A MAJOR Steampunk event is heading to Whitby this weekend, featuring everything from a demonstration on martial arts devised for Victorian gentlemen to NERF pistol duelling.

The event arrives at Whitby Pavilion on Friday evening, July 28 and will involve an extensive celebration of the genre – which mixes the trends of the Victorian era with sci fi and is partly inspired by the work of authors Jules Verne and HG Wells.

During the weekend, entertainment will include a presentation on the 2018 film Wuthering Heights with the director Nina Elizaveta Abhrahall and leading actors who play Cathy and Heathcliff and a separate talk by seamstress Faye Clements from White Rose Costumiers, who has worked on television programmes including Outlander and DaVinci’s Demons.

Gentleman Spiritualist medium Raymond Bokor will also be giving a presentation.

There will also be practical demonstrations on Bartitsu, a form of self-defence developed by Edward Barton-Wright, who returned to England in 1898 after living in Japan and combined Jujitsu with boxing and fighting with canes.

The event also promises an “historical overview and scientific exploration of animal magnetism, magnetic phrenology and mesmerism” as well as a practical demonstration of NERF pistol duelling.

Other free attractions include sword swallowing, fire breathing, fire eating, magicians and wandering minstrels.

Two of the highlights of the evening include a cabaret evening on Friday, July 28 and a masquerade ball at the Met Lounge and ballroom on Saturday.

The ball will be proceeded by a Steampunk Seaside Summertime Stroll when participants will parade from the Met Hotel along West Cliff towards the whalebones.

On Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 there will be free admission to the steampunk shopping emporium with more than 70 trade stands.

Organiser Andy Dolan said they were expecting in excess of 5,000 visitors.