< Back Compton Crook Selections The 2025 Compton Crook Award winner was announced during Balticon 59. 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 by the members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society at our annual science fiction convention, Balticon, the Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. Awards have been presented since 1983. The award is also known as the Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Award. Visit the Compton Crook page on the BSFS website for more information.

< List of Vendors Walt's Cards and Games Dealer's Room Walt's Cards and Games 7620 German Hill Rd, Dundalk, MD 21222 Phone: (410) 288-7044 Walt's Cards & Collectibles is place for people of all ages to enjoy the hobby of card collecting. We look forward to doing business with all of you and sharing the hobby we all love. Cards & Collectables https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083523424532#

< List of Vendors Art By Brittany Cole Dealer's Room About The Artist Brittany Cole I am a self taught artist. I love to paint whimsical, vibrant pieces that make people smile. I work mostly with acrylic but I tend to dabble in other media for short bits here and there. Random fun facts: I’m a total nerd that loves to play Dungeons and Dragons. If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be sushi. My favorite color is pink. My art goal is to make people smile when they look at my work. Original fantasy, sci fi and whimsical art and art prints. http://www.artbybrittanycole.com

Policies All Balticon Members are expected to follow our policies, so we can have a fun, safe convention together. COVID Policy Code of Conduct COVID-19 Safety Policy Balticon strongly recommends, but does not require, all participants to wear masks during Balticon, especially in program rooms. We do not anticipate a change in Baltimore’s COVID status. However, should the city of Baltimore or the state of Maryland, put Baltimore in a yellow COVID frequency zone, Balticon will follow the recommendation of the city/state. If either places Baltimore in a red zone, we will require masks in all public spaces except while eating or drinking. We will use the Maryland State COVID-19 Data Maps and post on the Balticon web site if this status changes. Balticon Code of Conduct Balticon is an event sponsored by The Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS). BSFS is dedicated to providing a comfortable and harassment-free environment for everyone at Balticon. By attending a BSFS event, all individuals agree to abide by BSFS anti-harassment rules, venue policies, and all municipal, state, and federal laws. Baltimore Science Fiction Society Code of Conduct Approved by BSFS Board of Directors 2/11/2023 INTRODUCTION: The Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS) exists to promote the creation and appreciation of science fiction, fantasy, and related sub-genres, primarily through literary art forms, but also embracing the many related cultural arts in graphical, musical, theatrical, and media forms inspired by speculative fiction. BSFS welcomes all people to be part of the activities we sponsor and to consider becoming one of our members. We affirmatively welcome individuals who identify with groups based on characteristics such as, but not limited to (in alphabetical order) age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability status, familial status (including marital status), gender identity and/or expression, immigration status, level of educational attainment, national origin, physical appearance, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and/or veteran status. Attendees at our meetings/events and participants in our social media and/or digital platforms are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is courteous and respectful of the other people present. By attending a BSFS event, all individuals are required to abide by BSFS policies, including this Code of Conduct, venue policies, and all municipal, state, and federal laws. EXPECTED BEHAVIORS Attendees at BSFS events must respect common societal expectations for public behavior, personal interaction, common courtesy, and respect for private property. We do for others what we would like done for us. All clothing, including costumes, should provide enough coverage to be worn in public and should be in good taste and appropriate for family-friendly events. Respecting the privacy of others by not sharing information about an individual in person or online (i.e., doxing) without the subject’s consent. Consent is not assumed. A person should always obtain appropriate permission before acting. Respectful disagreements, reasonable and respectful exchanges of ideas, and/or critiques of creative works, made in good faith, are not violations of this policy. UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT: Actions that are disruptive of the comfortable and harassment-free environment of BSFS. Slurs and derogatory comments about a person, group, or category of people. Physical harm and/or endangerment and/or threats of physical harm and/or endangerment of any person and/or their personal effects. Stalking, intimidation, and/or coercion of a person or persons. Intentional touching of a person and/or their personal effects without an express invitation or consent after a request, including, but not limited to, hair, clothing, assistive devices, bags, and service animals. Further, we ask that people not presume to speak for groups of which they are not members. REPORTING VIOLATIONS Allegations of violations of this Code of Conduct are taken seriously by the BSFS Board of Directors. Anyone who has experienced or witnessed behavior that appears to be a violation of the rules stated herein should report it as soon as possible. The first report should be made to the person running the event or acting as the moderator. If that is