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Thursday June 30 ▼

 

3:30 PM
to 4:30 PM

CONvergence 101
75 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Charmaine Burgess, Briana Falb-Joslin, Jen Manna, Brian Etchieson
  Whether this is your first CONvergence or your tenth, this panel is where to go to get some insight into how to make the most of your weekend. This year's panel will be sure to include information for those uder 21 as well.

10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM

Post Apocalyptic Survival
154 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Adam Whitlatch
  The bombs have fallen... now what? Where do you go? Who can you trust? How will you survive? Author Adam J. Whitlatch discusses strategies to survive after civilization falls. Audience participation! Prizes!
Tags  Hot Dish

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

The Best Panel EVER!!!
156 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Joseph Scrimshaw, C. Robert Cargill, Tim Wick, Brian Keene
  This panel is hosted by four people who are smugly confident that they are the best panelists CONvergence has EVER featured. As such, they plan on telling you exactly how you have been doing it wrong. This will be the best CONvergence panel EVER. Period.
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy
 

Friday July 1 ▼

 

9:30 AM
to 10:30 AM

GPS - All You Need to Know
34 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Brandy Snyder, Charles Piehl, Theodore Berquam III, Ann Roubik, Lisa Blauersouth, Andy Murphy
  Learn about the Geek Partnership Society (GPS) and the clubs and events they sponsor throughout the year.
Tags  Hot Dish, GPS

11:00 AM
to 12:00 PM

Soap Operas as Science Fiction
27 Attendees
Location Atrium 3
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Brian Keene, Cynthia Booth, Roy C. Booth, Deborah Jones
  Inspired by a tweet from Brian Keene. We celebrate the science fiction of choice for all homebound geeks.

11:00 AM
to 12:00 PM

Tough Love: Critique and Squee can coexist, dammit!
53 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Nicole Lorenz, Teri Blauersouth, Lisa Blauersouth, Kiah Nelson
  How do you critique the media you love without harshing your squee? We'll discuss why critique and criticism in fandom is valuable and explore ways to engage in critical conversations about your favorite things without losing the love.
Tags  Hot Dish

12:30 PM
to 1:30 PM

Gays in Space: Homosexuality in Classic SF & F
88 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  David Lenander, John Till, Don Kaiser
  In classic Science Fiction and Fantasy from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, how was homosexuality portrayed, if it was portrayed at all? In general, GLBT characters were either missing or portrayed negatively. Where were the positive portrayals?
Tags  Hot Dish, GLBT

2:00 PM
to 3:00 PM

Dodgeball
108 Attendees
Location Outdoors
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Angie Anderson, Laurie Richardson
  Just like the game you played in grade school except this time you won't be the only person wearing glasses.
Tags  Hot Dish, Outdoor

2:00 PM
to 3:00 PM

Steampunk
99 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Gordon Smuder, Clay Lamkin, Mariah Fryer
  One of the hottest genres. Is it just a fashion movement or has it moved further? What does steampunk mean to you?
Tags  Hot Dish, Theme

3:30 PM
to 4:30 PM

Transformative Works
27 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Jo Thomsen (mod), Anne Kustritz, Elisabeth Brommer, Gail Celio, Mara Kapp
  Fan fic, fan art, fan vids, and all other fan works! Let’s talk fandom meta, why transformative fan works are important, and all there is to love about the art of remix. (Note: This panel has no official connection to the Org. for Transformative Works)
Tags  Hot Dish

5:00 PM
to 6:00 PM

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Convention
110 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Jo Thomsen, David Romm, Lori Fischer
  Everyone has great stories about the funniest thing that ever happened to them at a convention. Even if it didn't happen directly to you, if you saw it, come tell it. Share your best convention stories. Be prepared to laugh until you cry.
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

7:00 PM
to 8:00 PM

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Improv
72 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Lori Fischer, Jo Thomsen
  A new installment of sci-fi fantasy improv theatre. Just like regular sci-fi/fantasy except without storyboarding!
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

8:30 PM
to 9:30 PM

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: Wave One
149 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Erik Pakieser, Edward Douglas, Mariah Fryer
  A panel of experts will discuss what to do when the walking dead have begun beating a path to your door.
Tags  Hot Dish

8:30 PM
to 9:30 PM

Thee Bluebeard Show
25 Attendees
Location Bloomington
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Bluebeard returns with his comedy improv show. Come and watch and you may just end up being part of the show.
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM

Why Do We Enjoy Being Scared?
47 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Brian Keene, Dana Baird, Melissa Kaercher, Joel Arnold
  Boo! Did we scare you? Did you like it?????? Why horror in all it's forms continues to be popular and why it always will.

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

Hypothesis!
79 Attendees
Location Plaza 1
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Bill Stiteler, Jeremy Stomberg, Windy Bowlsby, Molly Glover, Romeo Azar
  Panelists will take turns defending a geek position against the verbal onslaught of other panelists. All arguments will be of the utmost importance, of course.
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

Sex Lives of Cartoon Characters
66 Attendees
Location Atrium 7
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Greg Weisman, Gordon Smuder, Jennifer Menken
  This panel will explore aall the off-screen sex the characters are having on Young Justice, Spectacular Spider-Man, W.I.T.C.H. and Gargoyles as well as shows Greg Weisman doesn't produce. What aren't the animators showing us?

