MKE typewriter

This megadoodle by yours truly appears on the cover of the new QWERTY Quarterly, the official publication of QWERTYFEST MKE. (The decal on the paper table represents the Milwaukee Art Museum.) It should be available soon on Etsy.

 

QWERTYFEST MKE '25: Day Three

The last day of QWERTYFEST began with a visit to Forest Home Cemetery and the Sholes memorial. I slept in and skipped it, but I had been there back in 2014 when there was an international typewriter collectors' convention in Milwaukee.

I did have time for brunch before I hit the road. This took place at a bowling alley on a classic Milwaukee neighborhood corner.

Yes, that is a unicycle, and you'll see more of it.

The event combined food, typewriters, music, and conversation. (Later there was bowling, but I had to embark on the eight-hour drive to Cincinnati and couldn't stay.)

This couple had a bright yellow late Erika and an early laptop.

More computer technology was in evidence at this table featuring some objects near and dear to the passionate mechanical keyboard community.

Is this Klingon?

More tactile joy was provided by a Selectric.

Fun was had in many ways ...

I think these images sum up the spirit of QWERTYFEST:

I look forward to my next chance to see friends from the typosphere.

QWERTYFEST MKE '25: Day Two

On the second day of the FEST, I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on a downtown sidewalk with poet Albert Goldbarth, author of Ludd Light (right) and poet and musician Joey Lemon (left). Note our QWERTY caps!

We walked to the beautiful Milwaukee Public Library, where there were a variety of talks on historical and typewriterly subjects. Bob Marshall (Typewriter Muse) told us about his experience writing a book, American Roadrunner, about what it's like to participate in an illegal coast-to-coast motorcycle race. He likes to work on one or two typewriters plus a laptop, simultaneously.

Bob inspired everyone to type about their ideal writing space.

Later that afternoon, I presented a talk on uncommon portables. You can download a PDF of the slide show here.

The QWERTYFEST Schedule tells you about more of the talks, if you're curious.

And then ...

Voices from the Animal Kingdom was a unique concept spawned by the fertile mind of Anja Notanja Sieger, aka La Prosette, shown here with some of her artwork.

Visitors were given a "passport" on which they would write a question. Mine was stolen from Leibniz and Heidegger.

We then entered a dim room where no speaking was allowed. We handed our passport to various typists who were representing different animals (some extinct).

by Kro

We still weren't near the end of this busy day. After a Thai dinner with Albert and Joey, I headed to The Newsroom Pub. This beautiful bar features an amazing collection of celebrity autographs, and doubles as the headquarters of the Milwaukee Press Club.

No journalist's haunt would be complete without ...

There was storytelling, chatting, typing, drinking, feasting, and merriment.

Some attendees may even have gone dancing afterwards.

But QWERTYFEST was not yet over ...

QWERTYFEST MKE '25: The Typewriter Ball

The Typewriter Ball is the big night at QWERTYFEST MKE. 

It takes place in the Turner Hall, a grand structure built by the Turners, a German-American athletic, cultural, and political association.

Honoring Turners who died for the Union in the Civil War:

Herr Brosius looks like he's just enjoyed a nice stein of Bier.

We mingled at the start of the evening and admired artistically decorated typewriters:

Soon it was time for the typing contest. There were just four entrants, including Greg Giles boldly competing on a Mignon:

My Imperial Good Companion no. 5 and I managed to win the coveted Brown Fox trophy. It may have helped that the text to type was the opening of The Typewriter Revolution.

A crowd of hundreds assembled for the events on the main stage ...

... including poetry recitations such as this one from Lisa Marie Farver (about her love of Sir David Attenborough) ...

... and this dramatic performance from Chirskira Caillouet:

We enjoyed a standup comedy routine by Angela M.:

There were sounds from Nineteen Thirteen (note typewriter on the left) ...

... and the Boston Typewriter Orchestra:

This piece involved some alarming scraping sounds. Another included a typewriter-theremin!

Meanwhile, upstairs, vendors offered all sorts of experiences, and public typewriters awaited our creativity.

It was great to see friends such as Kirk Jackson (Nashville Typewriter) and Bob Marshall (Typewriter Muse). And, Robert Messenger, I got to wear one of the typewriter neckties you gave me!

All told, it was a great kick-off to QWERTYFEST. But there was more to come ...