Vericon 11

Vericon returns to Harvard University in Cambridge, MA the weekend of March 18-20, 2011. The guests of honor will be “Wheel of Time” series author Brandon Sanderson, and Austin Grossman, author of Soon I will be Invincible. You can also play games at the “Verilympics,” enjoy the art show, listen to the guest speakers, and more. Learn more at http://www.vericon.org/.

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon 36

The 36th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival will be held at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA starting February 11th, 2011, and ending in a 24-hour marathon starting at noon on February 20th and ending at noon on February 21st. A ticket for the festival includes the marathon, or you can buy a separate ticket for the marathon only. The exact schedule hasn’t been posted yet, but tickets are available; keep an eye on http://www.bostonsci-fi.com/ for details.

What’s Coming Up in December

December’s calendar is fairly light, which is typical. Happy Festivus/Life Day/Feast of Winter Veil/Hogswatch/whatever the case may be!

Connecticut
Dec. 3-5: AnonyCon

Maine
Dec. 4: Author Appearance: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Massachusetts
Dec. 5: Hooked On Who: Triumph Of The Master
Dec. 6: Author Appearance: Joe Haldeman and Jeffrey Carver
Dec. 8: Star Wars: The Clone Wars Screening
Dec. 11: Author Appearance: Catherynne M. Valente
Dec. 13: Science on Screen: The Day The Earth Stood Still
Dec. 28: Author Appearance: Margaret Ronald
Dec. 31: First Night Boston Anime Marathon

Rhode Island
Dec. 2: R2-D20: A Night of Sci-Fi Fandom and Fantasy Gaming Geekery

New England Anime Society at First Night Boston

The New England Anime Society is running an all-day marathon during Boston’s First Night celebrations on December 31st. The schedule is as follows:

1:30pm – Hello Kitty
2:00pm – Hamtaro
2:30pm – Panda Go Panda
3:30pm – Big Windup
4:00pm – Star Blazers
4:30pm – Ronin Warriors
5:00pm – NEAS Event Highlights
7:30pm – Millennium Actress
9:00pm – The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
9:30pm – Great Teacher Onizuka
10:00pm – Mighty Space Miners

Plus, if you buy one of this year’s First Night buttons it will feature local artist Scott Listfield’s wandering astronaut (see http://www.astronautdinosaur.com/ if you aren’t familiar with him).

Learn more about First Night activities at http://www.firstnight.org/firstnight2011/.

Star Trek: A Vision of the Future

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH is sponsoring a talk on Star Trek: A Vision of the Future on November 26th at 7:00pm:

Of all our science fiction stories, Star Trek is perhaps the most culturally integrated and accepted modern mythos in America. Star Trek offers a critical commentary on various current social issues. Plymouth State University’s Dr. Christian Bisson will help us look at the critical message set down by Gene Roddenberry and other writers of Star Trek lore. Decide for yourself if their vision is possible, inevitable or simply utopian!

Visit http://www.starhop.com/plan-your-visit/event-details.aspx?id=220 for details.

[Tip via Boston Events Insider]

Ye Olde Game Weekend

Ye Olde Game Weekend will celebrate board, card, and other types of games at Ye Olde Commons in Charlton, MA the weekend of November 26-28. Learn more at http://www.yeoldecommons.com/yogs.htm.

[Tip via Boston Events Insider]

Big Apple Comic Con ‘Spring Edition’

Wizard World’s Big Apple Comic Con is having a ‘Spring Edition’ in New York City on May 21-22, 2011. Guests announced so far include Smallville‘s John Schneider; Jerry Robinson, creator of The Joker; and comics artists Mike Grell, Arthur Suydam, and Greg Horn. See http://www.wizardworld.com/home-newyork.html for more information.

Author Appearance: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Authors Sharon Lee and Steve Miller will be signing their latest books at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta, ME on December 4th at 1:00pm.

Lee and Miller, authors of the classic Liaden Universe series, have been Guests of Honor at SF conventions from coast to coast and their books have been translated into German, Russian and Polish as well as being available in audio and electronic editions. Books out this year include Saltation (a continuation of the Theo Waitley stories introduced on the internet in Fledgling), Mouse and Dragon, and Dragon Variation as well as Sharon’s well-received Maine based urban fantasy Carousel Tides, just out in November.

Information on the event can be found at http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3072364.

[Tip from Steve Miller]

R2-D20: A Night of Sci-Fi Fandom and Fantasy Gaming Geekery

The Rochambeau Library in Providence, RI will host “R2-D20: A Night of Sci-Fi Fandom and Fantasy Gaming Geekery” on December 2nd at 7:00pm. Authors Ethan Gilsdorf (Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks) and Tony Pacitti (My Best Friend Is A Wookiee) will sign books and participate in a discussion led by artist Michael Townsend (ask him about the illegal apartment he built at the Providence Place Mall). There will also be a performance by wizard rock band “Draco and the Malfoys.”

You can download a flyer about the event, and find more information on the venue at http://www.provcomlib.org/about/locations/roc.php.

Unity Games 17

Unity Games, a daylong gaming convention focusing on board and card games, will next be held on January 29, 2011, in Woburn, MA. To learn more visit http://www.unitygames.org/ugxvii/ugxvii.htm.