New! The preliminary Boskone 46 Programming Schedule is now online.
The Boskone 46 Program offers panels, talks, discussions, demos, and workshops on many aspects of the science fiction and fantasy field. We include items about hard SF and fantasy, science and art, fandom and movies, literature and TV, horror and comics, music and singing, and heaps of related topics! The full schedule will be in the Pocket Program, and posted on the boskone.org website about a week prior to the convention.
Confirmed Program participants as of January 23, 2009:
Boskone Program includes: items spotlighting our guests, panels, interviews, slide-shows, individual presentations, and...
Filksinging—Filksongs are fandom’s folk songs, with themes of SF, fantasy, and fannish interests. Planned items include concert sets, Song Sequitur, and NESFA Hymnal singing.
Anime/Video—On Friday and Saturday nights, watch your favorites during our “film festivals.” The complete schedule will be in the Pocket Progam.
Readings—Hear writers read and discuss their own works (and as before, the Pocket Program tells all.)
Kaffeeklatsches/Literary Beers—Participate an informal discussion with one of our program participants over coffee, tea, or beer. Sign up for these at Information.
Autographs—As usual, you’ll find the full schedule in the Pocket Program.
Art Demos—More than ever!
Discussion Groups—Join program participants and other members in the Boskone consuite, our very own “living room of fandom.” This year, we’ll have even more individual presentations and focused discussions. We invite you to form your own last-minute group (“Birds of a Feather”). E-mail us your idea at info-b46@boskone.org or sign up at Information at-con. Two spotlighted and special elements to our Discussion Groups:
Knitalong (KAL)—A very special “discussion group”...Since half of our NESFA Press Guest team is a dyer of fine yarn, we will be having a Boskone knitalong! On Saturday morning, you will be able to get some of Astrid Bear’s “Boskone Colorway”, and find out more about our weekend knitting project!
The project (Calorimetry) calls for size 8 straight needles (please bring your own needles). Astrid Bear is hand-dyeing some yarn for sale, or you can bring your own. We will provide copies of the pattern, or you can download your own.
Geek Corner—Interact with other fannish technogeeks in this small exhibit and discussion space designed to highlight obsolete items of technology…carbon paper, punch cards, floppy discs, core memory boards…ah…do you remember them well? More importantly, do you want to bring some such stuff to exhibit and talk about? Well, we want you to do just that!
Higgins, etc.—Expanded this year, with a survey of fighting styles with demos ranging from medieval dagger displays to light saber duels! We’ll also have audience-interactive halberd and pike drills...all in the comfort of (yes, really!) the Con Suite. The scripted Higgins fights will be followed by a wide-open medieval combat tournament offered by the Kunstbruder group.
Boskone will also host a number of large events, open to all members, including:
The Friday evening Boskone Reception, but wait, there’s more! Also in our Con Suite on Friday night, we’ll be celebrating Jane Yolen’s Birthday Party, with treats, games, singing, (and maybe even dancing!). There will be a musical Jam Session after the party, so bring your instruments and join in. (Note that this is in the style of a “Minnesota Music Party”—it doesn’t replace filk, but brings even more music to the party we call Boskone!) And that’s only Friday.
On Saturday there will be a NESFA Book Launch Party in the Con Suite some time in the afternoon. Our spectacular Saturday evening line-up includes a hilarious interactive improv event (“Cast of Characters”), followed by the Awards Ceremony (who will get the Skylark this year?) and a play based on Tam Lin (created by Guest of Honor Jo Walton). Finally, if you have any energy left, join us in the Con Suite for a late night Monster Mash (in honor of Forry Ackerman).
On Sunday, join us for the Dead Dog Party (after tear-down and going late into the night.)
Is that it? Nope. We’re still working on it. Work with us. Enjoy.