The Aberystwyth Steampunk Spectacular returns to the town this weekend.

Following on from last year’s highly successful inaugural event, the quintessential Victorian town will once again play host to a number of steampunk activities as well as a bumper evening of entertainment on Saturday.

Ceredigion Museum will host the evening from 7pm to 11pm in its old-time theatre, with entertainment from the Showtime Singers, Captain of the Lost Waves and The Hornettes.

The Showtime Singers are one of Aberystwyth’s oldest amateur dramatics societies while Captain of the Lost Waves, with one leg in early 20th century vaudeville and the other in tomorrow’s social commentary, tells stories to connect with everyone past, present and future.

The Hornettes will close the evening with their repertoire of songs from the swinging ‘60s and ‘70s.

Over the course of the weekend, the Old College will act as the main venue for all indoor activities with various steampunk traders setting up stalls in the Quad.

Highlights on Saturday include Professor Marmaduke Salt of the Royal Panopticon of Popular Science, performed by Iwan Rhys Morus; author Gail B Williams who will talk about crafting a weird and wonderful world; Jenevieve Van-Veda on the Geisha in Steampunk and Gothic Subcultures; and prolific author of alt-Edwardian and steampunk novels, Stephen Palmer.

Among the guest speakers on Sunday are Prof Richard Marggraf Turley and Dr Peter Todd who try to determine how scary Frankenstein is by measuring your biophysical reactions while you read pages from Mary Shelley’s famous novel; and Dr Hannah Dee, who will look at the life of Ada Lovelace and her work, concentrating on her inventions and her vision of the future of calculating machines.

And that’s not to mention the frequent sessions of tea duelling and teapot racing!

Away from the Old College, there will also be Victorian attractions available at the Vale of Rheidol railway station.

The Aberystwyth Steampunk Spectacular is on Saturday and Sunday, 12 and 13 October. Visit www.steampunk.wales for the full programme of activities.

For more of what’s on in your area, see this week’s Cambrian News, on sale now