Welcome to the programming schedule for CONfab 2024! Below you will find details of both tracks of programming for all three days of the convention, Friday, October 25th through Sunday, October 27th, including evening activities. If you would like to download a copy of the schedule as a PDF grid, you can find that here.
If you want to talk about something that didn’t make it onto the schedule, we’ll have Flash Panel slots open on both Friday and Saturday. Signups will be first come, first served each day.
You can register to attend CONfab 2024 at any time before the start of the convention. Information about registration, including pricing, can be found here.
Quick Links:
- Friday: Track One
- Friday: Track Two
- Friday Evening Activities
- Saturday: Track One
- Saturday: Track Two
- Sunday: Track One
- Sunday: Track Two
- Sunday Afternoon Activities
Friday Programming
10:30-10:50
Opening Ceremonies
ROOM: Convair
Welcome to CONfab 2024! We start this year’s festivities off with an introduction, announcements, and anything else you need to know.
FACILITATORS: CONfabulation Con Comm
Track 1 – Convair
11:00-11:50
Ahoy! A Pirate’s Guide to Media
The rise of streaming and lack of physical media means watching our faves can be difficult, at best. If you need help hoisting the pirate flag, or are a seasoned captain willing to share, this one’s for you!
FACILITATORS: chaneen, gigglingkat
FANDOM: Multi-fandom
12:00-12:50
Size Doesn’t Matter OR Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy – How to Hype a Small Fandom
So your fandom has five fics on AO3 and the tumblr tag’s dead. SIGH. How do you lure people into your tiny fandom? What’s worked to get you into someone else’s niche fandom? Let’s swap strategies!
FACILITATORS: likeaglass, chaneen
FANDOM: Multi-fandom
1:00-2:20
LUNCH
Lunch will be 90 minutes this year. No food is provided by the con, but there will be space for masks-off eating.
2:30-3:20
Demystifying D&D
Intimidated by D&D, but want to give it a try? Join us for the down and dirty details on how to create a character and play!
FACILITATORS: beanside, poisontaster
FANDOMS: D&D
3:30-4:20
Recent Book Recs
Recent changes in publishing mean a vast increase in the number of new books, making it hard to find the good stuff. Come share your favorite book you read this year or get recs to expand your TBR!
FACILITATORS: goseaward
FANDOMS: Multi-fandom
4:30-5:30
CONfabulation 2024 Vid Show
It’s our annual multi-fandom vid show! The full playlist will be announced at the convention.
ORGANIZER: GreenBryn
Track 2 – Constellation
11:00-11:50
The Jedi and Other Force Cults
From lesbian witches to the Bendu, Star Wars depicts varied connections to the Force. We’ll talk about what has been added by Rebels/Ahsoka & The Acolyte and any other media people bring to the table.
FACILITATOR: colls
FANDOM: Star Wars (All Media Types)
12:00-12:50
Speakeasy: Flash Drive Exchange
It can be hard to find things that disappear from streaming. If you hoist the pirate flag, you may have files to share. Bring what you have, take what you like. Keep it secret, keep it safe.
FACILITATOR: GreenBryn
FANDOM: Multi-fandom
1:00-2:20
LUNCH
Lunch will be 90 minutes this year. No food is provided by the con, but there will be space for masks-off eating.
2:30 – 3:20
Fan Crafts: Embroidery
Learn some of the basics of embroidery, including a couple of beginner stitches, with ideas about how to make fanart with it.
FACILITATORS: celli
FANDOMS: Multi-fandom
3:30-4:20
Let’s Craft Together!
Do you have a crafting project that you struggle to find time to work on? Come and craft together! BYO craft or simply come to hang out, this is meant to be a space of low-commitment/spoons crafting, where even a stitch or two will be celebrated.
FACILITATOR: Set (sansets)
FANDOMS: Multi-fandom
Evening Activities – Track 1 (Convair)
7:30-8:50
Fannish Trivia
Sharpen your pencils and minds for this year’s CONfab trivia night! Answer questions about pop culture, music, TV, movies, gaming, and all things fannish to compete for prizes and bragging rights. Teams will be arranged at the event. All materials provided.
FACILITATOR: GirlPhenom
9:00-??
Fandom Mad Libs
Mad Libs but fandom style. Adult themes are encouraged and enabled. Prize for the winner of the best lib of the night! All materials provided.
FACILITATOR: Countessmary
Evening Activities – Track 2 (Constellation)
5:30-6:30
Craft Night
Let’s hang out and stitch/knit/crochet/whatever! Participants need to bring their own crafting supplies.
FACILITATOR: Set (sansets), celli
7:30-??
The Chapel on the Hill, a D&D Oneshot
Join Beanside for a game of gothic horror and mystery! The village of Kennmouth was overrun by the undead 50 years ago. Can you unravel the mystery and fight back the horde of monsters in this 3rd Level D&D Oneshot? Materials will be provided, as will some pre-made characters, or you can bring your own.
