NWSFS News: Cascadia Convention & Events News: 2011

Friday, November 4, 2011

Upcoming Events: November 2011 & Beyond

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Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival: November 2nd-6th, 2011 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.giraffest.ca/

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BottosCon: November 4th-6th, 2011 - Surrey, BC Canada
Website: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/BottosCon/

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Die-Con: November 4th-6th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://die-con.com/

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Howloween: November 5th-6th, 2011 - Surrey, BC Canada
Website: http://www.howloween.ca/

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OryCon: November 11th-13th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.orycon.org/

***** TEDx Rainier: November 11th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington

Website: http://tedxrainier.com/2/

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Portland Comic Book Show: November 13th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.portlandcomicbookshow.com/

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Vancouver Comic Con: November 13th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.vancouvercomiccon.com

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Desolation-Con November 17th, 2011 - Richland, Washington
Website: http://desolation-con.com/

***** The Great Train Expo: November 19th-20th, 2011 - Puyallup, Washington
Website: http://www.greattrainexpo.com/

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Shelby's Collectible Toy Show: November 19th-20th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.rosecitycollectorsmarket.com/toyshow.html

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Tomodaichi Fest: November 25th-27th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.tomodachifest.com/

***** RustyCon: January 20th-22nd, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.rustycon.com/

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Game Design Expo: January 21st-22nd, 2012 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.gamedesignexpo.com/

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Conflikt: January 27th-29th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://conflikt.org/

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Steampunk Exhibition Ball: January 28th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.steampunkexhibitionball.com

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Eugene Games Gala: February 3rd-5th, 2012 - Eugene, Oregon
Website: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/EugeneGamesGala/

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Gotta Con: February 3rd-5th, 2012 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.gottacon.com/

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RadCon: February 17th-19th, 2012 - Pasco, Washington
Website: http://www.radcon.org/

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TsukinoCon: February 17th-19th, 2012 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.tsukinocon.com/

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Potlatch 21: February 24th-26th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.potlatch-sf.org/

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Chibi Chibi Con: February 25th, 2012 - Olympia, Washington
Website: http://chibichibicon.net

***** Pop Culture Fair: March 4th, 2012 - Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.popculturefair.com/

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THE Conference For Festivals Events: March 4th-6th, 2012 - Eugene, Oregon
Website: http://www.oregonfestivals.org/conference-festivals-events-march-4-6-eugene-oregon

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GameStorm: March 22nd-25th, 2012 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.gamestorm.org/

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FurIdaho: March 23rd-25th, 2012 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://furidaho.com/

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Northwest Festivals & Events Conference: March 25th-27th, 2012 - Blaine, Washington
Website: http://www.nwfestivals.com/

***** Washington State Science & Engineering Fair: March 30th-31st, 2012 - Bremerton, Washington
Website: http://www.wssef.org/

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Emerald City ComiCon: March 30th - April 1st, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/

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Norwescon: April 5th-8th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.norwescon.org/

***** Sakura-Con: April 6th-8th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.sakuracon.org

***** IPMS Seattle Spring Show: April 7th, 2012 - Renton, Washington

Website: http://www.ipms-seattle.org/Springshow/

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Spring Fairy Festival: April 14th, 2012 - Auburn, Washington Website: http://www.springfairyfestival.com

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Supertrain: April 21st-22nd, 2012 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.supertrain.ca/

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Victoria Steam Expo: April 21st-22nd, 2012 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.victoriasteamexpo.com/

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Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo: April 27th-29th, 2012 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.calgaryexpo.com/

***** Stargate SG-1 Atlantis Convention: April 27th-29th, 2012 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/sgvan.htm

***** Stumptown Comics Fest: April 28th-29th, 2012 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.stumptowncomics.com/

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A Festival For May: May 5th-6th, 2012 - Carnation, WA
Website: http://www.camlann.org/may_fest.htm

***** RenFair: May 5th-6th, 2012 - Moscow, ID
Website: http://www.moscowrenfair.org/

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Northwest Animation Festival: May 18-19, 2012 - Seattle, Washington Website: http://www.nwanimationfest.com/

