The program schedule changes right up to the last day of the Con, so check back here for the latest info.
The schedule below was last updated March 07, 2024 14:57 CST
If you have another programming item in mind please head on over to the Program Ideas Page and add your suggestion.
10:00am Friday | Master Control opens |
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| This is the place to go for any problems during MarsCon weekend. It is a communications hub with the ability to help in most situations—lost child, last minute programming schedule change, AV needs, problem attendee, hotel issue, weapons peace bonding, after hours registration, volunteers dispatch, or drop off for food shelf and charity auction donations. This is the place to go. Located at the bottom of the grand staircase by the main entrance, 1st floor. | ... | Everyone | |
12:00pm Friday | Registration opens - 2nd floor balcony |
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| Pick up badges & programs, purchase swag, and start checking out the spaces, volunteer to help out if able. After-hours, you may register at Master Control (1st floor, near Hotel front desk). Food Drive: MarsCon will be accepting food donations for the Food Group, a network of food shelves, during the convention. If you are registering at the door for MarsCon 2024, you can get $5 off your registration by donating 5 cans of food, limited to one discount per person. (Please note, the $5 discount cannot be applied to Day Passes.) If you are a party host and would like to help out, we encourage you to collect donations and bring them to the donation area near Registration/at Master Control by Sunday. If you are attending and would like to donate, please drop off your donation at Registration, Master Control, or a participating party room. Thank you for your donations and generosity! | ... | Everyone | |
01:00pm Friday | The Penthouse/Art Show opens! |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | Bid on a masterpiece! Open for Bidding, Art Market, and Quick Sales | ... | Everyone |
03:00pm Friday | Book Exchange |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Do you have a book you’ve read and want to share? Bring it to the book exchange! Bring a book or get a book. There are no limits on books and we only ask that you enjoy your read. Book Exchange will be found in the Library — for novels, miscellaneous literature, and other SF/Fantasy/Speculative Fiction. Please bring one or more books you would like to donate, and feel free to take a book for reading later. Any unclaimed books will be donated to the Charity Auction which takes place on Sunday morning in the Ballroom. | ... | Everyone |
03:00pm Friday | Q Branch/Prop-A-Torium 17 opens |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | 2nd floor, White Pelican Bay Dedicated to the fictional research and development branch of the British Secret Service charged with oversight of top secret field technologies, Q Branch will host an extraordinary display of some of the most unusual and fabulous handmade and collected props. From popular movies, television shows, and other media events over the past 60 years! Not only that, the room is staffed by the people who made and collected them! It’s great to see the impressive skill and care that went into some of these magnificent pieces. Then be able to ply the folks who made them with Jedi mind tricks to get the secrets of their construction! There might be something sweet. Enjoy props related to Indiana Jones, Wizarding World, Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Middle Earth Saga, James Bond, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so much more from movies and television shows. We have Fan-Made Props, “Officially Licensed” Props. A few actual Screen-Used Props, even those high-end collectibles we all covet from Sideshow, Master Replicas, Warner Brothers, and more. If you like swords or lightsabers, bullwhips, or blasters, come by the Prop-A-Torium! Photos will be allowed in the Prop-A-Torium; please ask us if you can touch or take videos of the props you see in the Prop-A-Torium. | ... | Tony Artym, Bob Poate, Michael Helde, Steve Streeter, hosts |
03:00pm Friday | Back Room Bazaar & Makers Market open |
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| Ballroom I/II - Buy something fun! There are new Dealers & some older Dealers with new merchandise. Many are offering “Con Theme” oriented merch at Great Prices: jewelry, tote bags, plushies, costumes, accessories, articulated dragons, figurines, books, toys & more. Many local authors that like to talk. Some Dealers are in the hall/foyer area. All hours are posted by the Dealer Room door, in the program book & pocket program… SUPPORT YOUR CON BY SUPPORTING OUR DEALERS | ... | Everyone | |
04:00pm Friday | Setup, Sound Check & Rehearsal |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Getting ready for Opening Ceremonies, etc… | ... | Chairs, ConCom |
04:00pm Friday | Pandemic 101: Real Life Lessons in Surviving a Pandemic |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Sounds like science fiction, but we have recently turned the corner on a devastating group experience. Discussion of the coping strategies, new habits and lessons learned which got us to this point. | ... | Christine LaBounty, mod. |
04:00pm Friday | Trailer Park 2024: Movies |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Check out trailers for the movies coming out this year. Be on your top game when conversing with other folks here at MarsCon! Be ready for that panel! Plan what you are going to see next weekend? Don’t miss THE TRAILER PARK! Titles TBA. | ... | Everyone |
04:00pm Friday | Comedy Writing |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | How do you make a character funny? A story? Or even an introduction? Come and learn how to find the humor in the world from a professional comedy writer. Teens welcome! | ... | Dave Walbridge |
04:00pm Friday | Teen Training - 14+ |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Interested in using a glue gun? Come to The Lab for a Top-Secret training session to learn the room rules and the safety procedures around using this most important of tools. | ... | Jen |
04:00pm Friday | Anime by request |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | ... | Suz | |
04:00pm Friday | Bat Cave/Science Room opens |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | Located in Woodlands on the 1st floor, between the Front Desk & Restaurant “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” Come see how we are transforming science fiction into science fact! Visit the Science Room to view and interact with science exhibits. | ... | Everyone |
04:30pm Friday | Top-Secret Journals - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | This year, we at The Lab are conducting a Con Wide experiment. Go to each department and get a mark to show you've been there. Then bring your marks back here for a prize. Make your journal to record your exploits here. | ... | Brittany |
05:00pm Friday | 88 Starship Interstellar Exploration Update |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Update on various technologies supporting at least an uncrewed probe to Proxima Centauri circa 2110. Well look at Starshot and other beam-based propulsion, Space made solar cells, robotic manufacturing, tech needed for autonomous bases, lunar and maritian precursors and anything else we have time for. Some slides, mostly discussion. | ... | G. David Nordley |
05:00pm Friday | Sewing Tips and Tricks for Newbies |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ... | Rae Lundquist | |
05:00pm Friday | Trailer Park 2024: TV Series |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Check out trailers for the TV series coming out this year. Be on your top game when conversing with other folks here at MarsCon! Be ready for that panel! Plan what you are going to see/stream next weekend or next month. Don’t miss THE TRAILER PARK! Titles TBA. | ... | Everyone |
05:00pm Friday | Don't Harsh the Squee |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Why can't we seem just to let people like what they like? If Pumpkin Spice everything brings people happiness, who are we to complain? Don't like Superhero movies? Hate Holiday Music? Fine, but why do people need to sneer and snarl at things other people enjoy? | ... | Michael Merriam, mod., T. Aaron Cisco , Sherry L.M. Merriam, Joshua Nite, Jim Soos |
