NWSFS News: Cascadia Convention & Events News: convention

Showing posts with label convention. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

New Northwest Steampunk Convention

Portland GEAR Con
A Celebration of Steampunk & Ne0-Victoriana
July 22nd-24th, 2011
Crowne Plaza Portland
Portland, Oregon
http://pdxgearcon.com/

REGISTRATION
Weekend pass pre-registration for adults is priced as follows:
* $30 through April 10th
* $40 April 11th – July 21st
On-site registration is $45/adult. Day passes and concert/dance-only admissions will be available, as well as discounted admissions for workshop presenters and staff volunteers.

GUESTS
Meljean Brook
Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing–and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.

Veronique Chevalier
Veronique Chevalier is the eccentric Françican (Français-American) Chanteuse (Songstress) known as The “Weird VAL” of Dark Cabaret. She’s an unparalleled Parodist; a Steamy Chanteuse, and Spooky Polkanista, who has been described as a campy incarnation of Edith Piaf from a parallel universe – the one in which her parents are Jim Morrison, and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and her godparents are Lucille Ball and Weird Al. As a self-proclaimed “Mad Sonictist,” she takes maniacal pleasure in combining previously unrelated musical forms into new, unholy combinations. She vows to leave no genre unadulterated in her quest to create the ultimate Sonic Frankenstein… She originated the genre of “Gothic Polka”. Her twisted brand of humour hits at the core of daily reality. Being gonged off the premiere season of America’s Got Talent (which is FAKE reality) was irrefutable proof her gifts are wasted on the masses.

M. K. Hobson
M.K. Hobson was born in Riverside, California, but grew up in Portland, Oregon. She attended the University of Oregon, where she ran Catalyst Films (the campus film society), helped launch The Student Insurgent (a radical progressive ‘zine that’s still being published) and drove night-shift cab in nearby Springfield, Oregon. After graduating with a degree in English and Communications, she moved to Hiroshima, Japan to teach English. Returning to the United States two years later, she purchased The Northwest Neighbor, a community newspaper founded by legendary Portland mayor Bud Clark. She ran the paper for several years before moving on to a career in the field of corporate communications, working with Fortune 500 clients in the fields of retirement and healthcare.

Kimberly King
The fiend holding the scissors is Kimberly May King, a madwoman for historical fashion in Portland, Oregon. As a very young lady she gravitated toward daring and scandalous pursuits — not one for humble beginnings, her very first sewing project was a custom corset. In the years since, she has further debauched herself by immersion in dressmaking, theatrical costuming, Victorian wardrobe both faithful and fanciful, and ever-more-elaborate corsetry. (I hear she even grinds her own bones — the very thought!) Rumor has the girl they call Scissorfiend continuing to flout decency by producing everyday apparel, occasional wear, accessories, and handbags for clientele of certain . . . inclinations. Not content to fall only so far, she has even learned the tricks of the milliner’s trade; it is whispered that she will indulge herself for hours over steam, block, and ribbon, abandoning herself unreservedly to obsession and delight.

Jay Lake
Jay Lake has been described as one of the rising stars of the science fiction and fantasy genre. Since first appearing on the scene in late 2001, he has seen over 240 short stories published, along with seven novels out, and three more forthcoming over the next few years. His work has received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and significant recognition within the science fiction and fantasy field. He has won two of the most prestigious awards in science fiction and been nominated for numerous others. Lake was born and raised overseas as the son of a United States diplomat. His childhood experiences in Asia, African and Europe have given him a wealth of cultural and geographical detail to draw from when creating exotic settings and strange situations. He has, after all, lived them. His professional career has been in advertising and marketing for the high technology field, which gives Lake a lifetime of exposure to technology issues and trends. Taken together, these go a long way to explaining his choice of writing fields.

Andrew P. Mayer
Andrew Mayer has spent sixteen years involved with every facet of game design and production, bringing his unique insight and skills to companies such as Sony, Time/Warner, PlayFirst, Zynga, The Learning Company, 2K Boston, and more. He has been a creative force behind numerous best-selling titles, turning his unique insights in player participation and interaction into highly successful projects spanning a variety of genres and media, including online, television, and retail. As a designer and producer he provided original concepts for the wildly successful “Petz” brand, one of the first true “Social Games.” He also created numerous unique titles based on top brands, including Batman, Scooby-Doo, the Powerpuff girls, Diner Dash, Tonka Toys, Reader Rabbit, Mavis Beacon, and many more.

Devon Monk
Devon Monk writes the Allie Beckstrom urban fantasy series, the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story. She has one husband, two sons, and a dog named Mojo. She lives in Oregon and is surrounded by colorful and numerous family members who mostly live within dinner-calling distance of each other. She has sold over fifty short stories to magazines and anthologies in five different countries, including a Year’s Best Fantasy collection. When not writing, Devon is either knitting strange things, remodeling the house-that-was-once-a-barn, or hosting a family celebration.

Cherie Priest
Cherie Priest is the author of ten novels, including the steampunk pulp adventures Dreadnought, Clementine, and Boneshaker. Boneshaker was nominated for both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award; it was a PNBA Award winner, and winner of the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. Cherie also wrote Bloodshot for Bantam Spectra; Fathom and the Eden Moore series from Tor; and three novellas published by Subterranean Press. In addition to all of the above, she is a newly minted member of the Wild Cards Consortium – and her first foray into George R. R. Martin’s superhero universe, Fort Freak (for which she wrote the frame story), will debut in 2011. Cherie’s short stories and nonfiction articles have appeared in such fine publications as Weird Tales, Subterranean Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and the Stoker-nominated anthology Aegri Somnia from Apex. Though she spent most of her life in the southeast, she presently lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and a fat black cat.

