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Balticon 61 memberships are available for purchase now! Book your hotel stay to enjoy the convention all weekend long without the drive, and get the best rate with our room block. Registration & Hotel Balticon 61 Memberships will be available for purchase soon, through our Registration portal. Buy Badges Full Weekend Memberships These are 2026 prices, 2027 prices will be updated soon. Adult (25+) Young Adult (13 - 24) Child (12 and under) Winter Rate (Through Feb 28) $75 $38 Always free Early Bird Rate (March 1 - April 15) $80 $40 Advance Rate (April 16 - May 15) $85 $43 Full Weekend (May 16 - At The Door) $89 $45 Friday $40 $20 Saturday $50 $25 Sun/Mon $60 $30 Sunday $45 $23 Monday $30 $15 Virtual Only $30 *Age is of the first day of the con. ** Virtual Memberships are included with ALL memberships *** Active Duty military and their family receive $30 off ANY membership ($15 for Young Adults) at the door with valid ID Renaissance Harborplace Hotel Balticon will be held at The Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel , 202 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA, inside the Baltimore Inner Harbor Entertainment District. Multiple shops, restaurants and entertainment venues are adjacent to the hotel. Public Transportation: Routes and schedules for bus and light rail are available on the MTA website. Room Parties: I f you wish to host a party in your room, please contact the party coordinator at Party@Balticon.org for party guidelines and how to reserve a room on the party floor. The room rate this year is $167.00 plus taxes. Reservations Toll Free: 1-877-212-5752 Reservations Local Phone: 1-800-468-3571 Hotel Registration Frequently asked questions Registration Accessibility Balticon Anywhere General Questions Am I registered yet? We know how hard it is to keep track of a tiny receipt for an entire year! If you want to check on the status of your registration, you can always visit https://reg.balticon.org/checkReg.php . If you do not want your name to appear on the site at all, please contact registration@balticon.org and ask to be removed from the Am I Registered Yet? feature. Please note that if you opt out, the only way to check the status of your registration will be to email us at registration@balticon.org and have our volunteers check manually. How do I get my badge? All badges will be at Balticon Registration, on the 5th floor of the hotel, in the Maryland Foyer. When you arrive at the hotel, take the elevators or stairs up to the 5th floor, then follow the signs. We are NOT in the same location as Hotel Registration. Which line do I stand in? For pickup of ALL badge types, start at the Check-in line. If you are not pre-registered and are purchasing your badge at the door, you will then head to the Cashier to finish payment. If you are pre-registering for next year and have ALREADY picked up your badge, you can go straight to the Cashier line. What payment methods do you accept? For online registration, we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. You can also pay by check or money order through our mail-in registration. At the door, we accept cash, check or money orders, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Are there any discounts available? Yes! We have discounts for: Young Adult category, for our members ages 13-25, Children under 12 are free! All children must be accompanied at all times by an adult. Active Duty Military and their family can receive $30 ($15 for Young Adult) off any membership at the door with valid ID. What about one-day memberships? Our early registration pricing is a really great deal if you might want to stay a second day, and a full-weekend membership is cheaper than two single days combined. However, if you really only have one day available, one-day memberships are available for purchase at the door, as well as upgrades from one-day to full-weekend. What if I'm attending with young children? Children 12 and under are free! We provide registration for Child badges along with your online registration, or they can be added at the door. When you arrive, we will provide a wristband with your phone number for your child to wear as well as their badge, since we understand that small children frequently remove their badges (for older children, it’s up to you whether you want one or not). Maryland state law requires that children under age 8 be accompanied by an adult at all times. We have a Children’s Programming track with activities for our youngest fans, including an option for short-term drop off, and the convention space is very stroller-friendly. Can I pick up my spouse/girlfriend/child's membership as well as my own? Maybe! You can pick up someone else’s membership IF one of the following is true: The two memberships share a last name. The two memberships share an address. The two memberships were purchased on the same transaction. You have ID for both memberships. Please double check badge names with the rest of your party before arriving. Do I have to use my real name? Yes and no. We use ID to match up the registration with the person who purchased the badge, so the “legal name” field on your registration does need to match some form of ID that you carry. The legal name field is only visible to Registration staff and is not used in any other capacity. You can use your preferred name for the rest of the registration, and your badge can say anything you want! (We currently cannot print special characters or emojis, and we request that you keep your Badge Name within the realm of good taste.) Do I have to show ID? No. You are more than welcome to pay cash for a badge at the door. However, if you purchased a badge, we would like to make sure that no one else picks up your badge, and that only you get the badge you paid for. We are very reasonable about what we consider valid ID, and your ID information is never stored anywhere; we just need to know the badge is going to the right person. You may also bring your receipt as proof of purchase, either printed or electronically. What happens to my email address if I give it to you? We will email you a copy of your receipt, if you register online or request an emailed receipt in person. We will email your personalized login link to access Balticon Anywhere and our virtual convention. We may use it to contact you individually if we need to (i.e. we found something with your name on it in our Lost & Found, you purchased a piece of artwork, there’s a question about your registration, etc). Our Publicity team will send out an informative email just before the convention to remind you about parking and where to pick up your badge, and we will subscribe you to our email newsletter (with an easy unsubscribe button at the bottom of every email), but we NEVER share your information without your explicit permission. What happens to my phone number if I give it to you? We may use it to contact you individually if we need to (i.e. we found something with your name on it in our Lost & Found, you purchased a piece of artwork, there’s a question about your registration, etc). We NEVER share your information without your explicit permission.

