Here's What Happened at QWERTYFEST MKE 2024

7/9/2024

Year 2 of QWERTYFEST MKE exceeded our expectations in every way. It was an incredible weekend that celebrated the invention of the typewriter in Milwaukee as well as history, writing, and innovation in general. It was also a helluva lot of fun.

QF co-organizers want to give a heartfelt thanks to the many people who made this event happen. We are fortunate to have a wide base of supporters who wanted to help us see this event happen. We are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish on 2025, and we will have some dates very soon. Here's a run down of everything that happed at QF 24.

Photos by Royal Brevväxling

Friday, June 21: Typewriter Ball at Turner Hall

Retired journalist Paul Hayes had a table to sell off typers from his collection.

After a set by DJ Swing Shift (spinning records on an antique Victrola), we had our first Quick Brown Fox Typing Contest to see who QF's fastest typer would be. Seven people entered.

Here we see QF's Typewriter Technician Lisa Floading and Bob (Typewriter Muse) perhaps talking typing strategy.

Jon Boyd won the contest with an impressive 108 correct words in 120 seconds. Jon won a trophy, gift basket, and will emcee the contest next year.

We wanted to showcase other uses of the QWERTY keyboard, so our friends at DarkFusion Systems helped us set up a gaming lounge where people could play classic keyboard games like "The Oregon Trail" and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"

We set up some Scrabble boards so people could play a game while enjoying the entertainment.

Free food is always a hit. We had locally made Usinger's hot dogs, buns from Sciortino's, and popcorn.

And QWERTY cupcakes from Bakehouse23!

Turner Hall provided some themed cocktails-- the Remington Revolver and the Olivetti.

We had 9 typing stations up on the balcony. Each had a different writing prompt. Most were positioned so you could see the stage while you typed. The sound of clacking was fantastic.

QF guest Derek Mosley and QF co-organizer Molly Snyder looking sharp in their press card adorned fedoras.

The Splendid Mailbox was a free mailing station we set up. We provided postcards, paper, envelopes, and stamps. People dropped their correspondence into the mailbox. We made sure postage was correct and sent almost 100 postcards and letters all over the country and beyond.

We had about a dozen vendors-- artists, authors, crafters, and typewriter sellers.

Our QWERTY Silent Auction was a success. We had 9 typewriters, 5 of those decorated by local artists, and one typewriter purse.

Wendy Lynn Markus rocked the typewriters with percussion by Stuart DeVaan as "Measures of Escapement," a special performance for QF.

The Clackathon returned with another exciting display of creativity. The wonderful performers and crew that participated:

WOO crew/ Fabrication Assistant: Sedy Bee
All Evil Sponsors: Freesia McKee
Intimidating Judge 1: Rocky
Intimidating Judge 2/ Story Consultant: Becky Franzel
Leader of the WOO Crew/ Fabrication Assistant: Kirsten Meier
Cowardly Cliff/ Story Consultant: Matthew Filipowicz
The Poet Laureate of a Trash Mountain the Size of Texas: Kay Kro
Homeless Animal: Ben Yela
Super Duper Senior/ Costumes / Props: Leslie Vaglica
Engineer of Tomorrow’s Typewriter: Mikal Floyd Pruitt
The Dandy Troubadour: Dandy Freling
Host/ Director/ Writer/ Producer/ Stage Manager: Anja Notanja Sieger
Choreographer: Brian Rott

Our headlining act was the Boston Typewriter Orchestra. We were thrilled to bring them to town to perform.

Saturday, June 22: QWERTYFEST presentations and workshops at Charles Allis Art Museum and Whisky Type after party at Great Lakes Distillery

Librarian and author Amy Waldman gave a presentation on library resources, QF co-organizer and author Tea Krulos was joined by author Ben Riggs to discuss Wisconsin's connections to the fantasy genre, QF co-organizer and writer Molly Snyder read some of her work, and keynote presenter Richard Polt, author of "The Typewriter Revolution" gave a talk titled "Revolution Forever."

We also had a "Typewriter 101" workshop led by Lisa Floading and a creative writing workshop led by Kay Kro in the museum's beautiful French Parlor.

The Peanut Butter and Jelly Deli generously provided food for our attendees. As you can see, it's Kay Kro approved!

Carolyn Wynnack, creator of The Whisky Type website, was special guest host of our after party at Great Lakes Distillery.

Carolyn came up with some fun prompts to get the gears moving.

Vox Starling played a fantastic set, a great soundtrack for the night.

QF special guest Richard Polt (left) spent time talking with QF attendees.

Sunday, June 23: National Typewriter Day Activities
"QWERTY Journey" tour at Forest Home Cemetery
Typewriter Brunch Open Jam 2 at X-Ray Arcade
Mapping the Qwertyverse presentation at Central Library Rare Books Room
Anchor Press Open House at Charles Allis Art Museum

Typewriter Brunch Open Jam is a simple concept (and we think that's why people like it): bring a typewriter, order some food and drink and hang out.

This year we held the brunch at X-Ray Arcade.

The Qwertyverse is a project we've collaborated on with Prof. Jason Puskar (pictured) and his students. It's a site that has an archive of typewriter related documents, a mapping project, and an oral history collection. Jason talked about the project's already impressive start in Central Library's Rare Books Room. See link to Qwertyverse below.

We wrapped the weekend up with a nice open house led by Celeste Contreras (pictured) of Anchor Press, Paper and Print. AP3 provided Celeste's wonderful stamps, typerwriters, and paper to make stationary at the Charles Allis Art Museum.