The Bay Area Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
May 28-31, 2010
The Hyatt Regency, Santa Clara, CA

What is BayCon?

BayCon is the largest science fiction and fantasy convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. Started in 1982, it has grown from a convention of 1,200 to averaging 2,100 people. BayCon takes place over Memorial Day weekend, starting on Friday afternoon and ending Monday afternoon. BayCon activities take place around the clock.

• Guests of Honor
• Charity
• Panels
• Special Events
• Other Events

Guests of Honor

Every year at BayCon we are pleased to welcome our Author and Artist Guests of Honor. These guests are award-winning professionals in their field who bring a wealth of talent and insight to the Convention. This year we are honored to have Peter S. Beagle, best known as the author of The Last Unicorn, as our Author Guest of Honor. More information on our Artist Guest of Honor will be available shortly.

In addition to our professional guests, we are proud to have Fan Guests of Honor Colleen and Steve Savitzky and Toastmaster Tadao Tomomatsu. The Savitzkys are have been active in fandom for many years and Steve is well known for his musical talents. As Toastmaster, Tadao Tomomatsu will serve as Master of Ceremonies for many of the evening events. He is well-prepared for his responsibilities as a result of his many acting roles, audiobook narrations, his long-involvement in fandom, and his experience as Mr. Shake-Hands Man.

This year we are very happy to welcome Special Guests Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon. Originally scheduled to be our BayCon 2009 Author Guests of Honor, they were unable to attend in person due to illness. They have agreed to join us this year instead and we look forward to seeing them again.

Our Artist Guest of Honor is Lee Moyer. Lee has more than 20 years of experience in art and illustration, including projects in the comics industry for DC, Dark Horse, and IDW.

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Charity

BayCon is excited to be supporting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund as our charity for 2010. The CBLDF was founded in 1986 to support the first amendment rights of comic book professionals in the United States. It advocates for comic books to be accorded the same constitutional rights as literature, film, or any other form of expression. We hope you will help support the CBLDF and have some fun at Friday night's Charity Casino and the Charity Auction.

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Panels

During the day most people attend panels on a variety of subjects. Panel topics range from discussions of real-world space exploration to the difficulties of designing an alien race; from building a lightsaber to constructing chainmail; from the problems of being a single geek to the implications of new legal rulings on intellectual copyright; there is something at BayCon for almost everyone. To suggest a panel topic that you are interested in hearing about or recommend a panelist, e-mail the programming division at programming10@baycon.org.

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Special Events

Masquerade

Interested in creating an alternate you? Then maybe you should enter the Masquerade. The Masquerade, a costume competition, takes place on Saturday night and is one of the most popular events at BayCon. Contestants are judged on both their costumes and presentation. The Masquerade is open to everyone, no prior costuming experience is needed. For more information on the Masquerade, e-mail masquerade10@baycon.org.

Meet the Guests

Friday night starts out with a grand reception for our Guests of Honor and a chance to introduce them to our members. Dress up in your finest outfit and join Toastmaster Tadao as he gives a little insight into our guests and then hear from them directly. The reception is followed immediately by the Charity Casino and perhaps, the return of Karoake. Keep checking back here for more information on our Friday night festivities.

Writers Workshop

The BayCon Writers Workshop is a multi-session event for aspiring writers. Each writer is assigned to a group with other aspiring writers and at least three published professional authors. Every participant submits a manuscript in advance and reviews those submitted by others in their group before the convention. During BayCon you will meet with the members of your group to provide and receive feedback on your work. This is a valuable opportunity to have your work critiqued by people who have successfully navigated the publishing process. And it is absolutely FREE! Please e-mail writers10@baycon.org for more information about the Writers Workshop.

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Other Events

Kids and their parents can have some fun in the Family Friendly room, where they may find a storytelling hour or costume competition. For more information or to suggest an activity, please contact familyfriendly10@baycon.org.

The Gaming Room is open around the clock during the convention to help keep you entertained. Many board and card games can be checked out for some casual fun or bring your own game down and find some willing partners. A selection of arcade games is also available. There are also special gaming tournaments and events and don't miss the Iron Game Competition: given a secret ingredient and 24 hours, can you come up with the winning new game concept? For more information on Gaming contact gaming10@baycon.org.

There are three night-time-only entertainment options: one for the poet, one for the warrior, and one for someone who likes a little of both. If you feel the need for a little exercise, don’t miss the Boffer Wars taking place in the BattleDome every night until dawn. Have you wondered whether a chainsaw could really defeat a battle-ax? Here's your chance to find out with our well-padded and carefully constructed boffer weapons. Find a partner and start swinging!

For a more relaxed, but no less enthusiastic option, check out the filk lounge. With a mix of concerts and open mic time the filk lounge is always entertaining. Sing along with your old favorites or learn some new tunes. For more information on concerts e-mail your questions to music10@baycon.org.

Finally, don't miss the offerings in the Anime room. Our staff carefully selects a variety of anime, from well-known classics to new releases, for your viewing enjoyment. To suggest a show or movie, e-mail anime10@baycon.org.

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