Hotel Balticon will once again be at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel , inside the Baltimore Inner Harbor Entertainment District. We are close to multiple shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues, and accessible by public transit or by car. Reserve your Room ADDRESS 202 East Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21202 PARKING Balticon has secure discounted parking for our guests. Please visit our Parking page for more information. PUBLIC TRANSIT Routes and schedules for bus and light rail are available on the MTA website . BOOK YOUR ROOM Stay in the hotel and never miss a moment! Our room block keeps you part of the con all weekend long. More info... Balticon Room Block Stay in the hotel and never miss a minute of Balticon! We've negotiated the best room rate possible for you, either a King or Double Queen room. Full details on rooms are available on the hotel's website. By booking through our block, not only do you get the best rate, but you help support us, too. Space is limited! The room rate this year is $167.00 plus taxes. Reserve your Room When you book your room, you can tell the hotel about any special requests for your room. We ask that you also send an email to us at hotel@balticon.org so we can help the hotel pay attention to your request. To make reservations by phone, please use the dedicated Group Reservations number: Reservations Toll Free: 1-877-212-5752 Reservations Local Phone: 1-800-468-3571 and use group code BALTICON 2026. Got Questions? Use this form to submit your addtional room requests, request space on the Party Floor, or any other questions about hotel reservations. You can also email us at hotel@balticon.org Open Room Parties Balticon groups all Room Parties on the same floor to minimize disturbing other attendees and hotel guests. If you're planning a party, whether open or not, let us know and we'll make sure you're on the Party floor. First name Last name Email* I have a question about... Message Submit

Whether you love science with your fiction or costumes with your books, at Balticon we do too! Join 1500+ fans of all backgrounds to celebrate Science Fiction and Fantasy with 300+ hours of diverse programming: meet authors, publishers, editors, cosplay experts, Twitch live-streamers, renowned scientists and tech innovators. Sing along with our filkers, see our stunning Art Show and Masquerade, laugh and cry at our Film Festival. We’ve got something for everyone A four day celebration of Science Fiction and Fantasy! Get your geek on Profoundly uncool since 1967 Whether you love science with your fiction or costumes with your books, we do too! While our central theme is writing, literature, and authors, our dynamic program has something everyone can appreciate. Join over fifteen hundred fans of all backgrounds as we gather to celebrate Science Fiction and Fantasy with more than 300 hours of diverse programming, from award-winning authors and publishers to twitch live-streamers, from cosplay experts to renowned scientists and tech innovators. Sing along with our filkers, soak in our stunning Art Show and Masquerade, laugh and cry at our Film Festival. We’ve got something for everyone. Balticon exists to celebrate the creation and appreciation of science fiction and fantasy in all its expressions, by bringing together fans of all backgrounds in a warm, welcoming environment. Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade Scroll through our gallery to view our judges and contestants. Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade Winners Guests of Honor Guess Who? 2027 Guest of Honor Guess Who? 2027 Guest of Honor Guess Who? 2027 Robert A. Heinlein Award Guess Who? 2027 Compton Crook Winner The PDX Broadsides 2027 Music Guest of Honor Guess Who? 2027 Special Guest Hayley Gelfuso 2026 Compton Crook Winner "Balticon Anywhere" plans to return in 2027! Adult (25+) $89 Young Adult (13 - 24) $45 Child (12 and under) ALWAYS FREE Virtual Only $30 Workshops FOUR DAYS OF EVENTS TRINKETS FOR SALE Dealers Room & Artist Alley Balticon’s Dealers Room is like a pop-up mini mall of geeky goodness. You’ll find an assortment of vendors with all sorts of fannish delights, including books, games and gaming accessories, collectibles, clothing, jewelry, and more! Just outside the Dealers Room, you’ll find Artist Alley , where you can meet the artists behind the tables, browse a selection of fine art and handcrafted goods, and even commission custom art! GAMES TO PLAY RPGs, Board Games, and Video Games With three full rooms of gaming, there's sure to be something you'll like! Our RPG room has drop-in round-the-clock tabletop role-playing games, including demos of new systems and scheduled games with old favorites. The Board Games room has scheduled drop-in games as well as our game library where you can pick for yourself. And our Video Game room brings you both modern and retro video gaming! COME IN COSTUME Cosplay Contest The Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade is a cosplay contest with history! Individual and Group contestants take the stage for a short presentation showcasing their costuming skills. We'll also have panels all weekend long on how to craft your own costumes, and a chance to interact with some of our cosplay experts! Partners STAY IN THE KNOW Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