Kevin Steil
Kevin Steil, the Airship Ambassador, is a one-man information clearinghouse about all things steampunk. His website and Twitter feed are a constantly-updating directory of global steampunk happenings, and his in-depth event reportage, editorials, and interviews cement his position as steampunk’s cultural curator.

Unwoman
San Francisco’s Unwoman, also known as Erica Mulkey, creates darkly beautiful music, a powerful collage of vocals, cello, and electronics. Matthew Heilman of Starvox.net writes, “Her style ranges from a kind of experimental trip hop to swirling darkwave atmosphere with just enough static and noise to give it that extra technical punch."

Vagabond Opera
Bohemian Cabaret ensemble Vagabond Opera is described by the Washington Post as “A band of ceaseless charisma, boundless energy, impeccable musicianship and more than a little touch of both the naughty and exotic.” The group delivers passionate offerings of Bohemian cabaret for young and old. Paris hot jazz, gut bucket swing, tangos, Ukrainian folk-punk ballads, klezmer and vigorous originals meet a world of riverboat gambling queens, Turkish belly dancers, and the enigmatic Marlene Dietrich. Weaving elements of Kurt Weil, Duke Ellington and Edith Piaf with absurdist flair, theatrics and an old world mood, Vagabond Opera presents the new wave of opera–lusty voices singing in 13 languages and presenting a cabaret of rich musical phrasing, sparkling lyrics and indomitable stage presence, all played with exuberance, skill and a gritty Vagabond edge. This is Opera liberated and reinvented for everyone!

Vernian Process
Artists have dabbled in Steampunk’s Scientific Romance, Neo-Victorian and Gothic Horror themes throughout the history of modern music, but none of them were created with the express intent of creating Steampunk music . . . until the year 2003. Enter Vernian Process, the San Francisco-based progenitor of the Steampunk music scene – inspiring a cadre of artists worldwide to find musical expression through retrofuturism. The band’s moniker is inspired by the forefather of Steampunk himself: science fiction author Jules Verne. By fusing sounds and styles spanning over two centuries with the themes of an alternate Victorian timeline,” Vernian Process musically captures the surreal and gritty essence of Steampunk culture. Their latest album, Behold the Machine (released October 1, 2010), has already sold hundreds of copies to an audience spanning the globe from the United States and the UK to Russia and Australia.

Diana Vick
Diana Vick is vice chair, creative director, and co-founder of Steamcon, one of the largest steampunk conventions held thus far. For the past several years, she has been speaking on the topic of steampunk at many conventions across the country, beginning with the infamous “guerilla steampunk panel” that she instigated at Dragoncon in Atlanta. She has been interviewed by Women’s Wear Daily Fast, and Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, and appeared on King Five News. She has written many articles and guest blogs on the subject of steampunk and has many more in the works. She has a few short stories and serials in the works as well.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

StarCon 2011

PRESS RELEASE:

StarCon 2011
June 24th-26th, 2011
Sheraton Vancouver Airport & Hilton Vancouver Airport
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
http://www.aurorisentertainment.com/starcon2011/

We are pleased to announce the first ever StarCon Convention to be held June 24, 25 and 26, 2011 in Vancouver British Columbia. This fan run convention will showcase celebrities from science fiction / action series and movies such as: Babylon 5, The Last Takedown, Human Target, Takedown (aka Transparency), Behemoth, Farscape, Warehouse 13, Eureka, V Series, Sanctuary, Star Gate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Smallville, Stephen Kings Dead Zone, The Bridge, Riese Series, Mind’s Eye, and many other exciting television series and movies!

Starcon Conventions: StarCon 2011 will be held at the:

SHERATON VANCOUVER AIRPORT HOTEL (Main Hotel)
7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC
~ AND ~
HILTON VANCOUVER AIRPORT (Writer’s venue)
5911 Minoru Blvd, Richmond, BC

The fantastic guest talent already lined up include Pierre Bernard, Jr, Bill Butt, Barry Campbell, Frank Cassini, John Cassini, Ellen Dubin, Virgina Hey, Aleks Paunovic, Dan Payne, Ed Quinn, Cliff Simon, Craig Veroni, and Alex Zahara!

This is going to be a bigger convention for us due to interest from several science fiction productions filmed in Canada, we decided to design StarCon like a Canadian version with roots similar to Comic Con with a bit of Dragon Con thrown in. The idea is to make it easier and more cost effective for Canadian made productions to market their shows to the fans. It also gives the fans an opportunity to ask their favourite actors questions at Q&A Panels. We are planning some fun events and many opportunities to get up close and personal with the actors who will be attending. Expect a casual convention with lots of humor and general silliness. For more information at StarCon 2011 please visit our website at: Auroris Entertainment

Saturday, February 26, 2011

2011 EMERALD CITY COMICON

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Jet City Comic Show: a one-day comics event for the Pacific Northwest

Seattle proves once again that it is a hotbed for comics writers and artists with the launch of a new convention, the Jet City Comic Show. Jet City will take place September 25, 2010 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall in Seattle, WA.

