< Back Dr. Karen Purcell Costuming Masquerade Director Dr. Karen Purcell obtained her Bachelor's in Biology from Pace University, Pleasantville Campus. She graduated with the Class of ’92 from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell, the only veterinary school in the United States with a theatre troupe. Dr. Purcell has worked as an associate veterinarian in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and North Carolina. After the pandemic, she took a year off to work remotely and volunteer with Chihuahua Rescue & Transport. She is now working Smithfield Road Veterinary Hospital in Knightdale, NC - a wonderful place with an excellent team. I am enjoying my work more than ever. In her spare time (hah!), Dr. Karen belongs to the Northern Lights Costumers and The Maryland Costumers and Cosplayers Guild. She has been running the Balticon Masquerade for the past couple years and was Masquerade Director for Discon III. Other Socials

< Back Alex Shvartsman Literary Author Alex Shvartsman is the author of Kakistocracy (2023), The Middling Affliction (2022) and Eridani’s Crown (2019) fantasy novels. Over 120 of his stories have appeared in Analog, Nature, Strange Horizons, etc. He won the WSFA Small Press Award for Short Fiction (2014) and was a three-time finalist for the Canopus Award for Excellence in Interstellar Fiction. His translations from Russian have appeared in F&SF, Clarkesworld, Tor.com, Analog, Asimov’s, etc. Alex has edited over a dozen anthologies, including the long-running Unidentified Funny Objects series. He’s the editor-in-chief of Future Science Fiction Digest. Alex resides in Brooklyn, NY. His website is http://www.alexshvartsman.com. Other Socials

< Back Virginia DeMarce Literary Author Virginia DeMarce, since retiring as a historian in 2004, has been an active participant in the 1632 alternate history series founded by Eric Flint. She co-wrote three novels with Flint, four solo novels and one solo story collection, and numerous stories in the Ring of Fire anthologies, Grantville Gazette, and 1632 & Beyond, as well as participating in the 1632 Tech Forum on Baen's Bar and presenting material at the near-annual 1632 mini-cons. Other Socials

Programming RPG Gaming Balticon 59 will have four tables of drop-in and round-the-clock tabletop role-playing games (RPG) where attendees can join one of our scheduled sessions. Games will take place between 2 PM Friday and 3 PM Monday. Read More Board Gaming We will have a wide selection of board games to play and over two dozen scheduled games to join. You can also bring your own games and sit down at a table. Our staff will be familiar with most of the available games. In addition to our scheduled game demos, we can usually teach or demo almost any of our games if you’d like. Read More Video Gaming We're still working on the full details of our video gaming room this year. Last year, we had 15 screens and two full tournaments! Read More

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42 items found for "" Baltimore Gamer Symphony Orchestra | Balticon 59 < Back Baltimore Gamer Symphony Orchestra Music Guest of Honor The Baltimore Gamer Symphony Orchestra (BGSO) was founded by Kira Levitzky in 2013 shortly after she graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, after a tenure in the UMD Gamer Symphony Orchestra. The BGSO performs orchestral arrangements of video game music for the enjoyment of the greater Baltimore community. Along with concerts, we have also worked alongside Baltimore City Schools, Gamescape at Artscape, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, and Freefall Baltimore, among others, to provide musical enrichment programs such as instrument petting zoos and more. ​ ​ Gaming | Balticon 59 Gaming Enjoy board games, RPGs, or video games? Then you’re in the right place! All gaming will take place in the Watertable rooms beyond the hotel’s Watertable restaurant on the fifth floor. RPG Gaming Balticon 59 will have four tables of drop-in and round-the-clock tabletop role-playing games (RPG) where attendees can join one of our scheduled sessions. Games will take place between 2 PM Friday and 3 PM Monday. Coming soon Board Gaming We will have a wide selection of board games to play and over two dozen scheduled games to join. You can also bring your own games and sit down at a table. Our staff will be familiar with most of the available games. In addition to our scheduled game demos, we can usually teach or demo almost any of our games if you’d like. Coming soon Video Gaming Balticon will have a dedicated Video Gaming room, with modern and retro consoles to play! Try out an old favorite from our game library, or test your skills on something you've never played before! Coming soon Volunteering | Balticon 59 Hey There Have you ever wondered what goes into making a convention happen? Balticon is a 100% volunteer-run convention, which means everyone from the gofers to the Con Chair! Nobody's getting paid around here, except in smiles and satisfaction (and also some free t-shirts). But it's also a great