05:15pm Friday | Pet Experiment - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Have you ever had a pet rock? Well, we are taking it to the next level! We have oyster shells. Customize your pet with eyes, paint, feathers, and anything we have out. Make your pet experiment your own. | ... | Jen |
06:00pm Friday | Programming Break |
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| Time to check out Art Show, Dealers Room, Prop-A-Torium and Science Room and, maybe, get a bite to eat before Opening Ceremonies | ... | Everyone | |
07:00pm Friday | Opening Ceremonies |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Thank you for joining us for the 26th annual MarsCon Sci Fi/Fantasy/Gaming Convention! We will open MarsCon with live sketch comedy, welcome and introduce our wonderful Guests of Honor, and learn important stuff that will help you get the most out of MarsCon 2024. | ... | Chairs, ConCom and Guests of Honor Maggie Egan , Ana Voltz, T. Aaron Cisco, Michael Merriam, Andy Merrill |
07:00pm Friday | Bookmarks - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Make a bookmark to go with your Top Secret journal. Or use it for everyday reading. | ... | Cindy |
07:00pm Friday | Q Branch Closes |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | “Pay attention, 007.” | ... | Q |
07:00pm Friday | Art Show Closes |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. … Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, which presents the difficulties. | ... | Artists & Fans of Art |
07:00pm Friday | Bat Cave/Science Room Closes |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | "The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you." - Neil deGrasse Tyson | ... | All |
07:45pm Friday | Variety Exhumed |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | VARIETY EXHUMED = The improvisational comedy team that answers the question ‘WHAT IF’ What if...the audience dictated plot-twists, script direction, cast changes, character development and interaction throughout the story? What if... | ... | Jay Sterling |
07:45pm Friday | Buttons - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Create a button to decorate your costume or to enhance your disguise. | ... | Brittany |
08:00pm Friday | Life on Set with Actor GOH Maggie Egan |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Maggie Egan’s F/SF credits include Babylon 5 and Crusade (ISN Anchor Jane), Quantum Leap (Margaret Cole), Sliders (Reporter #1), Babylon Park (voice of Captain Painway), Alien Nation (Mrs. Comet), and The Mentalist (Polly Datch). She has been a series regular, a recurring character, and top of show guest star, appearing in over 600 commercials, 560 for the Disney Channel alone, and 55 movies and TV shows. This is your chance to meet Maggie and hear about her life on set. | ... | Maggie Egan |
08:00pm Friday | Chain Maille Presentation |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ‘Nothing looks like chain maille, except REAL chain maille'. See how to do a quick and easy version yourself. | ... | Gerald Dagel |
08:00pm Friday | Deep Dive into D&D Editions |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | A look at Dungeons & Dragons, and how it has changed over the years. | ... | Brian LaBounty, mod. |
08:00pm Friday | Spec Fic Spies |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Discuss our favorite science fiction and fantasy spies in media. From Miles Vorkosigan to James Bond, who are some of your favorites? What authors do it well? | ... | Michael Merriam, mod., Kathryn Sullivan |
08:30pm Friday | The Further Adventures of Walt’s Frozen Head - (NR) – 1hr 20 min |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | During his yearly thaw to oversee the direction of his company, the cryogenically frozen head of the world's largest media conglomerate, Walt Disney, convinces Peter, a low-level park employee, to kidnap him for a day in the Magic Kingdom. | ... | AV Film Crew |
09:00pm Friday | HOLY BONGWATER concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Holy Bongwater is the musical project of adorable couple Jace McLain (of Nuclear Bubble Wrap) and Julia Larson. They do psychedelic comedy and parody music. Their EP “Mock The Vote” is a series of parodies made about each main candidate during the 2016 presidential election: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Jill Stein, Gary Johnson, and Bernie Sanders. Although the election was intense and stressful, this little parody EP hopefully serves as a nice little time capsule that showcases how a lot of people felt at the time. Many of their songs can be heard at the Funny Music Project, aka The FuMP dot com. FFI: https://holybongwater.bandcamp.com/ | ... | Jace McLain & Julia Larson, Holy Bongwater |
09:00pm Friday | Friday Night Karaoke |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Sing and sing along. | ... | |
09:00pm Friday | Cosplay Under Cover |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Whether you're modifying a costume for movement or trying to bring some sci-fi into your work day, every day is a little more fun with fandom. We'll talk design inspiration, practical tips, buying/making resources, and more to bring your cosplay into the every day. | ... | Amber Raden |
09:00pm Friday | Remote Viewing and the Gateway Experience |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | A brief presentation on top secret above black remote viewing and the Montauk Project. Plus a timeline of events and suggested references for those interested in pursuing remote viewing. | ... | Joe Swenson |
09:00pm Friday | Book Discussion with Guest of Honor T. Aaron Cisco |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Let’s talk about our guest of honor's work as an author--whichever book(s) he or others would like to talk about. Maybe the recent short fiction collection, Nowhere Sleeping? | ... | David Lenander, mod. T. Aaron Cisco |
09:45pm Friday | POWER SALAD concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | By day, Chris Mezzolesta is a professional voice-over artist whose voice can be heard in commercials for Kaopectate and Menards, among others. But when the moon is full, he gets out the vacuum cleaner and frightens his cat beyond consolation! His song “Letter From A Cruise Ship (Hello Mudduh, Hello Faddah! 2013)” won a Logan Award in 2014, and his song “Amazon Drone” won him another in 2015, however it’s his 30 plus years of making sketch audio and comedy music make him the wise elder of the scene, with recent Dr Demento Show hits like “Gas Station Disc Jockey” and “Smells Like Herb Alpert”, both from his first vinyl release (now sold out, but still available virtually) “Vaudeville”. Mostly, however he just yells about tile and honey mustard, much to the delight and confusion of those around him. He’s also a part of other groups of talented podcasters and comedy music makers like “BS de Resistance”, “The Tamborine People”, “My Friend Lyssa”, and “The Suffolk & Goode Players”. FFI: https://www.powersalad.com/ | ... | Chris Mezzolesta, Power Salad |
10:00pm Friday | Turning Leather Into Costumes |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Todd Murray shows some leatherworking techniques, tips, and tricks for creating armor that's sure to turn heads. | ... | Todd Murray |
10:00pm Friday | MST 3K: The Right People Will Get This |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | A celebration of the 35th (or 36th if you count KTMA) anniversary of the most creative TV show to ever come out of Minnesota. | ... | Darlene Polsean, mod., Ruth McKinstry, Linda Block |
10:00pm Friday | A Writers’ Conversation |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Informal conversation amongst authors. | ... | Michael Merriam, Patrick W. Marsh, David Walbridge |
10:00pm Friday | 37 Godzilla Films in 37 Minutes |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | A Godzilla Crash Course: Presented by The Infinity Corporation. From 54 to -1, for all GFans young & old, novice and expert, 37 films in 37 minutes presented by the greatest multiversal reality bending megacorporation this side of the great attractor: The Infinity Corporation! We’ll talk the good, the bad, the profound and the profoundly silly of the Godzilla franchise. | ... | Eric Karn, Elroy G. Biv and Kay W. |