Seattle, WA - Seattle proves once again that it is a hotbed for comics writers and artists with the launch of a new convention, the Jet City Comic Show. Jet City (www.jetcitycomicshow.com) will take place September 25, 2010 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall in Seattle, WA.

“We do many shows around the country, but there’s nothing like doing one in your own backyard,” says Eric Reynolds, director of marketing for Fantagraphics Books (www.fantagraphics.com). “We look forward to helping Jet City grow into the kind of show that reflects the wonderful comics scene in the Great Northwest.”

Co-founder James Taylor, publisher of Rorschach Entertainment and an accomplished artist and inker, says he and co-founder Brian Meredith (exhibits director, Emerald City Comicon) saw a distinct need in the region for a program of this kind.

“We felt the Pacific Northwest, Seattle specifically, had the need for a quality one-day show in the fall to help fill the void in the region for both exhibitors and fans,” says Taylor. “Jet City Comics Show will be a laid-back event by comparison to other conventions, a chance for fans to have fun, be entertained, browse through comics and visit with some fantastic artists and writers.”

Featured guests will include Francis Manapul (artist: The Flash, Adventure Comics), Dave Johnson (cover artist: 100 Bullets, Unknown Soldier and more) and Dan Panosian (artist: X-Men Forever). The show will feature a number of prominent local writers and artists, including:

• Peter Bagge (Hate) & Jim Woodring (Frank, Jim)
• Michael Oeming (artist/writer: Powers, Rapture)
• Greg Rucka (writer: Batwoman, Queen & Country)
• Matthew Southworth (artist: Stumptown)
• Shane White (artist/writer: Things Undone, North Country)
• Joshua Ortega (Writer of Gears of War 2, Video Game & Comics)

In addition to comics writers and artists, Jet City will also feature actor Scott L. Schwartz—the “ultimate tough guy.” Trained by wrestling legend Walter “Killer” Kowalski, and most often recognized for memorable movie moments such as beating up George Clooney in Ocean’s 11, Schwartz has also written and directed his own film, Changing Hands (www.changinghandsfilm.com).

The Seattle Center Exhibition Hall is a 36,000-square-foot conference center and is a focal point for the entertainment and cultural scene of Seattle, as well as the home of the Space Needle.

“This show will return us to our roots, focusing on the local comics scene as well as spotlighting creators from outside our region,” says Taylor.

The show will also be working with local charitable organizations, such as the Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Hospital of Seattle.

ABOUT THE EVENT:

Jet City Comics Show will take place on September 25, 2010 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 299 Mercer St., Seattle, WA. For more information, contact organizers at info@jetcitycomicshow.com, or visit www.jetcitycomicshow.com and click on “Contact Us.” Exhibitor booths are still available.

High Resolution Images can be found in our media kit at:
www.jetcitycomicshow.com/mediakit/

Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets (https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/118874) or at any of the following retailers:

Arcane Comics
5809 15th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

The Comic Stop (Lynnwood)
3333 18th St SW, Suite G
Lynnwood, WA 98037

The Comic Stop (Everett)
1402 SE Everett Mall Way #160
Everett, WA 98208

The Comic Stop (Redmond)
16444 NE 74th, Unit B-135
Redmond, WA 98052

Corner Comics
12049 124th Ave NE
Kirkland, WA 98034
# # #

Jet City Comic Show is a Celebration of art, comics, gaming, pop culture, and so much more! Bringing together some of the top creators in the industry and their fans for a fun filled day.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

BrickCon 2010 Robot Competition

This year's robot competition at BrickCon will be a racing competition. Build and program a robot able to race around an irregularly shaped gradient track while avoiding obstacles on the track. The track is approximately two feet wide, with black in the center/inner edge, gradually changing to white at the outer edge. Racing will be in a clockwise direction. Obstacles, no wider than 8", will be placed anywhere on the track, and may be moving.

Here is an example of what the track might look like:
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/David/SMART/Samples/Arenas/brickcon2010_racingmat.gif

There will be multiple runs, each time getting more complex. The race will start
without any obstacles. Subsequent runs will have longer tracks, and more
obstacles. Finally the obstacles will start moving slowly, initially in the same
direction you are going. Your score will be based both on how fast you complete
each lap, and how well you avoid the obstacles. Touching and, even more so,
moving obstacles will add to your time.

Third party and custom sensors ARE allowed. Otherwise only LEGO elements may be
used for building. All robots must have a minimal ground clearance of 1/4" due
to the edges between various sections of the track. Only rotating wheels may
touch the mat itself. All sensors and other parts must be at least 1/4" above
the mat.

In order to encourage more people to try this, here is a sample program that
will accomplish at least part of the competition.

http://www.robot-city.org/Samples/RaceStarter.rbt

Build a robot with two motors, one for the left wheel, one for the right, put a
light sensor in front, and with minor tweaks, this program should at least get
your robot moving around the track. While the program detects the obstacles, how
to handle them will be up to you.

There are a few different types of awards for this competition, so your chances
of winning something are great! I hope to see you and your robot at BrickCon
2010. Remember, you need to register to participate.
https://www.brickcon.org/catalog/3

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

BrickCon 2010

Now is the time to register for BrickCon 2010, September 30th through October 3rd. This year’s Theme is “Tales of the Brick!” Build your Tale and tell (and show) it to the world!

