Balticon Update

[Dale Arnold]

Most Monthly Events at the BSFS Building are off till after Balticon because we stage the entire con out of the building…


Balticon Update:

We will be streaming from 4 program room locations at Balticon as a hybrid event and will have other virtual only programs tracks going on like we did for the last two years. Everyone with a Balticon membership can attend streaming and virtual events. For those who can not attend in person, a virtual membership to attend the con online will be only $20.00 and can be thought of as a supporting membership with benefits. It is costing us thousands of dollars to pull off the online virtual con elements, so your support will be appreciated. 

Balticon parking under the hotel for a deep discount is still working and will be through the con. Look at the parking link on balticon.org for codes to use to get the discount. The other parking deal mentioned last time is still on and when we get the directions and code for that deal which is .36 of a mile away (but $5 less) it will go up on the website. The garage managers just keep saying it will be set up soon.

The Balticon program department is hard at work fitting topic/people/times into function rooms. As anyone familiar with past years knows, the program jells a lot closer to the con than anyone not familiar with prior years would believe. That is the problem with hundreds of hours of programming fir into 20 function rooms... However, once we have the schedule set I will send a note out to this list to let you know.

We are presently at 9% above the required sleeping room make-the-room-block point and the hotel has so far left the reservation link live past the official cut off date--so if you want a room go ahead, but don’t wait too long as they will cut off new reservations sooner or later. Once you have a reservation you can always extend a day if you want right to the last day of the con.

   


Balticon Planning and BSFS Business Meetings May:

These meetings this month will be in-person and teleconference by Zoom. Come on down and meet in person! You only need to be completely vaccinated to attend in person at BSFS, but if you prefer a mask please wear. If you lack vaccination then please attend by zoom) To attend by Zoom using your computer use link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88616075406?pwd=YmF1aDhPZzVYR2NjdzBYdGZ0aStpZz09
Passcode: 930363
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406 Or iPhone one-tap : US: +13017158592,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# or +19292056099,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC), +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago), +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma), +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston), +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406 Passcode: 930363
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ac59gxWAiW

To attend in person see our directions page at https://www.bsfs.org/bsfsdrct.htm

The Baltimore Science Fiction Society business and discussion meeting will be held at 8:30pm on May 14, 2022. Drop on by in-person or on Zoom to share ideas, watch us warp traditional parliamentary rules, hang out etc., see above. After this meeting join volunteers to help bring down everything from upstairs storage and stage for Balticon in the main room.
The Balticon 56 Planning Meeting next held May 14, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Drop by in-person or on Zoom and share your ideas about how to improve this or future Balticons. (or volunteer)





BSFS Picnic in 2022: 

The annual BSFS picnic will be held at the Patapsco Valley State Park, Hollofield Area, Shelter # 301, 8020 Baltimore National Pike (RT 40 W) Ellicott City, MD 21043 June 25, 2022 (No rain date, we are under shelter) NOON to DUSK (~9 PM) There is an entry fee paid to the park to enter, but plenty of parking and green trees and a rustic shelter. Pot luck picnic, hot charcoal grill and traditional picnic fun.




Writers Circle at BSFS:

BSFS sponsors a Writing Circle 6:30-8:30pm usually meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month (Pre-Pandemic inside the BSFS Building) however, near term this means teleconference only by zoom 05/12/2022 and then off for Balticon and then resume on 06/09/2022. Participants prefer to stay on zoom for now. This is a SF and Fantasy focused writing group. If you write check it out. At least Seven stories work shopped at this writer's circle have been sold to professional markets in the last three years. This is a recurring meeting so any Writer's Circle meeting use: Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/91064908740?pwd=TENjZ25HenRNOHhtcHFaRlZnOGE3dz09
Meeting ID: 910 6490 8740 Passcode: 805110 (see Zoom phone numbers above for dial in at need)
For more info contact BSFSEvents at BSFS dot org 

[Dale Arnold]

Balticon Program Schedule Online:

The first Balticon 56 program schedule is now up on https://schedule.balticon.org/ and although it lacks items, other items like the anime program track schedule and film program track schedule and gaming schedules and other stuff will be added soon and this gives you an idea of what will be at the in person at the con. (and the virtual con etc.)

