CostumeFest
As a teenager, Michael Hodgson played the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, which started the contemporary role-playing games industry. Now he's into cosplay and steampunk and is one of the organisers of CostumeFest, a one-day event with demonstrations, displays and stalls offering a full range of resources for costuming and costuming props.
One of this year's highlights will be a Skype presentation with prop and makeup artist Alice Bizarre followed by leading Auckland costuming technologist Michael Eke showing how to add technology to costumes.
There are fashion parades and contests, culminating in the AetherCon Steampunk Ball and Cabaret and the Cosplay Rave, "Happy Never After". CostumeFest is the sister of AetherCon, which brings us to steampunk.
Described by aficionados as tomorrow as it used to be, steampunk costumes and paraphernalia give old-world Victoriana a decidedly futuristic twist, frequently include gadgetry, machinery, leather and wood. Michael reckons it's big in New Zealand because it appeals to our do it yourself and No8 wire ethos.
At AetherCon, steampunks can shop for couture, jewellery, hats, gadgets, clockworks, props and assorted curiosities, music and books; see performances by steampunk movie-makers and authors and join the steampunk parade and fashion contest.
This year's theme is The Industrial Revolution and the setting is a factory. In the evening, there's an all-ages ball and cabaret and a cosplay rave.
With its impressive Victorian stone buildings, Oamaru is the headquarters of steampunk in New Zealand.
The preserved Victorian precinct of shops, galleries and museums, cafes and restaurants, bars and a brewery is a natural home for the steam train, steampunk-inspired playground and the Steampunk HQ museum.
Costumed locals can be seen all year round, but the biggie is May's annual steampunk festival and ball.
Closer to home, the gold-mining town of Thames - packed with its own share of historic buildings and memorabilia - hosts its first steampunk festival, Steampunk the Thames, in November. Events include a steampunk ball, a mad hatter's convention with practical tips for costuming and getting into character. Vehicle festivals are obviously a Coromandel thing, as there's custom car art parade: Punk your Ride.
Will this become Thames' Beach Hop? In the Stupendous Steampunk Street carnival, Vintage Amusements, the Biggest Little Circus and magician puppeteer Steve London join forces with locals like the Thames Circus Club and lots of others.
Live Action Role Playing (Larp)
It's been likened to theatre or improv. Larp participants - all in costume - get together for events where a story is created and a problem needs to be solved. There are thrills and spills along the way as characters react to scenarios unfolding around them.
There are Larp groups all over the country and the NZ Larp Society keeps a detailed calendar of what's on where and when.
The Crucible Larp is a high-adventure game with heroes and villains - and everything in between - where the world is divided into five realms. Costumed players gather at Hunua's Camp Adair later this month for an entire Crucible Larping weekend. There's likely to be a number of Star Wars-themed Larps later this year when the next instalment in the movie franchise comes out.
Armageddon
Armageddon is the big one! Turning 20 in 2015, the festival dedicates an entire Labour weekend to celebrating pop culture.
Arrayed across six halls, there's sci-fi, fantasy, comics, anime, cosplay in all its forms, cartoons, TV and movies and the latest in gaming and associated technology as well as special events and guest appearances by internationally acclaimed screen stars.
For cosplayers, it's huge. There's the Cosplay Parade, an open-entry event where you sign up at Armageddon to show off your garb on the catwalk. The 2015 Cosplay Cup Auckland heat and national final is judged by a three-person panel of cosplay stars who'll look for the workmanship that's gone into each outfit.
You need to pre-register online to compete in the cup's open or novice categories.
See a show
Maybe you're shy about getting into costume but you rather appreciate the artistry of costume design. Then theatre is one of the best places for that.
Some of the most cleverly designed costumes are found in children's shows. Tim Bray productions, which stages shows every school holiday, always offers youngsters the chance to dress up as a character from the show, often based on popular children's books, join in a costume parade and receive a prize. October holiday's show is The Velveteen Rabbit.
Meanwhile, the circus adventure Carnival of the Animals also rolls into town. Inspired by French composer's Camille Saint-Saens' music, zebras juggle and flip, kangaroos skip and somersault, elephants swagger and there are even rattling dinosaur bones.
Costume designer Libby McDonnell started her career as a dancer but was always interested in art and design. She knows what will make a costume flexible, durable and workable for performers and fun to look at for audiences.
For Circa's Carnival of the Animals, Libby uses just black and white and a variety of red noses for the costumes which, she says, aren't cliched or obvious because part of the fun is for kids to figure which animal is which.
Need to know
LibraryCon: Tomorrow, 1-4pm, Panmure Community Hall, next to the Panmure Library. Basic materials provided but bring your own project too. Further workshops at Central City Library, September and October. Bookings essential makerspace@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
CostumeFest and AetherCon: Saturday, September 12, 10am-6pm; AetherCon ball from 8pm. Guineas Grand Ballroom, Ellerslie Convention Centre. Adults $15, 5- to 15-year-olds $5, under 5s free, family pass $40. Ball tickets from $30.
Steampunk the Thames: November 13-15, various locations. The Stupendous Steampunk Street carnival is on Saturday, November 14, 6-9pm. Further afield is the Oamaru original.
The New Zealand Life Action Role Playing Society Inc: Crucible, September 19-21, Camp Adair, Hunua.
Armageddon: October 23-26, ASB Showgrounds. Pre-ordered tickets recommended for the Saturday as door sales are limited.
The Velveteen Rabbit: September 26 to October 10, 10.30am and 2pm, the PumpHouse Takapuna; bookings or ph (09) 489 8360.
Carnival of the Animals: October 6-10, 11am and 2pm, Bruce Mason Centre.