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PLAY! a Video Game Symphony: May 18-19, 2012 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.play-symphony.com

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Rogue Renaissance: May 19th-20th, 2012: Central Point, Oregon
Website: http://www.roguefaire.com/

***** Spokane Comicon: May 19th, 2012, Spokane, Washington
Website: http://www.spokanecomicon.com/

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UFO Fest: May 19th-20th, 2012 - McMinnville, Oregon
Website: http://www.ufofest.com/

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Anime Oasis EVO: May 24th-27th, 2012 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.animeoasis.org/

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Crypticon: May 25th-27th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.crypticonseattle.com/

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Miscon: May 25th-28th, 2012 - Missoula, Montana
Website: http://www.miscon.org/

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Wonder Northwest: May 26th-27th, 2012, Portland, Oregon

Website: http://www.wondernorthwest.com

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Victoria Toy Show: May 29th, 2012 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://members.shaw.ca/dshelton99/

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Bricks Cascade: June 2nd-3rd, 2012, Portland, Oregon

Website: http://brickscascade.com/

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Westercon 65 ConClusion: July 5th-8th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://seattle2012.org/

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Fandemonium: August 3rd-5th, 2012 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.fandemonium.org/

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Anime Revolution: August 17th-19th, 2012 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.animerevolution.ca/

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PAX Prime: August 31st - September 3rd, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.paxsite.com/

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Kumoricon: September 1st-3rd, 2012 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.kumoricon.org/

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Foolscap: September 21th-23rd, 2012 - Redmond, Washington
Website: http://www.foolscapcon.org/

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VCON: September 28th-30th, 2012 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.vcon.ca

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BrickCon: October 5th-7th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.brickcon.org/

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SteamCon: October 26th-28th, 2012 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.steamcon.org

Friday, October 14, 2011

A Science Fiction Themed Evening at the Symphony

Sci-Fi at the Pops Comes to Seattle
By Errin Patton

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge geek, both in sci-fi and fantasy as well as classical music. So you can imagine my delight and joy when I found out Seattle Symphony was doing a Sci-Fi at the Pops and then triple that when they announced Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker of Star Trek:The Next Generation) as the host for the evening।

Before I even set foot in Benaroya Hall, I was tweeting back and forth with the magic person behind their social media. An hour before the concert, they tweeted at me and a few others to welcome us to the show. The Seattle Symphony was in fine form, and the musicians gave the whole evening no less effort than the most serious music in the classical repertoire.

At the downbeat, conductor Victor Vanacore was immediately engaging and affable, gesturing for the audience to sing along to the national anthem. While introducing Jonathan Frakes to the stage, he kept listing credit after credit until finally Mr. Frakes just walked out and told him to get on with it. That friendly rapport was present for the whole concert, and made it more enjoyable for me to watch what I felt like were two friends chatting instead of two professionals working.

The program began with the theme from E.T., titled Adventures on Earth (composer John Williams, arr. Victor Vanacore), and continued with Independence Day Suite from the same-titled movie (composer David Arnold, arr. Nicholas Dodd).

One of the thrilling highlights, if you’ll forgive the pun, was undoubtedly the Seattle Thrillers performing their dance routine to Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Beat It (arr. Victor Vanacore). Their energy and enthusiasm surpassed the surreal experience of watching zombies dance on the S. Mark Taper Auditorium stage, and I was almost tempted to get up and start dancing with them.

Audience participation was resoundingly solid on the next piece, beginning with this fun introduction from Jonathan and Victor: “If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?” I’m sure you guessed correctly that the fourth piece of the program was Ghostbusters (composer Ray Parker, Jr., arr. Nicholas Dodd) and the audience chimed in right on cue the whole time. Concluded the first half of the concert was Superman Returns Suite (composers John Ottman & John Williams).

With a nod to Seattle Symphony’s classical programming, the second half of the program began with Mars (“The Bringer of War”) from Gustav Holst’s The Planets. As a side note, a small part of me welcomed Pluto’s demotion because it made Holst’s suite complete।

Continuing the theme of audience participation, the next segment of the program was Name that Sci-Fi Theme, or alternatively titled “Musical Jeopardy”. SPOILER ALERT: some truly great clips were played, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Psycho, and The Addams Family. By far my favorite, and the part where tears really started streaming down my face, was Johnathan Frakes narrating the prologue to the Star Trek: The Original Series theme.

