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The Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy ConventionGuests of Honor:Artist Guest of Honor:Musical Guest of Honor:Special Guest of Honor:Michael R. Mennenga and Evo Terra 2006 Compton Crook Award Winner:May 25 - 28, 2007 Memorial Day Weekend BALTICON 41 SCHEDULE:Better late than never, obstacles have been overcome, and we have made the Balticon 41 Schedule available online. Click here for the PDF Schedule (600KB), or, click here for a low-resolution GIF version. The complete POCKET PROGRAM is also available here as a PDF (860KB). A Four Day, 24-hours-a-day Extravaganza! Over 300 Hours of Multi-Track Programming featuring authors, publishers, editors, artists, scientists, musicians and other creative SF luminaries. Join over a thousand SF fans for the area's largest and longest running convention of its kind! Visit our huge art show, dealer's room, concerts, dances, gaming room, computer room and video room. Everything Science Fiction and Fantasy in one huge package. HOURS OF OPERATION:Most areas of the convention will close at 3:00am each night with the exception of Anime, Video, Filk and the Frankie & Vinnie's Con-suite. These will be open 24 hours a day or as close to that as our volunteers can manage. REGISTRATION:$58 Full weekend ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED!
Single day registration rates are now available!
GROUP RATE FOR MEMBERSHIPS:Buy ten memberships at one time of one type and get the eleventh free. Must provide names and addresses and pay with one check or credit card transaction. Great for fan clubs, family groups or circles of friends. Buy 20 and get two free. For details write registration@bsfs.org or use mail in form. Balticon Podcasts! There will be Podcasting during Balticon 41, if you need some information
before arriving at the con, or if you want to listen to our recent podcast interviews, check out our web site:
www.balticonpodcast.org HOTEL UPDATE:Balticon will be held at the Marriott's Hunt Valley Hotel in Hunt Valley Maryland just north of Baltimore on Interstate 83. Balticon's block at the Marriott Hunt Valley has filled. There still are a few rooms available at the hotel, but not at the convention rate, if you want to try to get one of those rooms, you are welcome to do so. There is the availability of a waiting list for any cancellations that may come in before the convention, if you want to put yourself on this waiting list, you need to call Sue Karr in the Reservations Office at the Marriott Hunt Valley at (410) 785-3909, and she will add you. Below there is a listing of the other hotels in the area. Balticon has not negotiated a specific rate with these hotels, so go for whatever great rate you can get. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please e-mail our Hotel Liaison. Additional Hotels
Embassy Suites Hotel TRAVEL TO MARRIOTT'S HUNT VALLEY INN:Directions from Baltimore-Washington International Airport:Find and take I-95 or I-295 North. Follow the from Points South info below. From Pennsylvania and Points North:Take I-95 South to I-695. Take the I-695 exit West towards Towson. From I-695, take the I-83 exit North towards York, PA. Then follow directions below. Or if you prefer, use the Pennsylvania Turnpike to cross Pennsylvania to Harrisburg and then take I-83 south to the exit 20A, for Shawan Road East. Some folks prefer the ride on the Turnpike and you can pick it up from many spots as it crosses most of southern Pennsylvania. From Washington, DC and Points South:Take I-95 North until you reach I-695. Take the left-lane exit North towards Towson onto I-695. From I-695, take I-83 North towards York, PA. and then see below. Once you've taken the I-83 North Exit from I-695:Five miles North of the I-695/I-83 interchange is exit 20A, for Shawan Road East. Take this exit, the hotel is at the bottom of the ramp on the right. Parking:Free parking around the hotel on all sides. Huge free parking lots on the east side of the hotel. Parking lots could hold three times normal Balticon attendance and it is all free. Do remember to lock your cars and hide valuables though, even though we are outside the urban area; please take the precautions typical of a suburban shopping mall's parking lot. Did we mention the parking is FREE? Public Transportation:Light Rail runs to the Hunt Valley Mall (across and up the street from our hotel) in the northern direction, and to BWI in the southern direction. The transfers, however, are not entirely obvious and are subject to change with the double track expansion. There are two stations you might use. The station at Hunt Valley is at the intersection of Shawan Road and York Road, which is about 3 blocks from the hotel. Call the hotel to ask them to pick you up and if the van is available, they will. Otherwise from that station you'll need to walk 3 blocks west on Shawan Road to get to the hotel and cross Shawan Road a four lane highway. The Pepper Road Station is