Awwwwwww, yeah.
Tomorrow, Kevin Dilmore will join Clan Ward as we get west-bound and down, navigating the boring-ass drive that is I-70 across Kansas, on our way to Colorado and, ultimately, Denver for Starfest 2012. This year marks the tenth consecutive year we’ll be attending as guests of the convention. It’s one of the shows to which we most look forward, and around which all other commitments are scheduled. The con is a full weekend jam-packed to the gills with all sorts of genre-based fun. Name your poison, and Starfest is likely to have something devoted to it. Carb up, drink plenty of fluids, wear comfortable shoes, and pace yourself.
We’ll actually be kicking things into gear a bit early this year. No sooner will we arrive at the hotel tomorrow evening than Michi will head out on a “Haunted Denver Bus Tour.” Meanwhile, Kevin and I will have my two kids, and we’ll be in search of the finest chicken fingers in all the land. Oh, and I’ll be hunting for some of that Great Divide beer, since they don’t sell it here.
Friday morning and afternoon will be spent entertaining the kids, with visits to local kid-friendly attractions, followed by our traditional pre-game meal/ritual at Dave & Busters. Then, we’ll return to the hotel and get set up for the con, which will open at 6pm. We’ll be flying at warp speed from that point.
Here’s a rundown of our schedule (so far):
Friday:
7pm – “Meet and Greet” – Con attendees who’ve ponied up some extra cash will be given the opportunity for an informal sit down with the con’s guests. For reasons surpassing understanding, the con staff seems to think Kevin and I belong at this shindig, too, so I just tell people that I’m keeping [insert marquee guest name here]‘s seat warm. Actually, we did this for the first time last year, and I ended up having fun, even though I felt totally out of place.
Saturday:
9am - When Worlds Collide – Kevin and I will join con emcee Kevin Atkins for his traditional screening of a classic science fiction film. This year, it’s the 1951 classic When Worlds Collide, for which Kevin and I will provide a brief intro before the movie starts. Kevin Atkins will follow up the screening on Sunday morning with a special “Making Of” retrospective on the film. Anybody who loves old-school SF movies should check this out, because Kevin is a great guy and definitely knows his stuff.
2:30pm – “Kevin and Dayton’s Catch-all Panel About Absolutely Everything” – This panel is like that drawer in your kitchen with all that crazy shit that doesn’t seem to belong anywhere else. During the hour, we’ll discuss our current and upcoming projects, Kevin will dish on Trek and other licensed property goodness coming out of Hallmark, and we’ll figure out something else to fill the remaining 55 minutes.
4pm – “Writing the Tie-in” – Kevin and I will join friends and fellow writers Christie Golden and David Boop as we discuss the art and business of writing in someone else’s sandbox.
8pm – Costume Contest – Kevin and I once again will act as judges for the con’s annual costume contest. This has turned into one of my absolute favorite events out of the whole weekend.
Sunday:
10am – Starfest Talent Show – Kevin and I help out with this bit of madness every year, too. Kevin’s the emcee, and I’m one of the judges. We’ve had folks with some really mad skillz the past couple of years, so who knows what this weekend holds?
Check out a full list of con events here: Starfest 2012 Schedule!
In and around all of that, we’ll be skulking about the rest of the con, catching up with friends, making new friends, dropping money in the dealer’s room, crashing panels, and checking out whatever other cool stuff catches our attention. We’ll also have our tables in “Author and Artist Alley” outside the dealer’s room. So, if you’re reading this and planning to attend the show, hopefully we’ll see you there!