Next up was music from Battlestar Galactica (composer Stu Phillips), followed by Suite from “Avatar”(composer James Horner, arr. Victor Pensavento). I particularly enjoyed Jonathan’s introduction to the final piece, which including a delightful crack about Stormtroopers not being able to hold a candle to the Klingons. Wrapping up the program was Throne Room and Finale from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (composer John Williams).

Of course, after the final bow the audience clapped and screamed and gave a standing ovation, and they came back for an encore. We were sent marching home to the tune of The Raiders March, also known as the Indiana Jones theme (composer John Williams)।

The entire evening was a great deal of fun, with many a squee-worthy moment. Of course, the most exciting moment for me was the meet & greet with Jonathan Frakes directly following the show. He was very gracious and engaging to each and every person standing in line, and I now possess the following photo for all time:

The Sci-Fi at the Pops performance repeats Friday October 14 at 8:00 pm, Saturday October 15 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sunday October 16 at 2:00 pm. Tickets available online at www.seattlesymphony.org.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Steamcon III is almost here!

Posted on behalf of Diana Vick - Steamcon:

Dear Steamcon members,

Can you feel the excitement building? We’re only a little over a month out. Steamcon III will be here in no time. Are you prepared?!

Do you have your room reserved? The room rate expires on Monday September 12th, so don’t delay! Make yours now! http://www.steamcon.org/hotel.php

If you don’t have your membership yet, you have until September 31st to do it online. After that the price goes up and you will need to purchase it at the door. One day memberships will be available at the door this year on the day they are valid for only.

Special event tickets have gone on sale! The Airship Awards Banquet, the Amphitrite Society Tea, the Wayfarer’s Brunch and the Nautilus Concert will all be wonderful events! You will need to purchase these by September 31st as well, except for the concert tickets, which will be available at the door, if they haven’t sold out by then.

http://www.steamcon.org/events.php

Have you cast your vote yet? Voting for the second annual Airship Awards is still open to anyone pre-registered for Steamcon III until September 30th. http://www.steamcon.org/airship.php

If you are interested in competing in the Bathing Costume Competition, details can be found here: http://www.steamcon.org/bathing.php Though less formal, there will also be prizes given out at the Wayfarer’s Brunch for best non-British ensemble. So get sewing and gluing and we expect to be amazed!

If you are interested in having a room party, contact us about a possible offer. Act now, because this goes away on Monday September 12th. Email info@steamcon.org.

This missive goes out to anyone signed up for the Steamcon Google group. If you do not wish to receive these emails, you may adjust your personal Google settings accordingly. Our intention is not spam but to inform. If you have any questions, you can email info@steamcon.org.

Full steam ahead to the best steampunk convention yet!

Your cruise director,

Diana Vick

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Upcoming Events: September 2011 & Beyond

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Kumoricon: September 3rd-5th, 2011 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.kumoricon.org/

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Portland Pirate Festival: September 3rd-4th, 2011 - Helens, Oregon
Website: http://www.portlandpiratefestival.com/

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Rose City ComiCon: September 10th-11th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.rosecitycomicon.com

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Shrewfaire: September 10th-11th, 2011 - Kings Valley, Oregon
Website: http://www.shrewfaire.com/

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Foolscap: September 16th-18th, 2011 - Redmond, Washington
Website: http://www.foolscapcon.org/

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Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival(MIFFF): September 16th-18th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.mifff.org

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OHMS Model Show: September 17th, 2011 - McMinnville, Oregon
Website: http://www.ipms-portland.org/show-main.htm

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Rain Furrest: September 22nd-25th, 2011 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.rainfurrest.org

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Jet City Comic Show: September 24th, 2011, Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.jetcitycomicshow.com

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Retro Gaming Expo: September 24th-25th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://retrogamingexpo.com/