the last stop before the Hunt Valley Station. Get off at Pepper Road and walk west on Pepper Road for one block. Look to your north west and spot the big brick hotel that does not have a sign, and that is the Hunt Valley Inn. Cross Pepper Road and then cross huge parking lots to get to the Hunt Valley Inn. This stop is closer and you don't need to cross a four lane highway. Bring a travel dolly if you have suitcases because it is a walk either way. Check with the MTA for exact rail schedule. You can also call MTA at 410-539-5000. If you have a reservation at the hotel call once you get to the Light Rail Station to 410-785-7000 and they will pick you up. Or if you are not reserved you can call Jimmy's Cab Company at 410-296-7200 and for approximately $3.00 fare they will move you the 1500 ft to the hotel. (four football fields in length distance). AMTRAK: Your arrival station is Penn Station (downtown Baltimore - avoid middle of night due to no light rail, check schedules). You can reach AMTRAK at 800-523-8720 or 800-872-7245. Then use light rail north to the hotel or find a taxi. Greyhound: You will arrive in downtown Baltimore at 2110 Hains St. and then use the 27 bus to travel 0.9 mi. to the Camden Yards station, or walk 0.5 mi. to the Hamburg Street light rail stop and use Light Rail to the hotel. Check schedules to make sure you can make connections. BWI Airport: Airport General Information: 800-435-9294 or 410-859-7100 or 410-859-7111. Use light rail or one of the Shuttle Services based at the Airport. PARTIES: Info coming soon!VOLUNTEERS:Balticon is an all-volunteer managed convention and we can always use more help. Show your SF community spirit by volunteering a few hours at the con. Volunteers who work more than 10 hours receive our exclusive volunteer T-shirt. Work more than 20 hours and next year's Balticon membership is comped. Sign up via email, at the convention or check the Volunteering box on the registration form. ADVERTISING:BSFAN:The BSFAN is an award-winning annual publication of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc., and it features original art, original science fiction and fantasy writing, and highlights the accomplishments of program participants at the annual science fiction convention known as Balticon. Circulation:Estimated readership is 2500-3200, based on an estimated distribution of 2200 at the Memorial Day weekend convention, Balticon 40. Advertising Rates:Full page ad: $220 Half-page ad: $120 Quarter-page ad: $77 Business Card Size $33 Bona fide non-profit fan organizations are subject to a 50% discount off these rates. Fan Publications wishing to trade ads must request to do so in writing by March 15, 2007. Publication Format for Ads:Two column format, 8.5" x 11". Ads may run either vertically or horizontally. Please allow 1/2" border on all sides. Bleed to edge may be charged extra. Acceptable Printing Materials:Please send black and white camera-ready mechanicals only--our present means of printing do not allow color interiors. Camera-ready copy may also be emailed as an attachment (pdf format preferred--please query concerning other electronic formats) to bsfan@bsfs.org or mailed on disk or CDROM (readable on a Windows-based PC). Closing Date:Published annually, final camera-ready copy must be received no later than March 31, 2007. Mailing Instructions:Send all reservations and advertising copy to: Balticon 41 For further information, contact the Balticon 41 committee at (410) JOE-BSFS (410-563-2737 for the alphabetically challenged) or "bsfan at bsfs dot org". Please make all monies payable in U.S. currency to: Balticon 41. bsfan@balticon.org. ADVERTISING OUTSIDE BSFAN:For only 7 cents per item, your brochure, catalog, flyer or novelty item will be placed in each registration packet by our enthusiastic volunteers. Of course our freebie table is still free for your use, but if you want to make a firm impression and have your items placed in the registration packet contact us at balticoninfo@balticon.org Special rates for sponsorship of events such as con-suite or program room "banner hanging sponsorships" are available upon request by contacting chair@bsfs.org. POLICIES:Smoking and Pets:Maryland law prohibits indoor public smoking except in designated smoking hotel sleeping rooms and smoking sections in the restaurant and bar. Pets are not allowed in the hotel. Legitimate service animals are not pets. Costume Weapons:Costume weapons must be inspected and peace bonded. Taking costume weapons outside the hotel will create conflict; please do not take anything that looks like a weapon outside the hotel. ACCESS:If you require special services for ADA or other access from the convention, please contact us at adainfo@balticon.org (preferably before May 15, 2007) and we will attempt to accommodate your needs. HOME PROGRAMMING SPECIAL EVENTS EXHIBITS & FUNCTIONS CONTACT All materials copyright © 2006 Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc., unless otherwise noted. |