place to make new friends and build an amazing community together. What's in it for me? Our volunteers are pretty great, and we think you'll fit right in, too. We'd probably help without the bribes, but we'll bribe you anyway! (Minimum hours apply) Cool nickname: Berzerker! Lots of new friends! Free Balticon Berzerker T-shirt! Free membership to next year's con! Early, reserved seating for special events! Access to our Berzerker Lair! Free meals! Free crash space! (Bring your own sleeping bag) And more! Okay, but what will I do? Everyone is welcome! We'll accomodate any and all abilities. No experience necessary - we'll train you! We'll schedule around your needs and any events you want to attend. We may need to assign you to jobs where we are short-handed (but we promise not to leave you in a job you hate). ​ So what do our volunteers actually do ? Basically everything: ​ In Person (Pre-Con) Help with publicity, social media, proofread/edit publications like BSFAN, write and run registration, handle logistics, and more Help us load in or out Staff our registration, information, special assistance, volunteer, sales, etc. desks. Design, install, and run our tech (lights, video, sound) Staff our con suite, green room, gaming room, video and anime rooms, and others. Help at the art show, masquerade, or charity auction. Ensure programming happens with planning or helping out in the program sessions. Run our operations and provide con security (the hotel does the heavy lift on security). More than we can list!: If we have an activity listed on the website menu, we probably need help. Virtual/Hybrid Lots of Pre-Con planning, training, social media, etc. Help with programming Technical support for streaming and Discord. Expect training pre-con. Can we count on you to help? If all of this sounds like a great deal, we'd love to have you join us! Drop us an email at volunteers@balticon.org with an idea of what you might like to do or what kind of skills you've got to offer, and we can start the conversation! Download our Volunteer Waiver and Release Form (PDF) Download Volunteer Hours Record Form (PDF) About | Balticon 59 About Us Whether you love science with your fiction or costumes with your books, we do too! While our central theme is writing, literature, and authors, our dynamic program has something everyone can appreciate. Join over fifteen hundred fans of all backgrounds as we gather to celebrate Science Fiction and Fantasy with more than 300 hours of diverse programming, from award-winning authors and publishers to twitch live-streamers, from cosplay experts to renowned scientists and tech innovators. Sing along with our filkers, soak in our stunning Art Show and Masquerade, laugh and cry at our Film Festival. We’ve got something for everyone. Balticon exists to celebrate the creation and appreciation of science fiction and fantasy in all its expressions, by bringing together fans of all backgrounds in a warm, welcoming environment. Learn More History of Balticon Profoundly uncool since 1967 The first Balticon was a two-day party in a suite on the top floor of The Emerson Hotel in 1967. In addition to several parties, there was an “SF-oriented program”. Membership cost $1 for both days, and reports from the con runners indicate that it was far from profitable. The convention wandered through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, both on the calendar and in our venues, eventually settling on Easter Weekend (and also raising the membership rate a bit). Some of the best stories come out of this era – if you get a chance to ask a long-time attendee, they’ve got some good ones to tell! Starter questions include, “Do you know how many boxes of Jell-O it takes to seal a man into a bathtub?” and “What actually was on the 11th floor?” We had the opportunity to shift to Memorial Day weekend in 2001 (a weekend that included just about as many Space Odyssey references as you can imagine), transforming us into a four-day convention and letting us once again expand our programming. In 2016, we celebrated Balticon 50, with Guest of Honor George R. R. Martin (who, memorably, bought a few bushels of Maryland blue crabs for the con suite), as well as eighteen Alumni Guests - previous Guests of Honor who came back to join us again – including R. A. MacAvoy, Harry Turtledove, Larry Niven, Steve Barns, Jody Lynn Nye, Sharon Lee, and Steve Miller. Balticon 54 was a major triumph. Scheduled for May 2020, our ConCom made the choice to pivot to an all-virtual convention in only two months. We were among the first groups to produce a full virtual convention, over Zoom, Discord, and Second Life, and we were able to share all that we learned to help other conventions move online that year. Balticon Today We returned in-person in 2022 for Balticon 56, but we kept our virtual side, because it turns out it’s actually pretty awesome in a lot of ways we hadn’t anticipated. Not only can you attend Balticon from literally anywhere that has an internet connection, but the hybrid model makes it easier to attend from within the