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Senshi-Con: September 24th-25th, 2011 - Anchorage, Alaska
Website: http://www.senshicon.org/

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Victoria Steam Expo: September 24th-25th, 2011 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.victoriasteamexpo.com/

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BrickCon: September 29th - October 2nd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.brickcon.org/

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VCON: September 30th to October 2nd, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.vcon.ca

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Lynden Train Show: October 1st-2nd, 2011 - Lynden, Washington
Website: http://www.lyndentrainshow.com/

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Seattle Interactive Conference: October 5th-6th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.seattleinteractive.com/

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Wordstock Festival: October 6th-9th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website:http://www.wordstockfestival.com/

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Aki Con: October 7th-9th, 2011 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.akicon.org/

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Tactical Solutions: October 7th-9th, 2011 - Spokane Valley, Washington
Website: http://tactical-solutions-gaming.tripod.com/index.html

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Geek Girl Con: October 8th-9th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.geekgirlcon.com/

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IPMS Vancouver Fall Model Show: October 8th, 2011 - Burnaby, BC Canada
Website: http://www.ipmsvancouver.ca/page2/page2.html

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Sci-Fi at the Pops: October 13th-16th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.seattlesymphony.org/symphony

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FallCon: October 14th-16th, 2011 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.fallcon.com/

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SteamCon: October 14th-16th, 2011 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.steamcon.org

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Tri-Cities Independent Film Festival: October 16th-17th, 2011 - Richland, Washington
Website: http://www.tcif3.com/

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BellinghamComiCon: October 22nd, 2011 - Ferndale, Washington
Website: http://www.bellinghamcomicon.com

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Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival: November 2nd-6th, 2011 - Calgary, AB Canada
Website: http://www.giraffest.ca/

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BottosCon: November 4th-6th, 2011 - Surrey, BC Canada
Website: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/BottosCon/

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OryCon: November 11th-13th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website: http://www.orycon.org/

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Portland Comic Book Show: November 13th, 2011 - Portland, Oregon
Website:http://www.portlandcomicbookshow.com/

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Desolation-Con November 17th, 2011 - Richland, Washington
Website: http://desolation-con.com/

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Tomodaichi Fest: November 25th-27th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.tomodachifest.com/

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RustyCon: January 20th-22nd, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.rustycon.com/

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Conflikt: January 27th-29th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://conflikt.org/

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Gotta Con: February 3rd-5th, 2012 - Victoria, BC Canada
Website: http://www.gottacon.com/

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FurIdaho: March 23rd-25th, 2012 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://furidaho.com/

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Emerald City ComiCon: March 30th - April 1st, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/

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Norwescon: April 5th-8th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://www.norwescon.org/

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Sakura-Con: April 6th-8th, 2012 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.sakuracon.org

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Westercon 65 ConClusion: July 5th-8th, 2012 - Sea-Tac, Washington
Website: http://seattle2012.org/

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Upcoming Events: August 2011 & Beyond

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Animethon: August 5th-7th, 2011 - Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Website: http://www.animethon.org

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Fandemonium: August 5th-7th, 2011 - Boise, Idaho
Website: http://www.fandemonium.org/

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SpoCon: August 5th-7th, 2011, Spokane, Washington
Website: http://www.spocon.org

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Siggraph: August 8th-12th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.siggraph.org/calendar/

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Dragonflight: August 12th-14th, 2011 - Bellevue, Washington
Website: http://www.dragonflight.org/

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When Words Collide: August 12th-14th, 2011 - Calgary, Alberta Canada
Website: http://whenwordscollide.org/

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Astronomi-con: August 20th-21st, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.astronomi-con.com/

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Microsoft Gamefest: August 22nd-23rd, 2011 - Seattle, Washington

Website: http://www.microsoftgamefest.com/

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PAX Prime: August 26th-28th, 2011 - Seattle, Washington
Website: http://www.paxsite.com/

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Salute to Supernatural: August 26th-28th, 2011 - Vancouver, BC Canada
Website: http://www.creationent.com/cal/supernatural_van.htm

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Kumoricon: September 3rd-5th, 2011 - Vancouver, Washington
Website: http://www.kumoricon.org/