[Dale Arnold]

Low cost Balticon 56 Parking Option with a walk:

$10.00 per day parking rate (plus 85 cent transaction fee) at the Harbor Park Garage at 55 Market Pl., Baltimore MD. which is a .37 mile walk west on Lonbard Street from the front of this garage to South Street entrance to the Balticon Hotel Lobby. To buy parking go to https://hpgparking.com/MD-Sci-Fi-Convention  (which is run through Spotherro system so if you are familiar with that system it is a snap) 

Balticon, the Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society will run May 27, 2022 to May 30, 2022 24x7 at the Baltimore Harborplace Renaissance Hotel in the Baltimore's Inner Harbor area.  See balticon.org for schedules and lots of details.There will also be a multi-track virtual con going on all weekend that you can buy a membership for or all in-person memberships will include.

Low cost Balticon 56 Parking Option without a walk:

The Parking option in the garage under the hotel with only an elevator ride to the con which is as low as $15.00 a day is still available at https://www.balticon.org/wp56/parking/ and will be available all the way through the con.

COVID Policy News:

Unfortunately, due to the increasing positivity rate in Maryland and the Nation and recommendations from local authorities... Balticon will be inspecting COVID vaccination cards prior to badge pickup (so bring a photo-copy or image of your cards)  Also masks will be required in public spaces except for eating in some spots. Bring your favorite type of nose and mouth covering mask. Now for those who hate masks etc. so do I (Dale Arnold) and I had hoped the positivity rate would continue to drop and we could ease up and eliminate precautions for Balticon. But the virus is not cooperating with this loosen up scenario (at least right now for this year) and it is not possible in the judgement of the majority---given so many of our people in fandom are vulnerable and afraid to participate with lesser rules so, this is what we need to do for this year.

Basic Hotel RestaurantFood Info:

The hotel is preparing a detailed document with food options, but in the meantime... The Balticon Hotel Restaurant and bar will basically be open the same times as at the last in-person Balticon and the Hotel Bar open till 1:00 PM each night and if folks are still in the bar at 1:00 AM then extend to 2:00 PM. There will be Breakfast, Lunch and Diner Buffet and a container you can fill up at the Buffet and go where you want to eat. Traditional room service is not offered this year. There will be a process for getting your Uber eats, Door-Dash etc. orders into the hotel. More info once I get the detailed document the Hotel has promised for food options.

And yes we will have a con-suite with free non-alcoholic beverages and pre-packed snacks for members of the convention. There will be an eating area and a sit around and talk area.

[Dale Arnold]

Balticon 56 Pocket Program Online:

Although you could read the online schedule for some time, there is something wonderful about the printed pocket program. As in the past we are making a downloadable pdf of the pocket program exactly as it went to the printer available for download at https://www.bsfs.org/images/B56_Pocket_Program2.pdf for your reading enjoyment prior to the con.

Remember the parking deals at https://www.balticon.org/wp56/parking/ which are very good this year.

There is a virtual con option at https://www.balticon.org/wp56/registration/ for those who can not visit in person, although all those in person get the virtual con parts including post con recordings for some time...

This is the 56th year of Balticons in a row (if you count virtual cons during virus outbreaks) so come on down and check us out May 27-30, 2022 at the Baltimore Harborplace Renaissance Hotel. Details at www.balticon.org

See many of you at Balticon.

[Dale Arnold]

The Saturday Issue of the Rocketmail, the daily newsletter of Balticon 56 is now available online at http://bsfs.org/images/b56-rocketmail-saturday.pdf

For lots of information about the convention itself, which continues 24 hours a day till 3PM Monday at www.balticon.org

People are here and having fun. Come on down and join us...

[Dale Arnold]

The Balticon 56 Sunday edition of the Rocketmail newsletter is available at http://bsfs.org/b56hist.htm

The rest of the con continues, parking discount for attendees continues and the fun continues rest of today and on Monday...

[Dale Arnold]

The Balticon at con newsletter known as the Rocketmail Monday edition is now available at:

http://bsfs.org/images/b56-rocketmail-monday.pdf 

Con continues through today at 3:00 PM...