hotel. Whether you’re feeling all people-d out or you need to rest due to health, you can retreat to your hotel room without missing a thing. It also turns out that building a convention back when Science Fiction was only for misfits and outcasts means we’ve got a pretty cool community that was accidentally neurodivergent-friendly. A lot of our members are either late-diagnosed or undiagnosed, which means we know what it’s like to be a little bit different. Balticon truly is a place where anyone can come and be themselves. We’re more than just a place to buy geeky merch (although we’ve got that, too). We’re a place you can call home. STAY IN THE KNOW Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting! Hotel & Directions | Balticon 59 Hotel Balticon will once again be at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel , inside the Baltimore Inner Harbor Entertainment District. We are close to multiple shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues, and accessible by public transit or by car. ADDRESS 202 East Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21202 PARKING Balticon is working to secure discounted parking for our guests. Subscribe to our email list for updates! PUBLIC TRANSIT Routes and schedules for bus and light rail are available on the MTA website . BOOK YOUR ROOM Stay in the hotel and never miss a moment! Discounted rooms will be available through our room block (coming soon!) Marc Abrahams | Balticon 59 < Back Marc Abrahams Science Guest of Honor Marc Abrahams writes about things that are surprising—so surprising that they make people LAUGH, then THINK. IG NOBEL PRIZES : Marc founded the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony in 1991, and serves as master of ceremonies. The prizes — for achievements that make people LAUGH, then THINK — are handed out by genuine, bemused Nobel laureates in a gala event held every year at Harvard University, and broadcast on the web and on public radio. (The 1995 ceremony was one of the very first events ever webcast.) In 2022 the Ig Nobel Prize was itself given a prize: the Heinz Oberhummer award , for “outstanding science communication”. WRITING and EDITING : Marc co-founded and edits the magazine Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), and wrote This is Improbable, The Ig Nobel Prizes, and other books. He edits and writes much of the web site and blog www.improbable.com and the monthly newsletter mini – AIR . He also writes t he weekly “Feedback” column in New Scientist magazine. Marc is co-author, with entomologist Jiri Hulcr, of the fairly new book The Surprising Lives of Bark Beetles: Mighty Foresters of the Insect World . For thirteen years, he also wrote a mostly-weekly column (called “Improbable Research”) for The Guardian . He created and hosts the Improbable Research podcast. Earlier, Marc was editor of the magazine Journal of Irreproducible Results . You can follow Marc on mastodon at MarcAbrahams@mstdn.science ​ ​ Contact Us | Balticon 59 Contact Have a question we didn't answer here? Reach out to a real human! Our staff is all volunteer, so please be patient while waiting for a reply - we're making time for you in between jobs and kids and other things, too. But we'll try to get back to you as fast as we can! Let's Chat Phone 410-JOE-BSFS (410-563-2737) Please note: this line is not usually answered live! Leave a message and we'll get back to you. Email balticoninfo@balticon.org Social Media First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting! Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade | Balticon 59 < Back Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade Balticon’s Cosplay Contest, the Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade, is the opportunity for fans to present their science fiction- and fantasy-related costumes to delight our audience. While some costumers may simply model their costumes on stage, most entries present dramatic or comedic skits. A team of judges reward costume design and workmanship to encourage our costumers’ efforts. Cosplay Cosplay, or the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book, or video game, is a strong component of Balticon. Many attendees choose to wander around the con dressed as their favorite character. Anonymous judges will award Hall Costume Contest ribbons throughout the weekend. The costuming highlight of the weekend is the Masquerade held on Saturday evening.Balticon offers hours of costuming panels, workshops, and presentations. We try to schedule the majority before the Masquerade so that novices can pick up last minute coaching, if desired. The Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade The Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade will be held at 8 pm on Saturday in the Main Ballroom. (Doors open 30 minutes before the event.) Individual and group contestants take the stage for a short presentation showcasing their costumes. Children will get to show off their favorite characters before the adults strut their stuff. Our team of expert judges award points in several