We return to the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and have added the Rainier Room (Northwest Rooms) to our venue space. We’ll be using the Rainier Room (6,000 sq ft) for all of our Convention Activities including the Thursday Meet and Greet and our General Assemblies, seminars and contests.

Registering now will guarantee you’ll receive a customized engraved name badge you can wear proudly to the entire three day (four if you count Thursday – and we do!) event. Included with your registration will be a great Goody Bag, a Free Luncheon on Friday. And, if you’re old enough, you can attend our Thursday Meet and Greet get together where mixed drinks, beer and wine will be available ($4 per drink – cash only) along with free Mexican fare (snacks).

If you procrastinate too long, September 15th is the “deadline”, we cannot guarantee the terrific Goody Bag and custom badge. Registration will close September 28th. Then registration will only be at the door at the Exhibition Hall.

Visit www.brickcon.org now for details and Register Now!

Prices:

Adult Registration (21+) $65
Young Adult Registration (18-21) $60
Under 18 (Teen) Registration (must include an Adult (21+) as a package) $60
T-Shirts $15 – $17.50
Convention Model $20

Wayne Hussey
BrickCon

Friday, June 18, 2010

AkiCon Year III

Aki con is back for our third year!
We are proud to announce: Johnny Yong Bosch, Eyeshine (band) and Robert Axelrod, SAO, Spike Spencer will be Special guest for 2010.
They will be joining returning guests Velocity Demo team, NDP comics, and Ichidan. More guests will be announced soon.

www.akicon.org

AKI (below are Robert Axelrod's and Johnny Yong Bosch's bios)

Johnny Yong Bosch made his debut as Adam, the Black Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. He appeared in over 200 episodes and both big screen versions of the series. He's also known for his voice work as Vash in Trigun, Kaneda in Akira, Ichigo in Bleach, Claus in Last Exile, Saku in Beck, Mike in Please Twins, Lelouch in Code Geass, Kiba in Wolf's Rain and Nero in Devi l May Cry 4. Aside from acting he's the frontman for the edge rock band, Eyeshine.

Robert Axelrod

Mr. Axelrod is also a busy voice over artist. He is the voice of Lord Zedd and Finster on the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”. The Lord Zedd voice is one of the most recognizable character voices around. He voiced Armadillomon and Wizardmon on “Digimon, Microchip, The Punisher’s sidekick, on “Spiderman”, Rico on “Robotech”, and has voiced countless Anime fea.tures including “Akira”, “The Big O”, “Cowboy Bebop”, “Brain Scratch”, et al. As Lord Zedd, he starred in both the first Power Rangers feature film and the wildly popular live show that toured the country. He was a regular character on Saban Entertainment’s “Wowser” series (as Ratso Catso), “Journey To The Heart of the World” (as Scarface), “Hallo Spencer” (as Elmer), and more. He just finished narrating the mockumentary “Safety First: The Rise of Women and voicing four Anime series, “Gaiking”, “Danguard Ace”, “Captain Horlock”, “The Adventures of Nadja”, and “Fist of the North Star”.

Cosplay Showdown
Aki's cosplay skit contest were cosplayers preform 5 minute or less
skits for attendees and guest judges.
Prize: 1st place-$750, 1st Runner up-$250, 2nd Runner up-$100

Cosplay Fashion Show
Aki's walk on cosplay competition. No skits just walk on stage and show off
your homemade cosplay.
Prize: $250

Anime Music Videos
The winning AMV will be played at Opening Ceremonies
Prize: 1st place-$100

Aki Con's Best Otaku Dance Crew
Get your Otaku crew together and show the world what you can do.
Prize: 1st place-$200

Cosplay Weapon Contest
Do you have any awesome homemade cosplay weapons you'd like to
showcase?
Prize: 1st place-$100, 2nd place-$50, 3rd place-$25

2010 Miss/Mr Aki Con Pageant
The new and improved version of Aki Con's swimsuit competition.
Prize: 1st place-$100, Runner up-$25

Anime Spelling Bee
Sure you can spell "indentation" or "psychosomatic" but can you spell
every Naruto characters first and last names?
Prize: 1st place-$50

Ramen Eating Contest
A contest of speed and will! Be the first to down your bowl
of ramen and win!
Prize: 1st place- 1yr supply of Ramen

HILTON BELLEVUE HOTEL
300 112th Avenue SE,
Bellevue, WA - 98004
Tel: +1-425-455-1300
Fax: +1-425-455-0466

Aki Con Discount $104 a night.
Click here to get your discount
http://www.bellevuehilton.com/

Pre-Registration for Aki Con 2010
is NOW OPEN
Current Pre-Registration Prices good through 10/31/10
3 day Pass-$35
Friday Only-$10
Saturday Only-$15
Sunday Only-$10
At the door $45
I want my AKI Con ticket Now

Check us out!

www.akicon.org

Spread The Word!
Aki con 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Seattle bid for Westercon 2012

Seattle, WA. April 22, 2010

Seattle Westercon in 2012

I wanted to formally announce that our dates are firm for Thursday, July 5 through Sunday, July 8 2012 and that we will have days available on both sides so travelers can enjoy our lovely state. There are some plans at this time to provide some informal fannish fun things to do on the 4th so those wishing to spend the full holiday with us can rest assured there will be something
to do.