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

The Pun-el
87 Attendees
Location Bloomington
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Bob Alberti, Margaret Eastman, Ed Eastman (mod)
  It always happens. This year will be no exception.

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

Vampires: When did they stop being monsters?
108 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Adam Whitlatch, Hal Bichel, Edward Douglas, Veronica Cummer, Dana Baird
  When did vampires go from being blood-sucking predatory monsters to safe cuddly momma's boys? And should they stay that way? Come out and join the discussion.
Tags  Hot Dish, Vampires
 

Saturday July 2 ▼

 

9:30 AM
to 10:30 AM

'Iron Pen' Drabble Contest
45 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Heather Bufkin
  Stretch your creative muscles by writing a 100-word story based on a surprise prompt item. Entries will be judged during the weekend and the winner announced at the end of the convention.
Tags  Hot Dish

11:00 AM
to 12:00 PM

Gone But Not Forgotten
48 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Lori Fischer, Tara O'Shea, Greg Weisman
  Your favorite media that are 'gone' but not forgotten. Your favorite show has been canceled, or your favorite book series has reached its natural end, but the fandom isn't ready to die yet. So what do you do now?
Tags  Hot Dish, Guest of Honor

11:00 AM
to 12:00 PM

Marco Polo
24 Attendees
Location Swimming Pool
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Angie Anderson
  Marco! Polo! Yes, it's exactly what you think it is.
Tags  Hot Dish, Play time

12:30 PM
to 1:30 PM

Comedy for Kids
25 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Joseph Scrimshaw, Phillip Andrew Bennett Low, Tim Wick
  Following on the heels of last year's Offensive Humor panel, we will explore the theory behind making comedy accessible to all ages and especially to children. Do you need to approach comedy a different way entirely or do you just avoid swearing?
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

2:00 PM
to 4:00 PM

Raptor Center
145 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Erin Lorenz, Sharon Stiteler
  The Minnesota Raptor Center returns to give you a look at more of their amazing birds!
Tags  Hot Dish

5:00 PM
to 6:00 PM

Anti Heroes
71 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Michael Scott Shappe, Kristina Halseth, Cynthia Booth, James Turnbull
  Good guys who are really bad guys and bad guys who just might be good guys. Taking a look at the characters that blur the lines between good and evil.
Tags  Hot Dish

7:00 PM
to 8:00 PM

The Mega Panel
75 Attendees
Location Edina
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Romeo Azar, Jeremy Stomberg, C. Robert Cargill, Daniel Wallace
  Your double length masquerade alternative returns. We'll talk about anything and everything until we get kicked out of the room.

8:30 PM
to 9:30 PM

Drinking with Geeks
210 Attendees
Location Plaza 1
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Melissa Kaercher, Jerry Belich, Bill Stiteler, Phillip Andrew Bennett Low, Laurie Richardson, Kelvin Hatle, Joseph Scrimshaw (mod)
  Drinking stories told by drinking geeks. There will be a cash bar.
Tags  Hot Dish, Comedy

9:00 PM
to 12:00 AM

Art Auction
58 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Charles Piehl, Melissa Kaercher
  Come bid on the most sought after art from this year's art show or just watch the fun!

10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM

Zombies and Their Slow (or Fast) Movement into Popular Culture
84 Attendees
Location Plaza 1
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Brian Keene, Erik Pakieser, Edward Douglas, Cynthia Booth, David Wilbanks
  Zombies have slowly been taking over fan mentality since George Romero first brought us "Night of the Living Dead." Danny Boyle, Brian Keene and others have sped up their takeover. Discuss where zombies came from and where they are headed (your house!!)
Tags  Hot Dish, Guest of Honor, zombie

11:30 PM
to 12:30 AM

Slash Fiction
52 Attendees
Location Bloomington
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Revolutionary Jo, Elisabeth Brommer, Bess Stuvenoxend, Anne Kustritz, Melissa McConnell, Mara Kapp
  Girls who like boys who like boys who like girls who like girls. The slash panel returns! Girls, boys, and folk of all persuasions welcome.
 

Sunday July 3 ▼

 

11:00 AM
to 1:00 PM

GPS Charity Auction
27 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  All silent auction items that went to voice auction will be sold at this charity auction benefiting the Geek Partnership Society.

2:00 PM
to 3:00 PM

Stuff I Wanted to do but Didn't: Pitches that Failed
61 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Brian Keene, Doug Texter, Kelly McCullough
  Working in the creative industries, you get used to disappointment. The great ideas that never saw the light of day.
Tags  Hot Dish, Guest of Honor

3:30 PM
to 4:30 PM

Overexposed Characters
36 Attendees
Location Atrium 4
Type  Panel, Hot Dish
  Jonathan Palmer, Chris Stenzel, Scott Jamison
  Characters in popular culture that just won't go away. We aren't talking zombies and vampries, we're talking about Dracula, Batman and Freddie Kreuger. Whose time has come, gone and come again once too often?
Tags  Hot Dish