing duo; the “Most Successful Pirate in History” who got the better of the Chinese empire, and more.The Jews. When Spain forced them out, some went to raid Spanish shipping in the Caribbean under the code name “Portuguese”; and Spain’s holdings in the Netherlands. Meet Amsterdam’s Pirate Rabbi, - whose portrait may have been painted by Rembrandt. And America’s Cajun pirate, too.

Presented by the BrassGears Ukulele Melodium (BUMs). Come make music with us: bring your ukulele, stringed instrument, or your voice and join us in a song circle. We may perform some other time during the convention to share our caterwauling with the public.

Finding your way around the Earth is a ball! Get it? Ball! We'll learn about Navigation methods from crossed sticks to hyperbolic radio proximity to inertial integration. Join us to make sure you're heading in the right direction!

A presentation on the technology of Atlantis. What we think, know, and still use from this missing ancient city.

Although the "Great Age" of Piracy was long over, pirates and piracy existed (and, in some areas) continues to exist, from the early years of the United States, to the time of Prohibition. Pirates plied the seas all around the world--and even in the Great Lakes! This presentation will give a run-down of notorious pirates, and some much lesser-known.

Pirates, ghosts, and strange happenings! Captain Quaestor, a steampunk adventurer who hails from an island in the Caribbean Sea, shall narrate some thrilling 19th-century stories from his native land. Some are based on history, some are based on local legends, all of them entertaining and a great source for steampunk creativity!

A tea for those ticket holders with Mr. Ed and his Dinos.

Discover the real story behind the maritime gadgets and gizmos! First, we'll talk about the wide range of actual technology used in navigation and seafaring. Then, we'll explore how these technologies have influenced steampunk media.

Presentation will be by a living Selkie . She has chosen to reveal herself to her audience.
Her knowledge of Celtic sea folk and creatures will be worth hearing and seeing.

Resistance can take many forms. It can be an armed rebellion or revolt, a personal attack or escape. It canalso look like the food people ate, the clothes they wore, or the language they created. This presentation looks at the ways that enslaved and free Black people in the Americas and the Caribbean resisted systems of oppression, and created a foundation for culture in the Americas that exist today.

Learn the true history of famous pirate queens like Anne Bonny, Mary Read and Grace O’Malley, as well as other, lesser-known but equally courageous Women of Fortune who ruled the seas.

The Titanic was not only a bridge between Europe and America but also between the old and the new. It was the most luxurious, opulent ship of its time while also boasting a number of engineering and mechanical advancements. Join Professor Lena Foltz-Pendarvis and Magister Aloysious Von Diesel as they delve into the dichotomy of tradition and technology related to the Titanic.

From clockwork cities to sentient robots, airships, and time travel, this informative panel will explore how the imaginative worlds of Steampunk serve as dynamic settings for various narratives. Guest authors and storytellers will discuss how these unique settings and conventions provide endless opportunities for creative storytelling, blending history, fantasy, romance, science, and futuristic innovation.

After a quick introduction (if desired) the participants will share songs of the sea as we sing, learn, teach and laugh together. Lyrics will be provided for any songs that aren’t known by everyone.
All singing abilities are welcome! Its more important to want to sing and have fun than to be pitch perfect!