The hotel that I have filed with, the SeaTac Marriot has given us a firm offer, which at the time of filing we were going to go with. However, in the meantime the Hilton and the Doubletree made better offers. The best all around for our convention, should we win, is from the Doubletree. We wanted to let the voters know before the vote that it is most likely we will sign a contract with the Doubletree when we win. We will have the contract in hand in Pasadena if anyone should want to review it.

Our letter of intent from the Marriot's letter is still valid. There is no penalty if we do not use it. The Marriott has decided that they really don't like parties and loud music and business in their sleeping areas. In working with them for other events as the hotel liaison, I see how hard it is for our representative to find creative ways to make it possible to have parties and accommodate our fannish needs. I feel that is a major issue when we come in with a larger number of people. The Doubletree likes fandom, likes conventions and is used to having yearly fannish activities in their facilities. They know what we need.

This all happened after the paperwork was submitted to Pasadena. Call me gun-shy but I won't have another facilities incident if I can help it, ever, for anything. I kept looking and as a result, we have a better offer. Because I only have to file with a letter of intent, per the bylaws, there
was no need to send in a modification. However, I do want to let everyone know in advance of the vote.

We hope to see you all in Pasadena!

Thank you

Bobbie DuFault
Chairperson,
Seattle in 2012 Westercon bid

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Edmonton Collectible Toy and Comic Show

One week to go to the Edmonton Collectible Toy and Comic Show!

Are you excited yet? Because we sure are!

In addition to western Canada's largest dealer area and our special guests Amy Allen and Bob McLeod, we have some other great stuff lined up that you won't want to miss!

Exhibits!

With the popularily of last year's ehxibits where we featured some incredible GI Joe and Transformers toys and original art, My Little Ponies, a great Barbie display as well as original comic and animation art, we plan to have an even bigger and better exhibit area this year! We'll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back with a great display or theatrical posters and rare vintage toys from Kenner Canada. We'll also have displays of Star Wars Kubricks, Gremlins and more original comic and toy art!

Collector Panels!

11am: Independent comic creators Daniel Schneider, Jeff Martin, Bob Prodor and James Davidge will be discussing the do's and don'ts of independent comic publishing as well as discussing their current, must-read projects: Merc, Hell Inc and HEAT: The Space Age of Pro Wrestling, and The Duchess Ranch of Old John Ware, respectively.

Noon: A History of Kenner Toys with David Gaule. Illinois native David Gaule is a well-known vintage Star Wars collector and Kenner historian and we're pleased to have David at this year's event where he'll be discussing the history of Kenner toys; from well-known lines like Star Wars to obscure classics such as Milky the Cow!

1pm: G1 Transformers. Vance McLennan, who's incredible Transformers exhibit last year attracted a lot of attention, will be giving a discussion on the history of Transformers, from their start as a Takara toy line in Japan, to their Hasbro years and back to how the line finished off in Japan. He'll also be showcasing some very cool items from his collection!

The 501st Stormtrooper Legion, Badlands Division will be in attendance once again and will have some great displays planned for the kids and young-at-heart alike!

With so much going on at this year's show, you don't dare miss it!

When: Sunday, March 28th, 2010 - 10am-5pm

Admission:

$10 General Admission

FREE for Kids Under 12!

Where: The Shaw Conference Centre (Hall A)

9797 Jasper Avenue.

(See www.edtoyshow.com for more details.)

Looking to sell your collection or thin out some of thse extras you've accumulated all these years? There's no better place to sell your stuff! No eBay fees, no shipping hassles. Drop us a line at contact@edtoyshow.com if you're interested.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

PRESS RELEASE: McMenamins' 2010 UFO Festival Speakers Are Announced

11th Annual UFO Festival at McMenamins Hotel Oregon
UFO enthusiasts are making plans to converge in Oregon wine country! All are welcome -- event passes on sale March 15 at ufofest.com

McMINNVILLE, Ore.—Tuesday, March 2, 2010—The buzz is building as we get closer to the 11th Annual UFO Festival on May 14 and 15, 2010, hosted by McMenamins Hotel Oregon (3130 NE Evans St., [503] 472-8427 or [888] 472-8427). The festival, set in a small town in the middle of Oregon wine country, explores and celebrates the possibilities of life beyond Earth. We will welcome keynote speaker and author James Clarkson, a well-known UFO investigator; U.K. crop circle expert Colin Andrews; and UFO witness and abductee Travis Walton, on whom the book and Hollywood film “Fire in the Sky” was based. Passes are $10 per event, $15 for two events or $25 for all three events; UFO passes are available beginning March 15 at ufofest.com.

Skeptics and believers alike are invited to enjoy all the events happening throughout the weekend – an outdoor festival tent and UFO gift shop, the big rock- gospel-country sounds of Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside as they perform on McMenamins’ Great Northwest Music Tour, an outlandish alien costume parade, an alien pet costume contest, a performance by Willamette Radio Workshop and more! And have a pint or two of McMenamins Alienator Ale, handcrafted especially for the event. To cap off the weekend, attend our Alien Costume Ball for live rock ‘n’ roll by The Empty Space Orchestra and a chance to win prizes for the most comical or well-done space outfit.

All events are free and open to all ages, unless otherwise noted in the schedule below. Additional information and photos can be found at ufofest.com.