10:30pm Friday | INSANE IAN concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Insane Ian is a comedian/writer who has been in several bands and loves video games. He plays them, he reviews them, he collects them, he even writes comedy songs about video games. He’s gone so far as to combine reviews and comedy songs into his video game “Reviewsicals” on YouTube. Just one look at Ian’s Bandcamp page makes it obvious that Insane Ian is a comedy music juggernaut that cannot be stopped. Ian hit a milestone in his career a long time in coming, as he had the #1 most requested song of 2015 on “The Dr. Demento Show”, the name-mangling Brit-tribute, “Benedict Cumberbatch”, sitting firmly atop the Doctor’s year-end Funny 25. With a sharp wit, sarcastic smirk, and a bit of self-deprecation, he’s here to bring his unique sound to anyone who won’t tell him to shut up… and even a few that will. FFI: https://www.insaneian.com/ | ... | Insane Ian |
11:00pm Friday | Streaming and Fan Service: What Has Streaming Done for Fans Lately? |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Discussion of what's currently out there on streaming services, where to find the good stuff, with clips and recommendations. | ... | Christine LaBounty, mod., C.M. Alongi, T. Aaron Cisco , Amber Raden, Jim Soos, Scott Wenker |
11:00pm Friday | Get Smart! |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Sorry about that, Chief. Not the Cone of Silence! From 1965-1970, Get Smart, created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry and starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon, used satire, comedy, slapstick, and parody to serve the best in spy humor. Let's talk about why it still makes us laugh. | ... | Eric M. Heideman, mod. |
11:15pm Friday | SCOOTER PICNIC concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | You got Insane Ian in my TV’s Kyle! But you got TV’s Kyle in my Insane Ian! That’s about as good an explanation of Scooter Picnic as any. But we’ll press on anyway. Scooter Picnic is what happens when Kyle and Ian abandon all their regular methods of songwriting, except the part where there’s a song at the end. And yet it somehow works. Sure, it may take a random turn at any time, but it’s always entertaining. And don’t be surprised if they bring a friend or two along for the ride (that is, a song). Possibly even willingly! If you want to know more about them as individuals, well apparently you missed Insane Ian’s bio right above this one! And Kyle’s is down a couple. Go read those. They’ll make more sense than this, which mostly seems fitting. | ... | Ian Bonds & Kyle A. Carrozza, Scooter Picnic |
10:00am Saturday | Murder Most Foul |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | A dark cloud hangs over the crew of the IKV RakeHell. The Admiral is dead... or is he? And who killed him? | ... | The Klingons of the IKV RakeHell |
10:00am Saturday | My Life in Hollywood |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Debbie David is known for her work on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Catchfire (1990) and Star Trek: Voyager (1995). | ... | Debbie David (MarsCon ’99 Guest of Honor |
10:00am Saturday | Building Costume Confidence |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Techniques to becoming the character | ... | Matthew Bastyr, Jason Hickman |
10:00am Saturday | 2023 Movies You Missed |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Reviewing and discussing underrated and/or overlooked cinematic gems released over the last year | ... | T. Aaron Cisco, mod., Kathleen Eeg, Jim Soos, Scott Wenker |
10:00am Saturday | Weird Western/Steampunk Spy Thrillers and Mysteries |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | The genre of Steampunk and Weird Westerns would seem to lend themselves to spies and detectives. Letâ s talk about some of our favorite media in the genre. | ... | Michael Merriam, mod., Catherine Lundoff, Darlene Polsean |
10:00am Saturday | Faeries - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Make a faerie to befriend your experiment! This craft will be run again for 14+ later in the afternoon. | ... | Jen |
10:00am Saturday | Anime by request |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | ... | Suz | |
10:00am Saturday | Q Branch/Prop-A-Torium 17 opens |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | 2nd floor, White Pelican Bay Dedicated to the fictional research and development branch of the British Secret Service charged with oversight of top secret field technologies, Q Branch will host an extraordinary display of some of the most unusual and fabulous handmade and collected props. From popular movies, television shows, and other media events over the past 60 years! Not only that, the room is staffed by the people who made and collected them! It’s great to see the impressive skill and care that went into some of these magnificent pieces. Then be able to ply the folks who made them with Jedi mind tricks to get the secrets of their construction! There might be something sweet. Enjoy props related to Indiana Jones, Wizarding World, Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Middle Earth Saga, James Bond, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so much more from movies and television shows. We have Fan-Made Props, “Officially Licensed” Props. A few actual Screen-Used Props, even those high-end collectibles we all covet from Sideshow, Master Replicas, Warner Brothers, and more. If you like swords or lightsabers, bullwhips, or blasters, come by the Prop-A-Torium! Photos will be allowed in the Prop-A-Torium; please ask us if you can touch or take videos of the props you see in the Prop-A-Torium. | ... | Tony Artym, Bob Poate, Michael Helde, Steve Streeter, hosts |
10:00am Saturday | The Penthouse/Art Show opens! |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | Come one, come all and bid on a masterpiece! Open for Bidding, Art Market, and Quick Sales | ... | Everyone |
10:00am Saturday | Bat Cave/Science Room opens! |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | Located in Woodlands on the 1st floor, between the Front Desk & Restaurant “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” Come see how we are transforming science fiction into science fact! Visit the Science Room to view and interact with science exhibits. | ... | Everyone |
10:00am Saturday | Blood Drive - 10 am to 4 pm - Signup in Main Lobby |
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| MarsCon blood donors have touched more than 2000 lives over the past 18 years. Help boost that total at this, the 19th annual MarsCon blood drive. Schedule in advance at redcrossblood.org with sponsor code MarsCon ... or transport yourself to the registration table Saturday and sign up with USS Nokomis crew members. | ... | USS Nokomis American Red Cross | |
10:00am Saturday | Back Room Bazaar & Makers Market open |
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| Ballroom I/II - Buy something fun! There are new Dealers & some older Dealers with new merchandise. Many are offering “Con Theme” oriented merch at Great Prices: jewelry, tote bags, plushies, costumes, accessories, articulated dragons, figurines, books, toys & more. Many local authors that like to talk. Some Dealers are in the hall/foyer area. All hours are posted by the Dealer Room door, in the program book & pocket program… SUPPORT YOUR CON BY SUPPORTING OUR DEALERS | ... | Everyone | |
10:45am Saturday | Bookmarks - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | If you missed this craft Friday evening, here's your chance. Make a bookmark of your own. | ... | Cindy |
11:00am Saturday | The Saber Legion Demo |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | The Saber Legion is a worldwide saber club, with a focus on saber combat and sparring. Our Mission Statement: Love and always represent your charters and who you are. We’re here to teach all the ways of the force. With sabers, all will be united! http://www.saberlegion.org | ... | The Saber Legion |
11:00am Saturday | Beyond Babylon 5 with GOH Maggie Egan |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Maggie has appeared in Babylon 5, Babylon Park and Crusade. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Join with B5 fans and Maggie to discuss B5 and other many other projects. | ... | Maggie Egan & Whitestar Phoenix |
11:00am Saturday | Masquerade 101 |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | This will be 15 minutes of Masquerade orientation for those who are entered in the contest. The rest of the time will be a presentation (for all, not just contestants) on how to enter a costume contest. | ... | Rae Lundquist, Masquerade Director |
11:00am Saturday | AI: separating fact, fiction, and good 'ol copyright infringement |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | AI might be a lot of things. It might enslave us all. It might usher in a new era of post-scarcity abundance. Or it might just be the next big tech innovation that was going to change everything to get rolled over by big copyright. (Who still remembers Napster, Bittorrent, or the Pirate Bay) | ... | Technomagik, mod. |