categories, including creativity, craftsmanship, and presentation. Winners are announced at the end of the evening. The goal of the Masquerade is to give our costumers a chance to share their talent and put on a good show for the enjoyment of all. Everyone is invited to enjoy the display of creativity and artistry that will be on stage. Previous Next Vendors | Balticon 59 Dealers Room & Artist Alley Balticon’s Dealers Room is like a pop-up mini mall of geeky goodness. You’ll find an assortment of vendors with all sorts of fannish delights, including books, games and gaming accessories, collectibles, clothing, jewelry, and more! Just outside the Dealers Room, you’ll find Artists Alley, where you can meet the artists behind the tables, browse a selection of fine art and handcrafted goods, and even commission custom art! Dealers & Artists Looking for Artists! Check out our list of confirmed Artists closer to the con. Read more if you're interested in joining Artist Alley. Artist Alley Read More Dealers Wanted! Check out our list of confirmed vendors closer to the con! Read more to learn about becoming a Dealer! Dealers Read More Programming | Balticon 59 Programming With over 300 hours of programming, we have something for everyone. Join us for panels on how to get published to what’s new in the world of paleontology, or sit in our maker space and try your hand at a new craft. Featuring more than 150 panelists who love to share their knowledge and skills, we even bring in panelists from all over the world for Balticon Anywhere, our virtual convention! Do you have ideas for panels or workshops? We'd love to hear from you! Suggest new program ideas or people you'd like to see present at Balticon! Suggest a Program Full schedule available next spring! Our packed schedule includes: Panel discussions Events for Kids and Young Adults Workshops Readings Signings Roundtable Discussions Concerts Book Launches Movies And more! Balticon is committed to making our convention accessible to everyone. Please contact our accessibility team so we can make sure you have the accommodations you need. Panels & Workshops Dinosaurs: The Update Find out what's new in the world of things very, very old! Dr. Tom Holtz Read More Workshop: Pattern Adjusting for the Costumer Learn how to adjust a pattern to fit your unique body! ​ Read More LGBTQ+ Social An informal tea party for LGBTQ+ Fans of all ages and allies. Tea and cakes will be served. ​ Read More Liars Panel Join the hilarity as YOU get to decide who's telling the truth and who's lying! ​ Read More Stephanie Law | Balticon 59 < Back Stephanie Law Artist Guest of Honor Stephanie Law’s images trace the boundary between dream and reality. She delves into the pictorial language of allegory, explores mythology in new contexts, chases tiny worlds of wonder from an insect’s viewpoint, and highlights the beauty of growth and decay found in nature. She interweaves texture, watercolor, gold and silver leaf, ink, and creates intricate layered pieces with resin and custom designed frames. In a meld of organic patterns and familiar archetypes, her paintings pose a question on the nature of perception and beauty, and it is against this backdrop that the ephemeral guides and strange creatures dance and beckon the viewer to follow through her various series. Archetypes, the basis for the universal appeal of mythological concepts, are one of the defining inspirations for her imagery. This is mingled with the movement of dance. Stephanie has been a dancer for almost two decades, and she uses that experience of how the human body moves and emotes to create a bridge into her artwork so that not only do the humans dance across the page, but the branches of her trees move with a sinuous grace, and the arrangement of inanimate elements has a choreographed rhythm and flow. Growing up in California, Stephanie has been surrounded by the wealth of natural inspiration all around her. The twisting boughs of live oaks from the hills near her home insinuate themselves into her paintings. The chaos of Nature’s wild growth, and conversely the beauty of decay, echo in the textures and fractal patterns of her work. She has worked for gaming companies to create art for rpgs and ccgs, including Magic the Gathering, Forgotten Realms, Blue Rose, Warhammer, Legend of Five Rings, and also designs art for magazine illustrations, book interior and cover illustrations. She is the author and illustrator of the Dreamscapes watercolor tutorial series of books, and The Shadowscapes Tarot, and the artist for The Treekeepers Oracle. She’s currently working on a new deck, the Verdance Tarot, as well as regularly showing her new work at Modern Eden Gallery (San Francisco, CA) and Haven Gallery (Northport, NY). ​ ​ Dinosaurs: The Update | Balticon 59 < Back Dinosaurs: The Update Dr. Tom Holtz Find out what's new in the world of things very, very old! Dr. Tom Holtz will present on the latest discoveries in dinosaur paleontology made over the last year. There's always something new from the Age of Reptiles to talk about! Previous 1 2 3 4 Next