Guests of Honor Jim Butcher Author Guest of Honor Jim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. Read More Hayley Gelfuso 2026 Compton Crook Winner Hayley Gelfuso won the 2026 Compton Crook Award for her novel The Book of Lost Hours Read More Samantha Mills 2025 Compton Crook Winner Samantha Mills won the 2025 Compton Crook Award for her novel The Wings Upon Her Back Read More Frank Wu Artist Guest of Honor Frank is a two-time AnLab Award winner for outstanding science fiction writing, six-time Analog contributor, and a four-time Hugo Award winner. Read More The Faithful Sidekicks Music Guest of Honor The Faithful Sidekicks are the husband and wife Geek Rock duo of Eric and Jen Distad. Read More Andy Weir 2026 Robert A. Heinlein Award Andy Weir, novelist, is the 2026 winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award. Read More Jennifer Blackstream Special Guest Jennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and fantasy romance. Read More

Programming Miniature Painting Workshops By Kron! Come learn to paint miniatures of all kinds with our esteemed Master miniature painter, Lord Kron! Read More Friday Night Filk Circle TBA Read More

Gaming RPG Gaming Balticon 60 will have 3 tables now, 40+ game sessions, and round-the-clock tabletop role-playing games (RPG) where attendees can join one of our scheduled sessions. We also have a rpg library that has over 650 rpg books available. Games will take place between 4 p.m. Friday and Noon Monday. Throw for damage! Read More 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. Read More Video Gaming We're still working on the full details of our video gaming room this year. Unfortunately, there will be no video game tournaments this year. But that doesn't mean that we wont have any video games, we do. Read More

< Back Lisa Hodorovych Literary Author Writing has always been a constant for Lisa. Ever since she was little, she knew she was going to be an author and now, she is living her dream. When she is not working on her own writing, she is working with others on their stories through her company, Quoth the Writer. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, John. When she is not working at all, she is either watching her favorite movies or TV shows, reading, or spending time with her family, friends, and husband. Other Socials

< Back Evelyn Lewis Science Scientist Evelyn is an evolutionary and environmental biologist currently working at Owl Moon Raptor Center, a bird of prey rescue and rehabilitation facility. She earned her degree from Old Dominion University and previously worked at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, VA. Her research spans various topics, with published papers on bacteriophages, mating and breeding behaviors of animals in captivity, a conservation reevaluation of the Asian saltwater crocodile, and, her proudest work, a study on public education and engagement in zoo conservation efforts. Passionate about wildlife conservation and education, she is dedicated to bridging the gap between research and public awareness. Other Socials

With over 300 hours of programming, we have something for everyone. Join us for panels on how to get published to what’s new in the world of paleontology, or sit in our maker space and try your hand at a new craft. Featuring more than 150 panelists who love to share their knowledge and skills, we even bring in panelists from all over the world for Balticon Anywhere, our virtual convention! Programming With over 300 hours of programming, we have something for everyone. Join us for panels on how to get published to what’s new in the world of paleontology, or sit in our maker space and try your hand at a new craft. Featuring more than 150 panelists who love to share their knowledge and skills, we even bring in panelists from all over the world for Balticon Anywhere, our virtual convention! 2026 Program Schedule Our packed schedule includes: Panel discussions Events for Kids and Young Adults Workshops Readings Signings Roundtable Discussions Concerts Book Launches Movies And more! Balticon is committed to making our convention accessible to everyone. Please contact our accessibility team so we can make sure you have the accommodations you need. Panels & Workshops Miniature Painting Workshops By Kron! Come learn to paint miniatures of all kinds with our esteemed Master miniature painter, Lord Kron! Lord Kron Read More Friday Night Filk Circle TBA TBA Read More

< Back Leslye Penelope Literary Author Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. Her novel The Monsters We Defy won the 2023 Audie Award for Best Fantasy Audiobook. Her debut novel Song of Blood & Stone was chosen as one of TIME Magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science at Howard University and sometimes dreams in HTML. She hosts the My Imaginary Friends podcast, co-hosts the Ink & Magic podcast, and lives in Maryland with her feline dependents. Visit her at: http://www.lpenelope.com. Other Socials

< Back Richard Sparks Literary Author Rowan Atkinson performed Richard's Schoolmaster sketch in John Cleese’s The Secret Policeman’s Ball. To celebrate Rowan’s 70th birthday, the Schoolmaster was nominated in The Guardian in January 2025 as Number One in a list of Rowan's top Ten film appearances. UK TV credits include The Famous Five, The Flying Kiwi, The Optimist, The Worst of Hollywood, and a lifetime of script editing. On being hired by Columbia Pictures TV, Richard moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1992. His lyrics have been recorded by talents as diverse as Dom de Luise, Eric Idle, Vanessa Williams, Plácido Domingo and Hello Kitty. He directed Jack Black in Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale (LACMA). Richard has written libretti for several new operas as well writing new English versions of German and Italian classics. New Rock New Role is Richard’s fiction debut. New Rock New Realm, the first of three sequels that he has written so far in the New Rock fantasy adventure series, was published in November 2024. Other Socials

< Back Rigel Ailum Literary Author Rigel Ailur wrote her first novel—all of seven pages!—at the age of seven and hasn't stopped since. Now with twenty-four novels and ninety short stories published, including for Star Trek and Shadowrun, she writes mostly science fiction and fantasy. Her series include: otherworldly adventures and intrigue in Tales of Mimion; Gods and magic in Sorcery & Steel; an intergalactic worldship with the most diverse crew in history in A Little Piece of Home; enigmatic aliens threatening millions of lives in Curai'Nal; and interstellar exiles working together in Escapes. Her non-genre work includes The Vagabonds' Adventures, about two millionaires living in a luxury double-decker RV; the historical Last Abbot of Lin Duachaill; the romance Masquerade; and the hockey novel Breakaway. She's contributed essays to the Outside In series. Most importantly, she dotes on her astronomically adorable feline kids. For more information including a bibliography and cover gallery, visit her website. Other Socials http://BluetrixBooks.com

< Back Neil Ottenstein Fan Fan Neil Ottenstein obtained a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics in 1990 and since then has been workingin flight dynamics for one of two NASA Goddard Space Flight Center contractors. He is currently the contractor flight dynamics lead for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. He has been reading science fiction and fantasy most of his life, and going to science fiction conventions since 1980 (and a couple of comic book conventions before that). Babylon 5 is his favorite television program. Other Socials

< Back Father John Robison Fan Fan A Native of Maryland, John is a lifelong fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy. He loves Star Wars, both versions of Battlestar Galactica, and anime. He holds degrees in History, and Philosophical Theology, with a particular interest in the history of ideas, and paradigm shifts in thought. He is sarcastic, opinionated, and has a deep dislike of a particular long running television program. He is also a Priest in the Old Catholic Church, Provence of the United States a Progressive denomination, with roots in the Netherlands. No, he doesn't say Mass in Latin. Unless you ask really nicely and promise not to make fun of his pronunciation. Other Socials

< Back Beyond the Score When a conductor of the stars tries to enforce order, an innovative star leads him to discover the beauty of creativity within structure. When a conductor of the stars tries to enforce order, an innovative star leads him to discover the beauty of creativity within structure. Previous Next