I've never been to a steampunk event, I must check one out. I'd only been to KRF once before, twenty years ago, as an extremely drunk patron. Being a vendor, in fact really participating in one of these theme events is a totally new thing for me. Highly entertaining. I think it's the fact that everyone (pretty much) is in on the idea and theme and plays along. KRF is particularly fun I think because the first place most every patron hits is a vendor to get a Yard of ale or mead, at ten thirty in the morning, many having gotten a head start in the parking lots. By noon half the place has a decent buzz going, by three what you have is a couple of thousand drunks, a good half of them of them impressively armed. This thought does give me pause, I must admit, as I am typically obnoxious as is my.. my... (idiom, sir?) Yes! Idiom.
We were given an obvious "out" the first day.. some guy dressed (remarkably similar looking too!) as The Doctor (THE Doctor. Not just The Doctor. Tom. Nuff said.) passed by. We agreed that it was too easy a copout despite me crawling around in the mud explaining how much I wanted to spray paint a cardboard box and be K-9, and my wife seemed to take offense at the suggestion that "Dalek" and "Wench" are both five letter words. Oh well. At least her allergies have settled down, I had gotten more disapproving looks from her while explaining that her coughing and sneezing were a great costume addition, TB is very period-appropriate. However it seems that her humors (or lack thereof?) or the balance of Phlogiston have worked themselves out, with only minor forays into Ye Olde Bendryl.
That being said, I fully have called Shenanigans on the (obese) dude that showed up as Darth Vader.
Particularly as the weather may be uncooperative, I may be able to get my hands on some gate passes, PM me if you'd like a couple and I'll see if I can get a couple for you....