< Back Gail Z. Martin Literary Author Gail Z. Martin writes epic fantasy, urban fantasy & more for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, and Falstaff Books. Series include Darkhurst, Assassins of Landria, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle, the Ascendant Kingdoms, Deadly Curiosities & the Night Vigil. The Spells Salt and Steel, Joe Mack Adventures & Wasteland Marshals series & Iron & Blood are co-authored with Larry N. Martin. She also writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance as Morgan Brice, including the Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Fox Hollow, Sharps & Springfield, and Kings of the Mountains series. Other Socials

< Back David Ellis Literary Author David Ellis is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at Leeds Trinity University. He researches the overlap of religion and science as well as exophilosophy (philosophical considerations about alien life). He has publications on religious language, the nature of religious and scientific belief, and whether we would be able to speak with aliens. Other Socials

< List of Vendors Mahali Pengine Ent LLC Dealer's Room Rod Van Blake is a Marine veteran who loves science fiction and fantasy novels. After publishing his debut novel Ancient Illumination in 2016, he published sequels in 2018 and 2020, and most recently released a fantasy novel Nyumbani Chronicles: The Return Home in 2021. He is now working on his fifth literary novel to be published later this year. There are also illustrated comics and graphic novels of the series available in print, on Kindle and ComiXology. Novels, Graphic Novels, Comics, Art Prints, and Stickers. https://ancientillumination.net/

< Back Star Quest! An aging actor (Patrick Bergin) in hospice reflecting on his favorite role of Starship Captain meets a 9 year old cancer patient who is a faithful fan. Conor, an aging TV space opera star, retreats into his show's world as he nears death. Hospitalised and escaping his cancerous body, he meets Sean, a terminally ill boy, sparking a journey that redefines heroism and the value of his craft. Previous Next

Hey There Have you ever wondered what goes into making a convention happen? Balticon is a 100% volunteer-run convention, which means everyone from the gofers to the Con Chair! Nobody's getting paid around here, except in smiles and satisfaction (and also some free t-shirts). But it's also a great place to make new friends and build an amazing community together. What's in it for me? Our volunteers are pretty great, and we think you'll fit right in, too. We'd probably help without the bribes, but we'll bribe you anyway! (Minimum hours apply) Cool nickname: Berzerker! Lots of new friends! Free Balticon Berzerker T-shirt! Free membership to next year's con! Early, reserved seating for special events! Access to our Berzerker Lair! Free meals! Free crash space! (Bring your own sleeping bag) Daily random drawings from our Volunteers-only prize pool! Extra prize drawings at our Volunteer-exclusive Dead Dog party on Monday! And more! Check Out Our Perks! Okay, but what will I do? Everyone is welcome! We'll accomodate any and all abilities. No experience necessary - we'll train you! We'll schedule around your needs and any events you want to attend. We may need to assign you to jobs where we are short-handed (but we promise not to leave you in a job you hate). So what do our volunteers actually do? Basically everything: In Person (Pre-Con) Help with publicity, social media, proofread/edit publications like BSFAN, write and run registration, handle logistics, and more Help us load in or out Staff our registration, information, special assistance, volunteer, sales, etc. desks. Design, install, and run our tech (lights, video, sound) Staff our con suite, green room, gaming room, video and anime rooms, and others. Help at the art show, masquerade, or charity auction. Ensure programming happens with planning or helping out in the program sessions. Run our operations and provide con security (the hotel does the heavy lift on security). More than we can list!: If we have an activity listed on the website menu, we probably need help. Virtual/Hybrid Lots of Pre-Con planning, training, social media, etc. Help with programming Technical support for streaming and Discord. Expect training pre-con. Can we count on you to help? If all of this sounds like a great deal, we'd love to have you join us! Drop us an email at volunteers@balticon.org with an idea of what you might like to do or what kind of skills you've got to offer, and we can start the conversation! Download our Volunteer Waiver and Release Form (PDF) Download Volunteer Hours Record Form (PDF)