11:00am Saturday | Author GOH Readings |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | T. Aaron Cisco and Michael Merriam read from their works. | ... | T. Aaron Cisco and Michael Merriam |
11:00am Saturday | Scifirepower Tour |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | Erik Pakieser of Scifirepower will provide a prop-by-prop tour of the Scifirepower collection on display in the Prop-A-Torium. | ... | Erik D Pakieser |
11:30am Saturday | Buttons - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Here you can use the stickers and decorations to make yourself a button. Use it as part of your costume, or make it part of your disguise. | ... | Brittany |
12:00pm Saturday | Haedong Kumdo demonstration |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Haedong Kumdo (formally Haidong Gumdo). Come and watch some of our old and new Korean Sword forms. We will be demonstrating single sword, two handed sword, and a cutting demonstration. | ... | Steve Erickson |
01:00pm Saturday | Taiko Drumming |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Drumming performance followed by Q&A | ... | Taiko Drumming Group |
01:00pm Saturday | Zumba! |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | For fun and fitness | ... | Rachel Beise, host |
01:00pm Saturday | Live Painting Demo |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Erik Pakieser of Scifirepower will do a live demo of his techniques for painting prop blasters. | ... | Erik Pakieser |
01:00pm Saturday | Godzilla: Through the Decades |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | This will be a deep dive conversation about the "King of the Monsters" who was awoken 70 years ago. Best, worst -- and everything in between. | ... | Brian LaBounty, mod., Kevin Berg, Eric M. Heideman, Jim Soos |
01:00pm Saturday | The Eagle Obsession |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Writer/Director Jeffrey Morris discusses his in-depth investigation into the origins of the iconic Space: 1999 vessel, the Eagle, and the creation of his feature-length documentary about it. FFI see: EagleDocumentary.com | ... | John Avery (on behalf of Jeffrey Morris) |
01:00pm Saturday | Top-Secret Journals - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | If you missed this Friday craft, come now and make one. Use it to get the stamps you need for this Top Secret Mission. Bring a book with the stamps you've collected from around the Con for an award. | ... | Brittany |
01:00pm Saturday | Everything You Wanted to Know about Filmmaking (but were afraid to ask) |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Join us for the 6th year of this fun and informative panel on how you, yes you, can make your own film! This panel combines a wide variety of artisans who have hands-on experience making both short and feature films. We love talking about filmmaking and we can't wait to talk to YOU! | ... | Nathan Block, mod. |
01:45pm Saturday | Pet Experiment - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | If you missed making a friend Friday night, then come on in and make one now. Oyster shells provided. You bring your imagination. | ... | Jen |
02:00pm Saturday | Blue Lotus Middle Eastern Dance |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | The Blue Lotus Middle Eastern Dancers dance company was established in 2004. They are a troupe of professional and semi-professional dancers based in Minneapolis and Rochester, MN. They perform together in community events, professional performances, and their own original stage productions. To learn more, find them on Instagram @bluelotusbellydancers and on Facebook at "The Blue Lotus Middle Eastern Dancers." | ... | Blue Lotus |
02:00pm Saturday | Basic Kimu and Sword Techniques |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Come and learn some basic Haedong Kumdo (sword) techniques along with some basic Kimu (similar to Tai Chi) forms. | ... | Steve Erickson |
02:00pm Saturday | Arming Your Costume |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Want to "accessorize" your costume with weapons, but aren't sure where to start? Erik Pakieser of Scifirepower will demonstrate tips and tricks for acquiring and building prop weapons on a budget, and keeping your weapons con-friendly. | ... | Erik Pakieser |
02:00pm Saturday | Radio: For Pleasure? For Public Service? Or for Spying? |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | When all other lines of communication are down, itâ s nice to know a Ham. Amateur radio is a wonderful hobby and a public service. Bounce your signal off the moon, spot tornadoes, chat with people all over the world and contact astronauts in space. Although HAM operators technically do not engage in spying activity, radio has been used for such purposes. Join us. | ... | Art Johnson, Tron & other Hams |
02:00pm Saturday | Geeks v Sportsball |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Geeks have inherited the world (at least the parts the uber-wealthy oligarchy will allow them to inherit), but there is still lingering tension between the geek community and sports fans. Why are some sports like football hated by the geek community and others like Roller Derby loved? A panel of people who move in both worlds and a curious audience will discuss. | ... | Michael Merriam, mod., Sherry Merriam |
02:30pm Saturday | Bead lizards - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Come and make your yearly pet. | ... | Brittany |
02:45pm Saturday | JAKE DEWAR concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Jake Dewar is a Chicago area actor, comedian, music producer, and filmmaker. He is a graduate of North Central College, where he received his B.A. in Theatre, and has trained in improvisation at the Second City, iO, and the Annoyance theater. On the stage and screen, Jake embodies a wide range of smart and silly characters. His musical mimicry is equally versatile, creating a theatrical style of humor that balances playful fun with thoughtful satire. Jake has produced numerous comedy albums, sketch revues, podcasts, plays, the Chicago improv documentary “Off the Cuff” and recently debuted his original musical “Rich People in Space”. Jake has been posting songs at the FuMP dot com since 2019, and he contributed a cover of “My Home Town” to the 2023 tribute album “The FuMP Desecrates Tom Lehrer”. FFI: http://www.jakedewarcomedy.com/ | ... | Jake Dewar |
03:00pm Saturday | Arab Dance For Every Body |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | The dance forms from the Arab world that fall under the English term "bellydance" are a fun way to get moving and enjoy beautiful music. We will learn a little bit about these dances, warm up, play with veils, learn a few basic movements that are building blocks of these dances, and put these moves together into a simple combination. No dance experience required. Bring a hip scarf and/or veil if you have them, otherwise Anjela will have some available to borrow during the class. All genders, sizes, and ability levels are invited. Variations will be offered for various levels of mobility. The instructor places an emphasis on how the movements feel over how they look. Sensory advisory: coin scarves produce ringing sounds that may cause discomfort for some with noise sensitivity or hearing aids. | ... | Marielle |
03:00pm Saturday | Creating the…Cardassian Spy |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Live Costume & Makeup Demo | ... | Rae Lundquist, Bill Hedrick |
03:00pm Saturday | Biden Space: The Year in Space Review |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | What new cool tech has launched, and what is happening in space exploration right now? | ... | Ben Huset, mod., G. David Nordley, Eric M. Heideman |
03:00pm Saturday | LGBTQ+ Fiction and Media - What's New and What's Next? |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | A panel discussion about what shows and books have great queer rep and are worth tracking down to enjoy. | ... | Catherine Lundoff, mod., David Lenander, C. M. Alongi |
03:00pm Saturday | Otaku TV |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | If you ever wanted a show about your interests in a meta sort of way, shows about Otaku are just that! Come see this almost time warp experience of seeing otaku culture through the lens of anime about otaku. | ... | Viga |
03:15pm Saturday | Forensic Kits - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Forensic kits your experimenting pleasure. Pipettes, petri dishes, masks and gloves. Everything a budding spy needs. | ... | Jen |
