EVENTS! 2013 Upcoming Cons, Festivals, Skepticamps & More
I am a con woman. There, I said it. Although I’ve been to only a few conventions over the past couple of years, I am hooked. If you haven’t been to one, take a look at the list below for one to try, maybe something near where you live. If you have been to one (or more) but didn’t enjoy it, don’t give up on them altogether! They vary so much from each other, not only in focus but in atmosphere.
You can tell a lot about atmosphere by talking with other people, seeing who is going to what this year, and exploring the event’s website for info on the speakers, programming, and policies.
Now is the time to look far ahead so that you register in time and have a chance to make travel plans (including room sharing, which can make a con much more affordable). Hotels book up really quickly for some of these, and registration is often limited, so don’t wait until the last minute.
And don’t forget, if you are a woman interested in attending the American Atheists National Convention in March or a man interested in going to Women in Secularism 2 in May, Surly Amy is offering grants to pay for the admission! Apply here. You can also support these grants by buying special edition necklaces or donating directly. Get more info here.
Amy and other Skepchick Network writers will be at both conventions as well as many more throughout the year (including the most amazing of them all, of course–SkepchickCON!). I note who will be at what below, but I’m being conservative and not including the many more some of us want to attend but aren’t sure about yet.
The list includes only the basic info, with a link to find out more, and I’m sure it is incomplete. If I missed something, please note it in the comments. If I get enough additions, I’ll post an updated list.
EDIT 2/3/13: I added and corrected some info below (all in March).
February
North Texas Secular Convention
Feb. 8–10
Dallas, TX
*Elyse is speaking.
Surfcoast Summer Skepticamp
Feb. 9
Aireys Inlet Fairhaven, Victoria
Fort Collins Skepticamp
Feb. 23
Fort Collins, CO
Skepticamp Ottawa
Feb. 24
Ottawa, ON
Student Feminist Conference
Feb. 23–24
London
SSA Secular Summit
Feb. 24–25
Columbus, OH
March
Chicago Skepticamp
March 2
Chicago, IL
*Both Jamie and Kate will be speaking.
ADDED: Freethought Festival
March 8–10
Madison, WI
ADDED: * Benny will be there.
SXSW
March 8–17
Austin, TX
*Rebecca is speaking and Nicole is involved with the NASA sessions.
National Atheist Party (NAPCON)
March 9
San Francisco
EDIT (I had an old link and an old date for this):
Skeptics Of Oz
March 15–17
Wichita, KS
*Lux is speaking.
American Atheists National Convention
March 28–31
Austin, TX
EDIT: *Amy is speaking and Anne will be there with her.
April
Northeast Conference on Science & Skepticism (NCESS)
April 5–7
New York City
*Rebecca will part of the live SGU episode.
Northwest Freethought Alliance
April 5-7
Portland, OR
SkepTech
April 5–6
Minneapolis, MN
*Kate and I will be there.
ScienceOnlineTeen
April 13
New York, NY
QED
April 13–14
Manchester, UK
International Festival of Science Documentary Films
April 16–21
Olomouc, Czech Republic
*Rebecca is speaking.
ReasonFest
April 20–21
Lawrence, KS
2013 Lobby Day & Secular Summit
April 24–26
Washington, DC
May
Freethought Alliance Conference
May 3–5
Anaheim, CA
*Heina is helping organize.
Women in Secularism 2
May 17–19, 2013
Washington, DC
*Amy, Rebecca, and Debbie are speaking and Will will be attending
WisCon 37
World’s Leading Feminist Science Fiction Convention
May 24–27
Madison, WI
*I said I wouldn’t list maybe’s, but it’s highly likely that several of us will be at this one.
BaltiCon
Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
May 24–27
*Nicole will be there.
Imagine No Religion 3
May 17–19
Kamloops, Canada
June
The American Association of University Women
June 9–12
New Orleans, LA
SKEPTICAL Con 2013
June 15
Berkeley, CA
Secular Student Alliance Convention
June 21–23
Las Vegas, NV
July
SkepchickCON at CONvergence
The science and skepticism track at
July 4–7
*ALL of us will pretty much be at this one
TAM
July 11–14
Las Vegas, NV
Secular Student Alliance Convention
July 12–14
Columbus, OH
*Kate is speaking.
August
Gaymer X
Aug. 3–4
San Francisco
*Heina will be there.
European Skeptics Conference
Aug. 23–25
Stockholm, Sweden
Skeptrack @ DragonCon
Aug. 30–Sept. 2
Atlanta, GA
*Rebecca is part of the Skeptrack and Nicole will be there (subject to change because of this)
NZ Skeptics Conference
Aug. 31–Sept. 2
Dunedin, NZ
September
2013 PA State Atheist/Humanist Conference
Sept. 13–15
Philadelphia, PA
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Sept. 27–28
Madison, WI
October
GeekGirlCon
Oct. 19–20
Seattle, WA
*Rebecca and Heina will be there.
CSICON
Oct. 24–27
Tacoma, WA
Note: The link still has last year’s details, so you’ll have to check back for updates.
Texas Freethought Convention
Most likely Oct.
San Antonio, TX
*Will and Kate will be there.
Feminist Faces of Freethought
October [TBD]
*Will and Heina will be there (and probably others, all on panels)
November
Skepticon
November [TBD]
Springfield, MO
*Lux and Heina for sure and probably many more of us.
Australian National Skeptics Convention 2013
Nov. 22–24
Canberra
My family enjoyed CONvergence so much this last summer (our first con ever) that we already have our room booked for this year! We plan to be terribly pesky and underfoot at all the Skepchick tracks. Just kidding. We’ll probably all be good little introverts and hide in a corner somewhere.
Don’t hide in a corner! It really is the best conference for interacting with all the guests, the Skepchicks, the Freethought bloggers. Introduce yourselves to me and I will introduce you to people. We’re also looking for volunteers, if you’re local, to help out with various aspects of the Skepchick party and panels. That can be a great way to meet everyone without having to go through the awkward introducing yourselves out of nowhere bit. If you’re interested, just send me a note through our contact page and I’ll e-mail you.
If I end up going, while I am not local, you should totally use me if you need help. I volunteer for events all the time, and I am a good little gopher. It is, indeed, a great way to get involved and meet people, especially if you go/travel alone, which I plan to. :)
Awesome! Thanks so much! We’ll definitely need the most help at the con itself, especially with the party room. I’ll get your email address from Will, if that’s OK, and contact you separately about it.
Sorry for the delayed reaction. I was dead-to-the-world sick yesterday.
I’ll be hanging out with Amy at the American Atheists National Convention in March. =D
Awesome! I added you in the post.
Hey, Skeptics of Oz is actually in March: http://lanyrd.com/2013/skeptics-of-oz/schedule/
Their website seems to be out of date, but that link is the updated line-up.
Thanks for noticing that! Corrected.
Sooo, I should have a nice tax return this year, and I am thinking about going to CONvergence. And maybe make my way to Grand Forks, ND where I have family, after, if I can budget that in as well.
I’ve never taken a real vacation as an adult, so, IT IS TIME. And I thought this might be a fun way to do it, while also getting to see family. Need to figure out if I should fly to Grand Forks, or rent a car and drive…. Should be a good time of year to visit, too!
I can’t figure out whether the prospect of meeting the infamous Marilove IRL should fill me with gleeful anticipation, or have me quaking in terror. Probably a little of both! :)
I’m really excited to meet you! CONvergence is a really good choice for a vacation. It is seriously an amazingly fun conference.
Feminine Faces of Freethought in September