Big River Steampunk Festival Gets State Tourism Award

One of Hannibal’s most unique annual festivals has been recognized with a state tourism award.

At the annual Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism last week, the Big River Steampunk Festival received the conference’s Pathfinder Award, which recognizes the efforts of individuals and organizations that successfully target specific niche markets.

The festival came to Hannibal through the efforts of Ken and Lisa Marks, to boost tourism over Labor Day weekend and to serve as a fundraiser for their Hannibal History Museum.

The Big River Steampunk Festival, a celebration of Wild West and Victorian Era science fiction, brought nearly 12,000 people to Hannibal in 2017, resulting in an economic impact of over a million dollars.