03:30pm Saturday | TV’S KYLE & LINDZILLA concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Kyle A. Carrozza, aka “TV’s Kyle” created an awesome hilarious animated program for Cartoon Network, “Mighty MagiSwords”, as well voicing the male lead Prohyas and MANY other characters on the show. Since then he has been pitching new cartoon shows to various networks and streaming services, and worked as a Storyboard Artist on Hulu’s revival of “Animaniacs” and Apple TV’s “The Snoopy Show”. Lindsay Smith, also known as “Lindzilla” (Kyle’s dinosaur-lifemate) also worked on “Mighty Magiswords” as a character designer and voice actor, and is currently the Co-Art Director on the popular Hulu animated series “Solar Opposites”. She also blows a mean baritone sax! When the most adorable couple in Burbank aren’t making cartoons, they make excellent catchy fun comedy music together! They have had dozens of songs played on “The Dr. Demento Show” with many making the monthly Top Ten countdowns, and have been nominated for multiple Logan Awards over the past decade. In 2011, after they attended MarsCon for the first time, they vowed never to miss one ever, and they haven’t. Their live shows at MarsCon are always a highlight, bringing us their welcoming presence, big smiles and epic poses, and whenever necessary they will scream “Shut up, Ian!!!” Kyle also co-hosts the fortnightly animation podcast “Kyle & Luke Talk About Toons” with Luke Ski and is one half of the duo Scooter Picnic with Insane Ian, which he describes as “bloopcore quirkhop” as if those words have meaning. Silly cartoon man. FFI: https://tvskyle.bandcamp.com/ | ... | Kyle A. Carrozza & Lindsay Smith, TV's Kyle & Lindzilla |
04:00pm Saturday | Missing the Point |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | A discussion of fight choreography and action in sci-fi, fantasy and mainstream films. Our panel consists of award winning fight choreographers, producers, actors and stunt people with stage and screen experience. We bring an arsenal of stunt weapons and film props as well as backgrounds in military, law enforcement and martial arts (including a national champion) aside from performance experience. | ... | Lee Fillingsness |
04:00pm Saturday | Secrets of Andor |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | This complex spy thriller and prequel to Rogue One and the original Star Wars features Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, resourceful and reluctant recruit to the rebel cause. The intrigue is so skillfully crafted, it may persuade you to care about Mon Mothma. Remember her? Discuss, debate, devour. | ... | Brian LaBounty, Christine LaBounty, Kevin Berg, Amber Raden |
04:00pm Saturday | Discussion with Michael Merriam of his novel, Last Car to Annwn Station, etc |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Merriam is a guest of honor, and this is your chance to discuss his fiction with him. This is a fine story, set in Minneapolis with streetcars. | ... | David Lenander, Interviewer, with Michael Merriam |
04:00pm Saturday | Survival Bracelets - 14+ |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Make a paracord bracelet to have a wrist full of string should you need it. The knots are complicated, so 14+ only. | ... | Morgan |
04:00pm Saturday | Distant Calling Pictures showcase |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Join local filmmaking team Distant Calling Pictures for a look at their films from 2023 and a glimpse of upcoming projects, Q&A after the films will be available. | ... | Nathan Block, host |
04:15pm Saturday | THE GREAT LUKE SKI concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | At Dragon*Con 2004, Dr. Demento declared “the great Luke Ski” (a former MarsCon Music Guest Of Honor) to be his radio program’s “Most Requested Artist of the 21st Century”. Since then, Luke held onto that title by having his nerdy comedy tracks on “The Dr. Demento Show’s” annual year-end “Funny 25” countdown of his most requested songs of the year for 18 years in a row, with a whopping FIVE of them reaching the #1 spot, including his 2018 hit “Candybars”, which earned him his 3rd Logan Award for Outstanding Parody Song. Luke has been the Chair of the MarsCon Comedy Music Track since it’s inception, now in its 20th year. Luke Ski is currently looking for his next full-time job in the animation industry in the Burbank / L.A. area, paying the bills by being a cannabis product delivery boy, and trying to make more new comedy songs when he has the time and money to do so. last year Luke Ski released his first new album in over 8 years, “Needlessly Meta”, available at Table 27 all weekend. FFI: https://www.thegreatlukeski.com | ... | Luke Sienkowski, The Great Luke Ski! |
04:45pm Saturday | Potion Making - 14+ |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Come and make a potion to add to your kit. You never know when a potion will come in handy. | ... | Mary Mac |
05:00pm Saturday | Comedy Music Guest Of Honor ANDY MERRILL concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Andy Merrill is a comedian, voice actor, writer, and multi-talented creative known for his significant contributions to the early years of Cartoon Network, Williams Street, and Adult Swim. Merrill’s breakthrough role was as the voice of the lovable and eccentric character “Brak” on the groundbreaking animated talk show “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.” Premiering in 1994, this show was a pioneer in adult-oriented animation and played a crucial role in the establishment of Cartoon Network’s late-night programming block, Adult Swim. Merrill continued his work with the character Brak in “Cartoon Planet,” a show which started out as a showcase of classic cartoons from the Turner library with interstitial segments featuring Space Ghost (George Lowe), Zorak (C. Martin Croker), and Brak. With the popularity of the interstitial comedy sketch segments and funny songs surpassing the classic cartoons being shown, the show switched to being composed entirely of their sketches and songs, some of which were improvised. On both “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast” and “Cartoon Planet”, Andy’s comedic timing and distinctive voice brought Brak to life in a way that resonated with audiences and contributed to the show’s success. Cartoon Network released three albums featuring music from both “Cartoon Planet” and the two-part variety show special “Brak Presents The Brak Show Starring Brak”, which are prized CDs of any comedy music fan. Dr. Demento has played many tracks from them on his radio / internet show since the mid 90’s. In 2000, Merrill went on to create and star in the Adult Swim series “The Brak Show,” a spin-off from “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast” that focused on Brak, his best friend Zorak, Brak’s Mom and Dad, and their daily sitcom adventures. The show continued the tradition of having excellent funny songs and musical episodes, and ran for 3 seasons. Merrill expanded his involvement with Adult Swim, lending his voice to various characters in popular shows like “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” where he played the recurring role of Oglethorpe the inept alien invader. As the years progress, his voice work continues to extend to notable shows like “Adventure Time,” where he brought his unique style to James the Ice Cream Bar. Merrill showcased his musical versatility by covering the Suicidal Tendencies song “Institutionalized” in character as Brak on the 2018 album “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk”. Some people (or at least some people named Luke Ski anyway) say it is the best track on the amazing collection. Andy makes regular appearances at conventions in the midwest, as well as performances in stand-up clubs where he brings his ukulele and cracks up the crowds with his hilarious jokes and catchy songs. We at the MarsCon Comedy Music Track have been wanting to have him as our guest for many years, and we are very honored to have him join us as our 2024 Comedy Music Guest Of Honor. All hail Brak. FFI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Merrill | ... | Andy Merrill, Music Guest of Honor |
05:00pm Saturday | Twin Cities Maker: Your Local Maker Space |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | Twin Cities Maker is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit that runs a Maker space in Seward, Minneapolis, at 3119 East 26th Street. We have over 10,000 square feet of space, and over 400 members, and all the tools needed for the Making of Things, including a full wood shop, metal shop, machine shop, blacksmithing shop, 2 large laser cutters, a bevy of 3d printers, screen printing, textile work, and more! Come learn about our org, our space, and the Maker scene! Our site: TCMaker .org | ... | Riley Harrison |
