A futuristic twist on Victorian-Era style is coming to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds Oct. 2-4. Complete with celebrity guests, cosplayers, comic book artists and live bands—Steam House Con is set to bring the steampunk culture to this area.

Longtime friends Joe Cahill and Mark Davis had the vision of bringing a steampunk convention to the valley as well as opening a coffee house that encompasses art, music, literature, poetry and indie films in the same type of genre. 

Steam House Coffee Co.’s grand opening in Modesto is put on hold until after the convention.

“The coffee shop is on the back burner for a minute, but we’re looking to open by end of the year,” Cahill said. “We have a lot of support here and right now we are just excited to have steampunkers from around the country at the convention.”

A quick definition for a broad genre, steampunk can best be described as: “What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner,” according to Urban Dictionary.  It is inspired by 19th century industrial steam powered machinery with retro-futuristic inventions as what people of that time might have pictured them to be.

 “I was stationed in England with the military for a few years, so that’s how I was introduced to it,” Cahill said. “It actually has a very large following here in the States.”

Doc Phineas, worldwide TV steampunk icon as seen on the hit show “Pawn Stars,” will not only be in attendance at the Steam House Con, but he has offered to be the Master of Ceremonies as well.

“We’ve had people coming out of the woodworks with support,” Cahill said. “Our estimates are between three to five thousand people for attendance, but that might even be underestimating it.”

Registration can be done online at steamhousecoffeco.com. Preregistration is still available and runs $20 for a day ticket or $40 for the weekend pass.