not possible, contact a BSFS Board member. At Balticon, the first report should be made to the panel moderator. When that is not possible, the complaint should be brought to one of the following locations: Balticon Operations, Balticon Information Desk, Balticon Programming, Balticon Committee Member or Balticon Department Head, or a BSFS Board Member, as identified by the ribbons attached to their badges. Initial reports may be made in person, verbally or in writing. Reports may be submitted by e-mail to conduct@bsfs.org or by postal mail addressed to: Corresponding Secretary Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc. PO Box 686 Baltimore, MD, 21203-0686 Note: Please note that mail is not retrieved daily, and delays may occur in delivery. For the fastest action, please contact us by e-mail. NON-RETALIATION BSFS prohibits retaliation against anyone for reporting conduct the reporter believed violated the Code of Conduct or anyone participating in an investigation relating to any complaint made under this policy. RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS When the person in charge of an event determines that conduct is disruptive to the extent that it presents a physical danger to attendees or is so offensive as to disrupt the peaceful enjoyment of the event, the party(ies) involved may be removed immediately without refund. An investigation will follow the removal using the procedures outlined below. If the complaint requires reporting to law enforcement agencies, we encourage complainants to do that as soon as possible and follow their directions for action. The BSFS Board may elect to defer action until the completion of any law enforcement activities. Complaints not involving physical danger or disruption of the event will be investigated and resolved after the event. Complaints about presentation content that was offered in a manner consistent with EXPECTED BEHAVIORS will not be a basis for removal. This provides time to obtain the facts and give all parties opportunities to discuss the situation, and if possible, come to a mutually agreeable resolution. If this not possible, the complaint will be handled using the following timeline and procedures: Communications will be sent via USPS certified mail to make sure that the information is received. To facilitate a timely process, backup copies will be sent via email. In case of any confusion or ambiguity, the certified deliveries will be considered authoritative. Written acknowledgement that the complaint has been received will be sent to the complainant(s) and the respondent(s) within 10 business days. An investigative team will be appointed within 21 days after the receipt of the complaint. This team will obtain statements, evidence, clarifications, and rebuttals from the complainant(s), respondent(s), and any witnesses. The investigative team will deliver a written report to the Board with a finding of facts and recommendations for action within 90 days of appointment. This report is a confidential internal document because it contains sensitive personal information; it will not be released to any party. The Board may extend the time for investigation and will notify all parties of the extension. The Board will deliver written notices to the complainant(s) and the respondent(s) of its decision, including any further actions that may be taken. The BSFS Board may take interim actions during the investigative phase that it determines necessary to protect the BSFS Community. The Board advises all parties that it generally takes several months to complete all phases of an investigation. The amount of time depends on how quickly information is supplied by the parties when they are contacted by the investigative team. If investigators cannot obtain responses within 30 days of a request, they will move on to the next step so that complaints do not linger for an excessive length of time. BSFS is an all-volunteer run organization. We do not have staff who can work on complaint resolution on a full-time basis. We have no law enforcement powers and cannot compel anyone to participate by providing information or other evidence. BSFS may publicly release results of an investigation and any actions it has taken, as it deems appropriate. When complaints are of a sensitive or intimate nature, it is established practice to maintain the confidentiality of the parties and not issue public statements. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS Any person found to have violated this policy will be subject to any one or more of the following disciplinary actions: Warning the party involved to cease the inappropriate behavior; Immediate removal from an event or meeting without refund; Membership termination without refund; Denial of access to BSFS events or venues (physical or virtual) temporarily or permanently; Refusing offered volunteer services; Withholding of contracted honorarium or award; Discharge from BSFS leadership positions; Bans (permanent or time limited) from future BSFS leadership positions; and/or Removal of privileges, benefits, or association as the Board deems necessary and effective for protecting our members, attendees at our events, and users of our digital services and forums. COMPLAINTS ABOUT CONDUCT AWAY FROM BSFS PROPERTY OR EVENTS The BSFS Board may accept complaints of documented conduct that would be a violation of this Code of Conduct occurring in places other than BSFS property and events, or on non-BSFS digital platforms. As part of the investigation, the severity of the conduct, elapsed time, documentation, and other aggravating and mitigating factors will be considered. Additional information about the requirements and recommendations of this Code of Conduct are available in the BSFS Code of Conduct Supplemental Guide . Questions about any aspect of this Code of Conduct should be submitted to the BSFS Board of Directors at bod@bsfs.org.