05:00pm Saturday | Spycraft in Star Trek: From Gary Seven to Garek |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | From the Tal Shiar to the Obsidian Order to Section 31, let's explore the gritty spycraft side of the Star Trek universe. | ... | Michael Merriam, T. Aaron Cisco, Kathryn Sullivan |
05:00pm Saturday | SF Writing Groups: The 2024 Scene |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Since 1986, the Minnesota Imaginative Fiction Writers' Alliance has held an annual meeting--Currently at MarsCon--at which solo science fiction and fantasy writers who are looking for a writing group get a chance to connect with SF writing groups that are looking for new members. | ... | Eric M. Heideman, mod., C. M. Alongi |
06:00pm Saturday | In Memoriam: Steve Miller (1950–2024) |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Fans will gather to mourn and celebrate author Steve Miller (1950–2024) who died suddenly on February 20, 2024. Steve had gone downstairs, intending to take a walk in the basement as he did every day in frozen Maine winters. An hour later, his wife Sharon Lee found him on the floor unconscious and not breathing. He was 73. Steve was born in Baltimore, and stayed until his late thirties. He attended the University of Maryland, where he worked on college newspaper The Retriever and founded the science fiction club. His first published story was solo, in 1976. First proper pro sale to Amazing Stories in 1978. He married Sharon Lee Backof in 1980. Sharon was also from Baltimore, also an sf writer. Together they are best known for their extensive and ongoing Liaden Universe Series. The first novel, Agent of Change, was published in 1988. Their latest, Salvage Right, #25 was published in 2023. An upcoming novel, “Ribbon Dance,” will be published later this year. Steve and Sharon also published over 60 short stories in the Liaden Universe. The meticulously crafted universe attracted fans even before Miller and Lee realized they would be successful. After the publication of the first three novels in the series – “Agent of Change,” “Conflict of Honors,” and “Carpe Diem” – the authors were unsure they’d continue. In fact, they went on hiatus from writing the series for several years. However, the books had reached members of the avid sci-fi fan community at the early internet newsgroup rec.arts.sf.written, and they clamored for more. Miller and Lee got back to writing, and 10 years after the third novel was published, “Plan B” came out and continued the series. Steve and Sharon were honored guests for MarsCon in 2003 and 2017, and they even made virtual appearances for our all virtual pandemic MarsCon in 2021. https://marscon.org/2003/index.html https://marscon.org/2017/index.php https://marscon.org/2021/schedule.php Steve is survived by his wife and co-author Sharon Lee and three cats. Our deepest sympathies to Sharon Lee. Steve Miller will be missed. (Some info from Legacy.com) | ... | Everyone |
06:15pm Saturday | NUCLEAR BUBBLE WRAP concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Nuclear Bubble Wrap is a psychedelic/alternative rock band from Nashville, TN. While their early work was devoted to creating humorous internet content, the band’s style evolved into whimsical art-rock influenced by Ween and The Flaming Lips. Their music is known for containing lush, multi-layered psychedelic arrangements, with catchy melodies and witty lyrics. Their live show features a bevy of masks and costumes. Founded by keyboardist Jace McLain and guitarist Kyle Thorne, Nuclear Bubble Wrap began recording home-made demo albums in 2005 before switching to fully-produced studio recordings in 2010. Some of this material was played on the Dr. Demento Show. Using the momentum from several popular viral music videos, the band built a cult following and has played in several cities across the United States. The current iteration of the group is filled out by bassist Stephen Smith and drummer Julia Larson. FFI: http://www.nuclearbubblewrap.com/ | ... | Stephen Smith & Julia Larson, Nuclear Bubble Wrap |
07:00pm Saturday | Masquerade Rehearsal & Judging |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | ... | Masquerade participants | |
07:00pm Saturday | Gun Play |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Erik Pakieser from SciFirepower will discuss the best (and worst) depictions of guns in film. What tropes do we keep seeing, what do they get right, what do they get wrong, and how can they do better? | ... | Erik D Pakieser |
07:00pm Saturday | Masquerade Green Room |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ... | Masquerade Director Rae Lundquist | |
07:00pm Saturday | CHAPEA and other Habitats or "How to hang out with your friends for a year" |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | NASA is 8 months into a simulated year long Mars mission called CHAPEA 1. Living in a 3D printed habitat, 4 researchers are studying the different factors of long term isolation and life "in space". These types of Analog missions are key to determining what factors need to be accounted for before long duration space missions can be undertaken. Join Mike Urvand, NASA JPL Ambassador for a discussion about these types of missions and what we can learn from them. | ... | Mike Urvand |
07:00pm Saturday | Secret Wars and Supernatural Southeast Asia |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | As more stories turn to Southeast Asia, particularly set during the Vietnam War and the US Secret War in Laos, there are many opportunities to work with a fascinating range of folklore and myths involving the supernatural. How do weretigers and serpentine nagas, spectral phi and shapeshifting man-eating giants fit into it all? We'll take a look at historical examples and ways to incorporate these and similar moments into your own works sensitively and imaginatively. | ... | Bryan Thao Worra |
07:00pm Saturday | Faeries - 14+ |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Want a quieter craft time? Come in and make a faerie at this time of the evening. | ... | Jen |
07:00pm Saturday | Panel Karaoke |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Hosting a panel is so hard! You have to pick a theme, apply for a time slot, build a presentation, rehearse, then haul all your equipment to the con. So instead, I've made a bunch of mini-panels for the audience to come up and host. Fair warning that the content (and quality) of that panel is up to the luck of the draw. | ... | Cass |
07:00pm Saturday | Q Branch Closes |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | “Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that anymore.” | ... | Q |
07:00pm Saturday | Bat Cave/Science Room Closes |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | "The pursuit of science is a never-ending journey into the unknown, fueled by curiosity and guided by reason." - Neil Armstrong | ... | All |
07:30pm Saturday | Art Show Closes |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | “So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.” —Ray Bradbury | ... | Art & Fans of Art |
07:45pm Saturday | Tribbles - 14+ |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Create another friend for your growing posse. Soon you will enough minions to take over the world! Younger children are allowed with an older sibling or parent. Hey, hot glue is hot! | ... | Jen |
08:00pm Saturday | Masquerade/ Cosplay |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | A grand costume contest with prizes and half-time entertainment! | ... | Masquerade Director Rae Lundquist, MC Elizabeth Sloan, Judges Bill Hedrick, Masquerade participants |
08:00pm Saturday | Anime by request |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | ... | Suz | |
09:00pm Saturday | Saturday Night Karaoke |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Sing and sing along. | ... | |
09:00pm Saturday | 60s Spy Shows |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Time to discuss Mission Impossible, The Man From UNCLE, The Avengers, The Prisoner, I Spy, Danger Man and more. | ... | Steve Streeter, mod., Kathryn Sullivan |