About the Speakers:

James Clarkson • Friday, May 14 • 7 p.m.
UFO investigator and expert on June Crain’s account of the Roswell UFO crash retrieval
Clarkson is a military policeman and in the Washington police/criminal investigator, also known as the “UFO Cop.” In 1987, he began using his investigative skills/experience to look into UFOs and advocate for fellow officers. He’s now the Director for MUFON in Washington State. Clarkson’s festival presentation will be about June Crain, who worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and handled some of the pieces from Roswell and who had heard of at least three other UFO crash retrievals. Hear how her story collaborates the UFO cover-ups by the government.

Travis Walton • Saturday, May 15 • 10 a.m.
UFO witness and abductee
Walton, the subject of the book and film “Fire in the Sky,” will discuss what is called “the best documented account of alien abduction yet recorded,” in which he was taken in front of witnesses. After a failed manhunt, Walton returned, dazed and disoriented, five days later to recount what had happened.

Colin Andrews • Saturday, May 15 • 4 p.m.
Preeminent U.K. crop circles expert
Colin Andrews, a crop circles expert and recent expat of the United Kingdom, will discuss his knowledge of crop circles as well as his time spent on former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet as an advisor to the largest crop circle surveillance project, codenamed “Operation Blackbird.”
Please note: All of our speakers are available for print, radio and television interviews. Contact Renee Rank, McMenamins Marketing Director, at (503) 492-5457 or ReneeR@ed.mcmenamin.com for scheduling and availability. See ufofest.com for additional photos, along with schedule details, festival history, event passes and beyond…

2010 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All events requiring passes will be held at the McMinnville Community Center (600 NE Evans St.), two blocks from McMenamins Hotel Oregon.

All events are free and welcome to all ages (unless noted).

*** FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2010 ***

James Clarkson, author/expert on the June Crain account of the Roswell Crash retrievalDoors at 6 p.m.; event at 7 p.m. · McMinnville Community Center
$10 per person at the door; discounted combination passes available beginning March 15
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Live music by Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside
As part of the Great Northwest Music Tour
7 p.m. · Mattie's Room at Hotel Oregon

Live music by Kirby Swatosh & The Moon Rock Patrol
7 p.m. · Cellar Bar at Hotel Oregon · 21 & over

*** SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2010 ***

Food & Concessions Tent
9 a.m. 'til 6 p.m. · Evans St.

A Presentation by Travis Walton, UFO witness and abductee
Doors at 9 a.m.; event at 10 a.m. · McMinnville Community Center
$10 per person at the door; discounted combination passes available beginning March 15
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Vivid Curve Digeridoo Making for the kids
Kids can make a digeridoo and then walk in the parade and play them.
11 a.m. · U.S. Bank Plaza on Third St.
Free · First come first serve (up to 50 kids)

UFO Costume Parade
It’s a highlight every year, with floats, bands, dancing Hammerheads and more!
1 p.m. · Third St.
To participate in the UFO Costume Parade, please complete and submit the UFO Parade Entry Form 2010 (coming soon on ufofest.com).

Alien Pet Costume Contest
Bring your pet, dressed in its alien best!
2 p.m. · U.S. Bank Plaza on Third St.

A performance by Willamette Radio Workshop
2 p.m. · McMinnville Community Center

Speaker's Forum Featuring Keynote Speaker Colin Andrews, preeminent U.K. crop circles expert
Emceed by Peter Davenport, director of the National UFO Reporting Center (Seattle, WA)
Doors at 3 p.m.; event at 4 p.m. · McMinnville Community Center
$10 per person at the door; discounted combination passes available beginning March 15
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Live music by Kirby Swatosh & The Moon Rock Patrol
7 p.m. · Cellar Bar at Hotel Oregon · 21 & over

Alien Costume Ball
Featuring live music by The Empty Space Orchestra
7 p.m. · Mattie's Room at Hotel Oregon
Guestrooms and overnight packages at McMenamins Hotel Oregon are sold out – please refer to the McMinnville Downtown Association or the Chamber of Commerce for alternate local lodging.

ABOUT McMENAMINS HOTEL OREGON
Set in Oregon’s idyllic wine country 40 miles south of Portland, McMenamins’ historic 1905 hotel in McMinnville is the perfect retreat for guests wanting to uncork and unwind. Cozy guestrooms, a comfortable restaurant and pub, live music on weekends, the legendary Rooftop Bar and more offer visitors from far and wide several reasons to simply relax. Hotel Oregon is also home to the quirky and fun UFO Festival, now in its 11th year and the second-largest alien-related gathering in the nation! The festival began as a way to honor the 1950 Trent UFO sighting in which two local citizens witnessed and photographed an unknown craft hovering in the sky above, said to be some of the most credible images of UFOs to date. More than 5,000 visitors convened in downtown McMinnville for the 2009 festival and parade. See ufofest.com for more information.

ABOUT McMENAMINS HOTELS, PUBS & BREWERIES
The name “McMenamin” is well known throughout the Pacific Northwest, signifying a great place to enjoy handcrafted ales, wine, spirits and pub fare with family and friends. The dream began more than 20 years ago in the hearts of brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin. With 56 properties (including Hotel Oregon) and counting, the siblings are considered to be pioneers of the Pacific Northwest microbrew, historic hotels and music venue industries. Go to mcmenamins.com for additional information, photos and more.

