Repurposed toasters, old cameras and spray painted Coke bottles took over the streets of Thames on the weekend, to the delight of locals and visitors.

The second annual Steampunk the Thames Festival drew participants and spectators from as far afield as Northland, Taranaki and Thames.

The rather soggy weather didn't put anyone off; in fact, the dismal conditions were more reflective of a Victorian-era inspired festival than a sunny day would have been.

Steampunk blends technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

It's a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy, often incorporating a cyberpunk apocalyptic alternative history of the British Victorian era, American Wild West, or both.

It's considered to be a part of Cosplay (costume play) – but offers a more creative outlet than simply replicating existing pop culture characters, such as Batman, Captain Jack Sparrow, or the Game of Thrones cast. Cosplayers are usually limited to reproducing existing costumes; Steampunkers are limited only by their imaginations.

A key part of the Steampunk genre is recycling. Many of the clothes come from Op Shops, and are then modified with lace, brass or copy buttons and badges, and the inner workings of discarded clocks, hard drives, or other defunct electrical devices.

Steampunkers can be as hardcore or as simple as the participant has the time and money for.

Humans and canines both took part in the annual Steampunk the Thames Festival over the weekend, attracting crowds from around the country.

At the simple end – a top hat with a pair of Steampunk goggles ($15 online) and a second-hand dinner jacket with a few safety pins and old badges can be thrown together the day before. At the more complex end, weeks, or even months, can be spent crafting intricate weaponry or ‘time travel devices'.

The next Steampunk the Thames Festival is on from November 9-12, 2017, and will coincide with the 150th anniversary of gold being discovered in Thames.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/steampunkthethames/

An old toaster, an old camera, and the wheels off a suitcase come together to create a new breed of Steampunk canine.

Steampunked to the max … going all out at the Steampunk the Thames Festival.