< Back Dr. Valerie J. Mikles Science, Literary Author Dr. Valerie J. Mikles is a scientist and author. By day (like for money) she works on weather satellites for NOAA. She has published 21 novels spanning science fiction and contemporary romance genres. Next, she's branching into murder mysteries. When not writing novels, she fills her time with theater, playing songs on her ukulele, learning new things, and vacuuming cat hair. Her motto in life is “I can be everything I want, just not all at the same time.” Other Socials

Activities & Events Gaming RPG, Board, and Video games are available for all...let the adventures begin. Read More Concerts and Filk Balticon is home to one of the East Coast’s strongest tracks of filk and fannish music, featuring a variety of concerts, panels, and workshops, plus open circles all three nights. Read More Robert A. Heinlein Award The Baltimore Science Fiction Society will present the Robert A. Heinlein Award during the Opening Ceremonies. Read More Jack L. Chalker Young Writers Contest The Jack L. Chalker Young Writers Contest honors local writers aged 14 - 18 who reside in Maryland. Submission deadline is March 31. Read More Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade Balticon’s Cosplay Contest, the Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade, is the opportunity for fans to present their science fiction- and fantasy-related costumes to delight our audience. While some costumers may simply model their costumes on stage, most entries present dramatic or comedic skits. A team of judges reward costume design and workmanship to encourage our costumers’ efforts. Read More Short Film Festival The Balticon Sunday Short Science Fiction Film Festival (BS³F³) features independently produced short films from around the world, including live action and animated films in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. Awards are given based on audience preferences. Read More Compton Crook Award The Compton Crook Award is presented to the best of each year’s English language first novel by an author in the field of science fiction, fantasy, or horror. Read More Charity Auctions Fandom has a history of giving. At Balticon, you will have opportunities to contribute to several causes. Read More

< Back Artist Alley Our Artist Alley is home to original artwork and crafts of all kinds, and the artists who create them. Hours Balticon’s Artist Alley is a place for artists to meet the public and interact with their fans. It is a place to demonstrate your artistic techniques and sell your original art: both originals and prints. Tables are curated so that we can offer fans a wide range of talented artists’ offerings. Artists Alley is located in an open public space, and cannot be secured. Artists are responsible for their art and other possessions, an d may wish to remo ve everything from their space, or secure it in some way when they leave each day. Balticon is not responsible for items lost or stolen from Artists Alley. If you have art that you’d like to exhibit in the Art Show, and you want to participate in Artists Alley, please consider registering for both. Applications are not open. Not yet. Stay tuned. AT THIS TIME, Artists Alley WILL NOT ACCEPT ART WITH AI-GENERATED CONTENT OF ANY KIND. APPLY HERE: To register for an Artists Alley table: Create a new account or sign in to your existing account with the Vendor Portal Update your profile with a URL where we can preview your art, as well as a description of your art. Request your Artists Alley table. When your registration has been accepted, make your payment through our portal. You may also be interested in entering the Balticon Art show * The Vendor Portal is our online site for artists and vendors to register for the Artists Alley and Dealers Room. Through it, you can manage your personal information and make the payment for your registration.

< Back Short Film Festival The Balticon Sunday Short Science Fiction Film Festival (BS³F³) features independently produced short films from around the world, including live action and animated films in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. Awards are given based on audience preferences. Winners of the 20 26 BS³F³ Thank you to all the filmmakers who submitted their films to our festival, we are pleased to announce the winners: First Place: "The Ugly Chickens" Second Place: "A Bear Named Wojtek" Third Place: "Star Quest!" Commiserations to the rest of our entries. The 2026 Balticon Sunday Short Science Fiction Film Festival (BS³F³) will take place on Sunday evening at 7:00pm. We will thrill festival attendees with independently produced short films from around the region and across the globe. BS³F³ features live action and animated films in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror from some of the best independent filmmakers this side of the Crab Nebula. Awards will be given in both the Live Action and Animation category based upon audience preferences. Some of the history of this film festival can be found on the BSFS website . Balticon 60 Short Film Preview Did you miss our event? Check out our archived selections. Balticon 59 Short Film Festival Balticon 58 Short Film Festival For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact us at: filmfestival@balticon.org