< List of Vendors Crit Harder Dealer's Room Our mission is to create fun, challenging, and inclusive games, while fostering creativity and a sense of community. Imminent Peril; Potions of Fidgeting; Geeky Arts and Crafts http://www.critharder.com

< Back Board Gaming We will have a wide selection of board games to play and over two dozen scheduled games to join. You can also bring your own games and sit down at a table. Our staff will be familiar with most of the available games. In addition to our scheduled game demos, we can usually teach or demo almost any of our games if you’d like. The Game Room hours are: We Have Two New TCG Tournaments: Balticon 59 introduces two new Open Draft Tournaments: Pokémon TCG (Sunday) and Magic: The Gathering TCG (Saturday). Entry for these tournaments is included with your Balticon membership! We have 16 seats for the Pokémon TCG Tournament and 24 seats for the Magic: the Gathering TCG Tournament. This is an open draft tournament, which means WE provide all the cards and YOU get to take them home with you ! The top three players receive prizes, and ALL participants receive extra card packs. Spaces are limited! Select the card to go to their respective sign-up form! Board Game schedule All games are held in the Hal Haag Memorial Game Room (Watertable B) unless otherwise noted Friday Saturday Sunday Monday 4 Tables 50+ Scheduled Games & Demos 150+ Games in our Library

< List of Vendors Running2Write Dealer's Room About Ben Pick: I am a web application professional who has been working in the tech sphere for over a decade. I love running and writing and wanted to combine my two passions into a new web series. I live in Alexandria, Virginia with my wife and our low motivation dog, Rufus. The latest novel in the Into the Void Series is out now. Pick up your copy of Saving the Lost! In traveling to new times and dimensions, the void has taken victims. Nicole will stop at nothing to reclaim her lost friend. Her, Tracy, Derek, and the rest will venture through the void and discover the past and future are more connected than anyone realized. What will they need to sacrifice to bring everyone home? Books of the Into The Void Trilogy Ben Pick is an indie author of several novels and related merchandise - magnets, bookmarks, and stickers. https://www.running2write.com

< List of Vendors French, John L. Dealer's Room John’s first story “Past Sins” was published in Hardboiled Magazine and was cited as one of the best Hardboiled stories of 1993. More crime fiction followed, appearing in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, the Fading Shadows magazines and in collections by Barnes and Noble. Association with writers like James Chambers and the late, great C.J. Henderson led him to try horror fiction and to a still growing fascination with zombies and other undead things. His first horror story “The Right Solution” appeared in Marietta Publishing’s Lin Carter’s Anton Zarnak. Other horror stories followed in anthologies such as THE DEAD WALK and DARK FURIES, both published by Die Monster Die books. It was in Dark Furies that his character Bianca Jones made her literary debut in “21 Doors,” a story based on an old Baltimore legend and a creepy game his daughter used to play with her friends. John is an author of science fiction, pulp, horror, fantasy, and, of course, crime fiction.

< List of Vendors Distractia Dealer's Room Kilts, costumes, accessories, and the soap with the dice in it! https://www.facebook.com/DistractiaDesigns?mibextid=ZbWKwL

< List of Vendors Looking for Artists Artist Alley Balticon’s Artists 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 still being accepted. 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. Vendor Portal*. Check out our list of confirmed Artists closer to the con. Read more if you're interested in joining Artist Alley.

< List of Vendors Sol, Jonathan Dealer's Room Jonathan Sol is a lifelong storyteller who spends most of his free time creating worlds. He has lived and traveled throughout the US and abroad. He currently lives in his hometown of Washington, DC. An exciting space opera adventure On the eve of Earth’s first global embassy joining the galactic community, disaster strikes. Now a scientist and a programmer find themselves confronting the hidden side of a vast interstellar civilization that appears to be a utopia—on the surface. The Society by Jonathan Sol Jonathan Sol is a Science Fiction & Fantasy author http://jonathansol.com

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 at $163 per night (plus taxes) for 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! 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, 1-877-212-5752, 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