Kinetic Steam Works’ annual Roll Out event is coming up! Saturday, November 12th, from Noon to 10PM, come celebrate this autumnal steamy spectacular with us. There will be plenty of cottony cloud soft steam, food, beer/wine, a silent auction, mechanical entertainments mammoth and bijou, craft vendors, and a magnificent musical lineup including Lord Loves A Working Man, Beso Negro, Sour Mash Hug Band, Shovelman, and others. Kinetic art and attractions include several wood fired steam engines including all 9-tons of “Hortense,” KSW’s lovingly restored 1923 traction engine, the Pumpkin Guillotine returns, steam powered abominable snow cones, Jon Sarriugarte & Kyrsten Mate’s “Serpent Twins,” Justin Gray’s jet-turbine powered “Robot Charlie,” Ben Cowden’s “Gathering” and “A Gentle Tugand,” and much more. We invite you to come on down and celebrate, you’ll be supporting Kinetic Steam Works, a unique nonprofit organization. $10 to $100 sliding scale. Kids under 12 get in free (they must be accompanied by an adult), the family rate is $20. Location Info: 2525 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA, 94607.

Sparks shoot from the stack of the 110 horsepower Best steam traction engine (Photo by Troye Welch)

While some of the weekend was spent in 100 degree sweltering heat, the group did get some time to cool off and enjoy some of the sights and sounds. Here, the Best traction engine is facing off with Pappy, throwing sparks (sawdust thrown into a stoked, raging firebox) to the night sky

Pappy wows the crowd again at Chico 2011

KSW had a relatively relaxing weekend at Patrick Ranch for the June 2011 Threshing Bee. This was the first time we had run Pappy since we re-poured the main (babbitt) bearings and replaced the main crank shaft, so we were taking it easy while they broke in.

We decided we needed a half shaft to speed up the RPMs to get this old belt-driven centrifugal pump of Dick’s to work well enough with Stephen’s sculpture for Thursday’s event

KSW will join Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show in Oakland next Thursday, April 21st for the kickoff of their sold-out tour. Steam and awesome music! What could be better?

It took a long battle with red tape but KSW is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit and can issue donation letters for tax deduction purposes. We can even issue them retroactively back to March of 2010! If you made a donation after then or have been waiting to donate until we had this taken care of get in touch with us and we’ll get you a letter ASAP!

KSW seeks donations of all kinds, not just ones directly steam related. If you have anything clogging up your space let is know!

KSW will once again be front and center for the 2011 Edwardian Ball in San Francisco, January 21st and 22nd. We’re bringing the tea room back with a whole new cacophony of steam driven goodies!