09:00pm Saturday | Fun & Free Writing tips (You can actually use) |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Character Matrix? Post-It Plotting? 10 second goals? explore these and other fun writing tips, that you can use without buying software or supplies- and share your own... | ... | T. Aaron Cisco, Michael Merriam, C. M. Alongi, Patrick W. Marsh, David Walbridge |
10:00pm Saturday | Hentai Game Show |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Join us for an adult 18+ game show where contestants compete for prizes. Volunteers from the audience compete and play adult-themed games. These fun naughty games are for aliens and humans alike. Come show us your bawdy side, or just be a voyeur! | ... | Kevin Doheny, host |
10:00pm Saturday | WHOniverse |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Revisiting classic episodes and sharing our favorite moments through six decades of British TV series “Doctor Who.” | ... | Kathryn Sullivan, Amber Raden, Jim Soos |
10:00pm Saturday | Craziest Japanese Commercials |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | What do you get when you mash pasta aliens, the length of candy, and absurdism? A curated hour of the funniest or weirdest commercials from Japan! | ... | Viga |
11:00pm Saturday | Burlesque - 18+ |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Back for their 11th appearance…the ladies and gentlemen of the Twin Cities burlesque scene. Meet them, hear a history, learn where the shows are, and maybe a performance. Open to those 18+ ONLY, you will be carded at the door. | ... | |
11:00pm Saturday | How to Become a Ghostbuster |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ... | The Nomad Ghostbusters of Minnesota, a non profit fan organization, helping people smile | |
11:00pm Saturday | ZARGS: Still a Threat |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Many of the threats in science fiction fit into one of the ZARG categories: Zombies, Aliens, Raptors and Graboids. How do we prepare for these threats and defend against them? | ... | Erik Pakieser |
03:00am Sunday | Time Travel 101 |
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| It doesn't feel like we are saving any daylight. | ... | Everyone | |
10:00am Sunday | The Penthouse/Art Show opens! |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | Open for Art Market and Sunday Sales, Artist Pick up and check out, All artwork must be picked up no later than 1:00 pm on Sunday. | ... | Everyone |
11:00am Sunday | Charity Auction |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Come, bid on donated items, and raise money for worthwhile causes! Charity Auction proceeds will be split between the Gordy Dickson Memorial Scholarship Fund which benefits aspiring SF authors and the Geek Partnership Society which works in cooperation with other organizations to better serve the geek community of the Saint Paul/Minneapolis area. Please consider contributing to the Charity Auction any way you can--by bidding, by donating, by volunteering. We are able to take donations up until an hour before the auction. Donations may be brought to Master Control which is located on first floor, across from the hotel’s front desk. Thank you for your generosity! | ... | Everyone |
11:00am Sunday | Q Branch/Prop-A-Torium 17 opens |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | 2nd floor, White Pelican Bay Dedicated to the fictional research and development branch of the British Secret Service charged with oversight of top secret field technologies, Q Branch will host an extraordinary display of some of the most unusual and fabulous handmade and collected props. From popular movies, television shows, and other media events over the past 60 years! Not only that, the room is staffed by the people who made and collected them! It’s great to see the impressive skill and care that went into some of these magnificent pieces. Then be able to ply the folks who made them with Jedi mind tricks to get the secrets of their construction! There might be something sweet. Enjoy props related to Indiana Jones, Wizarding World, Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Middle Earth Saga, James Bond, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so much more from movies and television shows. We have Fan-Made Props, “Officially Licensed” Props. A few actual Screen-Used Props, even those high-end collectibles we all covet from Sideshow, Master Replicas, Warner Brothers, and more. If you like swords or lightsabers, bullwhips, or blasters, come by the Prop-A-Torium! Photos will be allowed in the Prop-A-Torium; please ask us if you can touch or take videos of the props you see in the Prop-A-Torium. | ... | Tony Artym, Bob Poate, Michael Helde, Steve Streeter, hosts |
11:00am Sunday | Bat Cave/Science Room opens! |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | Located in Woodlands on the 1st floor, between the Front Desk & Restaurant “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” Come see how we are transforming science fiction into science fact! Visit the Science Room to view and interact with science exhibits. | ... | Everyone |
11:00am Sunday | Programming Break |
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| Time to check out Art Show, Dealers Room, Prop-A-Torium and Science Room and, maybe, get a bite to eat before Programming resumes. | ... | Everyone | |
11:00am Sunday | Back Room Bazaar & Makers Market open |
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| Ballroom I/II - Buy something fun! There are new Dealers & some older Dealers with new merchandise. Many are offering “Con Theme” oriented merch at Great Prices: jewelry, tote bags, plushies, costumes, accessories, articulated dragons, figurines, books, toys & more. Many local authors that like to talk. Some Dealers are in the hall/foyer area. All hours are posted by the Dealer Room door, in the program book & pocket program… SUPPORT YOUR CON BY SUPPORTING OUR DEALERS | ... | Everyone | |
12:00pm Sunday | Scenes From A Hat |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Improv comedy (similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway?) with a MarsCon slant where we use sci-fi themes, costumes, etc. Just ask Ben. ;-) We are a full audience participation improv act. | ... | Steve Murphy |
12:00pm Sunday | Actor GOH Maggie Egan Q&A |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | This event description is above your current security clearance. No, but seriously, come with some good questions for our wonderful Guest of Honor. | ... | Maggie Egan |
12:00pm Sunday | 3D Printing for Cosplay |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | An intro-level presentation on 3D printing based on my first-year printing for cosplay. | ... | Adrian Perryman |
12:00pm Sunday | Quantum Leap: Rewriting the Past |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | The first season of the new Quantum Leap had the problem of another group changing what Ben had changed. How can you track a spy when they can be inside anyone? Second season started with the government still suspicious of the project. How much can you rewrite history? | ... | Kathryn Sullivan, mod., Sherry L.M. Merriam |
12:00pm Sunday | How to write badly...and why you should |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | You should write more badly! Not just for fun but to free your inner editor and the ghosts of English teachers past! Come and learn how to write usefulness and get more done! Damn the nominative case and full speed ahead! Battle perfectionism with terrible writing! Free exclamation points will be handed out! | ... | Dave Walbridge |
12:00pm Sunday | Bookmarks - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Last call to make a bookmark. You know you want one. | ... | Cindy |
12:00pm Sunday | Minnesota Mufon - UFOs in Minnesota Q&A |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Bring your questions and hear stories of actual Minnesota sightings throughout the years. | ... | Tom Maher, mod., MUFON |
12:45pm Sunday | Buttons - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | You may not need it now, but at some point in the future, you will encounter that stranger who will ask you, "Where did you make such a wonderful button?" | ... | Brittany |
01:00pm Sunday | “KYLE & LUKE TALK ABOUT TOONS” |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | LIVE PODCAST featuring Q&A with Comedy Music Guest Of Honor ANDY MERRILL! | ... | Hosted by Kyle A. Carrozza (TV’s Kyle) and Luke Ski, Andy Merrill |
01:00pm Sunday | Getting to Know Our Artist Guest of Honor Ana Voltz |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | Come listen and participate as Cynthia Porter (artist and convention art show runner) interviews Artist Guest of Honor Ana Voltz about art, inspiration, and making a living as a convention artist. | ... | Ana Voltz, Cynthia Porter |