This notice was posted on behalf of:

Kerry Beeaker - McMenamins Writer/Editor
(503) 492-5443
kerryb@ed.mcmenamin.com
mcmenamins.com

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Interview of ECCC Head Jim

The founder and head of publicity for the Emerald City ComiCon Jim Demonakos was recently interviewed by the website BrokenFrontier.com. There's also an audio interview conducted by The Comics Podcast.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

ZOMBCON Invades Seattle this Fall

This year, the world's first Zombie Convention ZOMBCON infects Seattle on Friday, October 29th - 31st for a three day convention. The event is being held at the Seattle Center at the Experience Music Project Science Fiction Museum over Halloween weekend.

ZOMBCON, the first of it's kind: mashes the obsession of an extreme fan culture, together with the leading edge of entertainment industry hysteria for fans of all ages to celebrate one of the world's most electrifying movie icons, the Zombie.

ZOMBCON plays host to more than 60 specialty exhibitors, 10 interactive fan workshops, a 6-part Zombie Film series, 8 unique panels discussions, and the premiere Halloween party ticket this year: The Zombie Prom. This three day experience together with the opportunity for awesomely costumed participants to take part in a YouTube viral cult short film, is the ultimate zombie fan experience in the world.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Ani Ida Con 2011 Announced for Boise, Idaho

Ani Ida Con would like to announce that it is preparing for it's first year event. Ani Ida Con is being held over the March 11th 2011 weekend at the Boise Airport Holiday Inn Hotel in Boise, Idaho. Ani Ida Con is hybrid convention serving both Anime and Sci-Fi type events while promoting a broad spectrum of interests and inviting members of the furry fandom to attend and enjoy their fandom.

Attending as Guests for Ani Ida Con are:
Raqs Attaq!
Michael Coleman
Tiffany Grant
Vic Mignogna
and
SEADS Lan Party who will be providing LAN Party services to attendees of the convention.

Ani Ida Con also is proud to have the following people on staff to help make it's first year a success.

Patrick Shaffer is a first time Convention Chairman and is very excited about Ani Ida Con 2011 and beyond.

"Chii" who is the head of the internal art department and is the Director of Operations. This is Her first time as a staff member of any convention.

Michael Swanson comes to Ani Ida Con as a former head of "security" for Anime Oasis and a former staffer of Fandemonium, Michael also was a founder and runner of the Boise Rampage group in Boise, ID.
Michael is head of Ani Ida Con's safeness department.

"Pepper Oki" comes to Ani Ida Con with only the fur on her back as she's a first time convention member. She will be running the "Park Ranger" department which more of an ambassador type position with the Furry Fandom.

Holly Haws is also a first time convention staffer and will be assisting "Pepper" during the convention.

Coty Ternes comes to Ani Ida Con from Fandemonium with experience in computer and lan gaming along with console based gaming. Coty is Ani Ida Con's Director of Video Gaming and Internal Computer Services.

Kirsty Pew is Ani Ida Con's director of registration and brings previous experience from other conventions to this department.

Beth Lilienthal is one of Ani Ida Con Masters of Ceremonies and will be running several events for Ani Ida Con and working as a staffer of SEADS Lan Party.

MoNAC (Middle of Nowhere Anime Club) is one of Ani Ida Con's presenting partners.
Middle of Nowhere Anime Club is one of Idaho's oldest and largest Anime viewing clubs. They will be presenting one of the video rooms. Ani Ida Con is proud to have them run one of the video rooms for us due to the proud history that MoNAC has and it's selection process for viewing new anime.

Boise State University Anime Club is another presenting partnership with Ani Ida Con, BSU:AC will be operating a video room for Ani Ida Con as Ani Ida Con is a strong believer in BSU groups and clubs.

Ani Ida Con welcomes all inquires via digital media to be sent via either email or via Ani Ida Con's website.
AniIdaCon@clearwire.net and at http://aniidacon.webs.com

Ani Ida Con would like to thank you for reading this and hopes to see you at Ani Ida Con 2011, March 11th through the 13th 2011 at the Boise Airport Holiday Inn, in Boise Idaho.

10th Year of ChibiChibiCon in Olympia

Who: ChibiChibiCon 10
What: Anime convention
When: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Where: The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington
Website: www.chibichibicon.net
Cost: FREE

Every year, the Giant Robot Appreciation Society, the Japanese animation club for The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, holds a free, one-day convention on the campus to promote Japanese animation. This year will be the 10-year anniversary! Anime smile

We'll be doing director retrospectives on Katsuhiro Otomo, Mamoru Oshii, and Satoshi Kon, showcasing some of their lesser-known works. There will also be gaming rooms, cosplay, and other fun things. If you happen to be in the area, please drop by!

For more info, visit our website!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Seattle Twilight Convention This Weekend

The OFFICIAL TWILIGHT CONVENTION comes to the city of Seattle this weekend, January 15-17, 2010, at the gorgeous WESTIN SEATTLE and we have a non-stop three days of Twilight entertainment planned for our attendees. The complete schedule of events is posted at our website today and great tickets are still available at the door for as low as $20 a day!

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO PETER FACINELLI’s work schedule on FRIDAY he will be coming in later so our day starts a bit later than normal.

