IT was a busy few days for the volunteers at the Waterworks Museum, which came alive on April 28-29 with the sound and colour of Hereford's second Steampunk Weekend.

Despite variable weather, attendance was higher than last year on both days and, whilst you do not have to dress up to enjoy a Steampunk event, many more visitors chose to participate in this way (some of them for the first time).

Visitors (including the Mayor of Hereford, Cllr. Sharon Michael, who kindly supported the event on Sunday) were entertained by escapologist and juggler Greg Chapman and by Ichabod Steam (aka Paul Snook) who performed in his self built Steampunk submarine, and was supported by his robotic band. There were, in addition, 12 stalls in the Museum Visitor Centre and on the forecourt selling colourful Steampunk costume, period jewellery and collectables and confectionary.

Cllr. Michael enthused: "What a fascinating and enjoyable event the Steampunk weekend was. My visit was a pleasure from beginning to end. I saw wonderful costumes inspired from 19th century incorporated with elements of the mechanical, which were brilliant and the inventive, alongside splendid music and entertainment. As a Steampunk newbie it may have been my first visit but it won't be my last, and I can't wait to get my costume ready for next year's event."

Museum chairman, Richard Curtis, said: "Hosting this event over two days with extended opening hours called for big effort from our volunteers, so I was delighted to see many more visitors enjoying the Steampunk market and entertainment this year. I would also like to acknowledge the support shown to the Museum by Hinton FC and Hereford Society of Model Engineers, who gave access to car parking and other facilities, without which this event might not have been possible."

A gallery of photographs from Hereford Steampunk Weekend will appear on the museum website shortly, which, we hope, will inspire more visitors to enjoy the event next year (on April 27-28, 2019), when the Saturday evening cabaret will be held in Hereford's Shire Hall.