01:00pm Sunday | How to Do a Party Room |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ... | Rae Lundquist | |
01:00pm Sunday | A Brief (Non-classified) History of Spy Satellites |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | They are all over the skies. And, if you know where to look, you can see them in the night sky with your naked eye. | ... | Ben Huset |
01:00pm Sunday | Good Things in Small Packages - Small Press & Indie Publishing in the Here & Now |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | Panel discussion of small press publishing benefits and obstacles, where we see things going in the near future, what we'd like to see more of and less of. | ... | Catherine Lundoff, mod., Kathryn Sullivan |
01:00pm Sunday | Can Anime Get Weirder? |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Has it been a while since you've checked in with anime? Are you just trying to get into it and everything's...really strange? Is this normal or is it extra weird? Maybe the answers are out there somewhere. | ... | Cass |
01:00pm Sunday | Art Show Closes |
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| The Penthouse / Art Show (Riverside) | All artwork must be picked up no later than 1:00 pm on Sunday. If you bid on something, please check with Art Show before you leave. You may have the winning bid! | ... | Artists & Fans of Art |
01:30pm Sunday | Leftovers - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | Was there a craft you really wanted to do but missed? Come in during these last hours of Con and take your pick. All items will be available. Just let us know what you want to work on. | ... | Jen Brittany |
02:00pm Sunday | Behind the Scenes with Debbie David |
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| The Cabaret (Executive Boardroom) | ... | Debbie David (MarsCon ’99 Guest of Honor | |
02:00pm Sunday | Oppenheimer vs. Barbie |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Now that the dust has settled, let's get down to the serious business of discussing these movies, their cultural significance, the odd stroke of luck that brought them together for cross promotion at a time when cinema needed a lifeline, and the various reasons why one is " obviously" better. Costumes encouraged. | ... | Christine LaBounty, mod., T. Aaron Cisco, Joshua Nite, Amber Raden |
02:00pm Sunday | Children's Fantasy & SF |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | We don't seem to have any panels on children's books, and every year I read a bunch for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, and have been for decades, back to my own childhood reading. Anyone want to talk about recent books, or trends, or on the other hand, the books you loved as a kid? Sometimes, writing for children focuses a writer into some of her/his finest work, something Terry Pratchett told me, years ago in Minneapolis. | ... | David Lenander, mod. |
02:00pm Sunday | Costumes and Wardrobe in Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Historical Drama |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | Q & A session - Have a costuming/cosplay question or problem? Ask the experts. Experienced costumers will be available to field questions from the audience. | ... | Suz Woehrle, mod., Rae Lundquist, Elizabeth Sloan, Gerald Dagle, Todd Murray |
02:15pm Sunday | MEOWMEME concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | MeowMeme is the comedy music alter ego of Alexann, age 12, daughter of comedy musician Carrie Dahlby, and has attended the MarsCon Comedy Music Track every year following her birth year. She has performed during the FuMP Jukebox and at the Comedy Music Smackdown in years past, and last year she and her new persona performed a 15 minute comedy music concert of her own to kick off our Sunday concert block, and this year she’s doing it again with some brand new songs! Her first song, done with Carrie Dahlby and darkNES of the Gothsicles, “Woodland Creatures”, can be heard at the FuMP dot com. FFI: https://www.thefump.com/music/song/woodland-creatures | ... | Alexann, MeowMeme |
02:30pm Sunday | The DUMB PARODY IDEAS contest |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Bring out your dumb. | ... | Everyone |
03:00pm Sunday | COMEDY MUSIC SMACKDOWN concert |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Concert featuring many of the 2024 Comedy Music Track acts in our grand* finale! | ... | Comedy Music Track Artists |
03:00pm Sunday | Proton Pack Building |
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| Masquerade Lounge (Blue Heron Colony) | ... | The Nomad Ghostbusters of Minnesota, a non profit fan organization, helping people smile | |
03:00pm Sunday | Does a Duluth area spaceport make sense? |
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| The Lair (Cardinal Perch) | Short background presentation and discussion about a Minnesota spaceport. | ... | G. David Nordley |
03:00pm Sunday | Superhero Fatigue...Fatigue |
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| The Library (Eagle’s Nest) | The age of Superheroes isn't over-you're just not watching the right stuff. Our panel discusses superhero-centric shows/movies that are interesting, innovative, and sometimes insane | ... | T. Aaron Cisco, Michael Merriam, Patrick W. Marsh, Eric M. Heideman |
03:00pm Sunday | Last Call - all ages |
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| The Lab (Mallard Point) | If you have anything still in our room, drying or just hiding out, please come to collect these projects by 4pm. Also, if you have not returned with your Top Secret Journal, please make sure you do so before 4pm to claim your prize. Any remaining projects left after 4 will be placed on the free table. | ... | |
03:00pm Sunday | Anime by request |
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| Spy Classroom (Owl Overlook) | ... | Suz | |
03:00pm Sunday | Q Branch Closes |
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| Q Branch (White Pelican Bay) | Q: “Now pay attention, 007, I've always tried to teach you two things: First, never let them see you bleed." Bond: "And the second?" Q: "Always have an escape plan." | ... | Q |
03:00pm Sunday | Bat Cave/Science Room Closes |
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| Bat Cave (Woodlands) | So long, and thanks for all the fish! | ... | Everyone |
03:00pm Sunday | Back Room Bazaar & Makers Market Close |
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| Visit before closing time for your last minute purchases! Supporting Dealers supports the convention. | ... | Everyone | |
04:00pm Sunday | Closing Ceremonies |
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| Ballroom (Ballroom III/IV) | Say “farewell” to the guests & “thanks” to volunteers. Hear news about next year’s convention plans, pre-register for next year, and wonder why the weekend went so quickly. | ... | Chairs, ConCom and Guests of Honor Maggie Egan , Ana Voltz, T. Aaron Cisco, Michael Merriam, Andy Merrill |
05:00pm Sunday | Hotel Cleanup |
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| Everyone is welcome to pitch in with cleaning up and clearing the rooms. Afterwards, join us and celebrate in Con Suite and poolside for the after-parties. Thank you, volunteers, artists, dealers, party hosts, science exhibitors, prop masters, guests, authors, musicians, and everyone else who brought fun to MarsCon! | ... | Everyone | |
07:00pm Sunday | Oscars Watch Party |
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| Krushenko’s (1117) | Oscars Watch Party with Viewer’s choice movie following the Oscars | ... | Everyone |
07:00pm Sunday | Dead Cow Party & Oscars Viewing |
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| Con Suite, Snarky’s & Poolside | ... | Everyone, but especially YOU |
Send questions about MarsCon to info24d@marscon.org, we’ll do our best to send answers!
More about MarsCon may be found at...
• Comedy Music: marsconcomedy.com
• Discord: https://discord.gg/CfQQDk4fS7
• FaceBook: www.facebook.com/Marscon
• Twitter/X/TwiX: https://twitter.com/MarsconMpls
MarsCon is brought to you by the Fans Educational Network for Science Fiction (FenSF, Inc), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax deductible donations always accepted.
(If you are searching for the Marscon in Virginia Beach, VA click here.)
That’s Classified!
March 8-9-10, 2024
Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
3800 American Blvd. E. / Bloomington, MN 55425
© 2023, FenSF