Our wonderful guest celebrities in person are:

PETER FACINELLI (who is now appearing on Friday and Saturday), The Wolf Pack’s CHASKE SPENCER (also doing two days, Saturday and Sunday), ALEX MERAZ, BRONSON PELLETIER, KIOWA GORDON (all appearing Sunday), and the Volturi DANIEL CUDMORE & CHARLIE BEWLEY (appearing on Saturday)!

Your convention hosts are the ever-popular HILLYWOOD SHOW(you are going to LOVE them!). We’ll be showing their brand new NEW MOON extended parody too!

Along with the celebrities who are speaking, signing autographs, and doing photo ops we have an outstanding array of other programming, parties and contests including:

- Exclusive video interviews with NEW MOON stars ROB, KRISTEN, TAYLOR, DAKOTA, etc. The only place to see these is on the tour!

- TWILIGHT, the movie that started it all, on our big screen for all to view together!

- Musicians CANDACE CHAREE’ and REGGIE GINN appear at the Friday Night Concert: both outstanding musicians with Twilight inspired music!

- Authentic Quileute merchandise display and presentation on stage!

- The Saturday Night Volturi Vampire Ball featuring our new photo backdrops, celebrity drop ins from CHASKE, DANIEL and CHARLIE, a hot DJ, dancing, the Centerpiece Contest, and surprises, all hosted by The Hillywood Cast in full make-up and costumes as your fave Twilight characters!

- The Costume Contest and Trivia Games allow you the chance to put your Twi-knowledge to the test!

- Our great friends at Twilight Lexicon have three exclusive panel events (one each day) you won’t want to miss!

- LANA VEENKER is on hand to speak about casting and why to be careful about on-line casting scams. Lana’s team did the casting on TWILIGHT!

http://www.creationent.com/cal/twilight_wa.htm

Saturday, December 19, 2009

December News Bytes

2D Or Not 2D Animation Festival Wrap-Up
http://www.plexipixel.com/2dornot2d/2009/12/festival-wrap-up/

Beware: The 'Twilight' Convention Is Coming To Seattle
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/186878.asp

Gatecon Founder On The Fan Convention’s Last Hurrah
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/12/gatecon-founder-on-the-conventions-last-hurrah/

2010 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival Tickets On Sale
http://www.siff.net/presents/seriesDetail.aspx?FID=159

Zombies in Seattle: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2010466970_rotten13.html?cmpid=2628

Aviation Geekfest 2009 + Boeing Tour
http://blog.seattlepi.com/airlinereporter/archives/187516.asp

Emerald City ComiCon Adds Many New Guests
http://www.emeraldcitycomicon.com/

Sakura-Con Announces 2 New Guests
http://www.sakuracon.org

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

NW Events Report Recap

Here's an interview with Creation Co-CEO Adam Malin
http://www.roddenberry.com/community/index/detail?id=557

Vancouver area Gatecon 2010 will be fan-run convention's last
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/12/gatecon-2010-will-be-fan-run-conventions-last/

The film lineup for the 2010 Science Fiction Fantasy Short Film Festival has been announced
http://www.empsfm.org/programs/index.asp?categoryID=216#films

A bid has launched to host the 2012 Westercon in Seattle
http://www.seattle2012.org/

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Con-Con Comes to Portland

The Con-Con Is Coming To Portland March 19-21, 2010
Principal Cast of TNT's 'Leverage" Will Be On Hand For Three Day Con-Vention

LOS ANGELES (November 10, 2009) – On March 19-21, 2010 in Portland, OR, “Leverage” fans from around the world will have an opportunity to meet the team behind TNT’s hit series at CON-Con: An Official Leverage Event. The 3 day con-vention will feature appearances by the principal cast including Oscar winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, The Good Shepherd), Beth Riesgraf, Aldis Hodge (Supernatural), Christian Kane (Angel, Friday Night Lights) and Gina Bellman (Coupling, Jekyll). Additionally the creative minds behind the series including Executive Producer Dean Devlin (producer of Independence Day, The Patriot, The Librarian trilogy) and Creators/Executive Producers John Rogers (Transformers) and Chris Downey (The King of Queens) will be on hand to take part in panel discussions and Q&As with the fans.

The CON-con will be held in the gorgeous Governor Hotel, which was used for two of “Leverage’s” episodes. Events throughout the weekend will include Q&As with the cast, autograph and meet and greet sessions, a cocktail party and an official banquet, to name a few.

The Con-Con: An Official Leverage Event is brought to you by Dean Devlin and Electric Entertainment, in cooperation with MBL Entertainment, LLC. and FED CON GmbH.

For more details and to purchase tickets please visit www.conthecon.com.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Events Across The Globe

Here's some coverage of various fandom related events across the globe.

Anime News Network has posted coverage of the Anime Festival Asia in Singapore this past weekend. It has also posted an article about this past summers Comitia 90 in Tokyo, Japan.

Vice magazine has a writeup of FaerieCon 2009 in Baltimore.

Tuscon Citizen covers the multi-genre convention TusCon 36.

And finally, it appears the owners of Wizard Entertainment have purchased their third convention this year. The New England Comic Con now falls under the umbrella of Wizard World. This follows the earlier purchases of the Big Apple Comic Con and of Paradise's Toronto Comic Con.

Monday, September 7, 2009

GEEK EVENT TWITTER DIRECTORY

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Monday, September 7, 2009

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