FACILITATOR: Beanside
MAXIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 8
Player signup and more details can be found in the Discord.
Saturday Programming
Track 1 – Convair
10:00-10:50
Getting Involved With the OTW
Always wanted to get involved with the OTW but weren’t sure how? Want to spend even more time on AO3 then you already do? Think Tag Wrangling sounds fun but have questions? Come chat with local OTW volunteers as we talk through this and more, then ask us (almost) anything!
FACILITATORS: Elsinore, other OTW members
FANDOMS: Fandom in general
11:00-11:50
Ultimate Screen Adaptation Tier List: Video Games
We will be ranking adaptations of video games to big and small screens. This is a group activity, so come prepared with your opinions!
FACILITATOR: aredlily
FANDOMS: List will include The Last of Us, both Mario movies, Uncharted, The Witcher, Resident Evil, Assassins Creed, Hitman, World of Warcraft, Detective Pikachu, and about 20 more franchises.
12:00-12:50
Your Fave Is Problematic
How do we navigate fandom spaces when the creators are awful, but we still love the canon? Can we engage in fandoms like these without guilt? Can we really separate creators from what they’ve created?
FACILITATORS: likeaglass, chaneen
FANDOMS: Harry Potter, Neil Gaiman-related fandoms including Good Omens and Sandman, Leverage, Joss Whedon fandoms, Jared Leto, Johnny Depp, etc., etc.
1:00-2:20
LUNCH
Lunch will be 90 minutes this year. No food is provided by the con, but there will be space for masks-off eating.
2:30-3:20
RPG Trivia Hour
Do you play roleplaying games? (Or just watch actual play shows?) Do you know RPGs other than D&D? Would you like to test that knowledge in a live trivia format with prizes like stickers and chocolate?
FACILITATOR: havocthecat
FANDOM: Roleplaying Games
3:30-4:20
A Parsec is a Unit of Distance; A Horse is Not a Bicycle
People in fandom bring a range of expertise to the media we consume–expertise that can educate (or give everyone a laugh). Come share favorite examples of media getting facts utterly wrong!
FACILITATOR: goseaward, GirlPhenom
FANDOMS: Multi-fandom
4:30-5:20
Sex Writing
How do you write a sex scene that conveys what you want? Should you include a sex scene at all? Let’s go over the mechanics of writing erotica with a mix of panel presentations & discussion.
FACILITATOR: goseaward, celli
FANDOMS: No specific fandom
Track 2 – Constellation
10:00-10:50
If The Shoe Fits…
Brandi’s Cinderella is back! If you’re unfamiliar with the Descendants, here’s a crash course! Let’s talk about fairy tale retellings, franchise retcons, and our other favorite Cinderella retellings!
FACILITATOR: GreenBryn
FANDOMS: Brandi’s Cinderella, Disney’s Descendants, various Cinderella adaptations
11:00-11:50
Plushie Workshop: Rise of the Needles
You know it, you love it. No matter your skill level, come & try creating the plushie pal of your dreams. All supplies are free! Bryn & She!Sam will be around to answer questions and assist as needed!
FACILITATORS: GreenBryn, YoungLoveLeroy
FANDOMS: Any
12:00-12:50
Improvisation And You 2: Playing Improv Games To Find Your Inner Restaurant
Last year we got together and played some silly improvisational games, a la Whose Line Is It Anyway, to feel more comfortable thinking outside the box when writing material. Let’s do it again!
FACILITATOR: J.D. Lowe
FANDOM: No specific fandom
1:00-2:20
LUNCH
Lunch will be 90 minutes this year. No food is provided by the con, but there will be space for masks-off eating.
2:30-3:20
The Kandi ‘Shop!
Call it Kandi, beadweaving, or friendship bracelets, beaded jewelry is big right now! Come to this workshop to learn how to make bracelet cuffs and design your own patterns. Supplies provided.
FACILITATOR: pocketcosmic
FANDOM: No specific fandom
3:30-4:20
Fidget Toys for Fun and Mental Health
Folks have been using fidgets for years to keep their bodies in check and their minds focused. Let’s share favorite fidgets, fidget-buying sources, talk about what makes a good fidget, and trade tips for use in various situations.
FACILITATOR: Mosca
FANDOMS: No specific fandom
4:30-5:20
Yes, It’s the Incest Panel!
Let’s chat about our positive feelings about fictional incest and maybe also share media recs! This is a kink-shaming-free zone!
FACILITATOR: Gray
FANDOMS: Multi-fandom
***
Sunday Programming
Track 1 – Convair
10:00-10:50
The Things We Do For Fandom
From wacky hijinks to learning new languages to eating ‘weird’ food, fandom is an act of love. Come share stories of what you’ve done for love of (past or current) Fandom.
FACILITATORS: treefrogie84, beanside
FANDOMS: any/all, K-Pop, C-Dramas, Supernatural
11:00-11:50
The Game is Afoot. Eh, Watson?
Come talk about your fave fictional detectives. Promise it won’t all be Sherlock Holmes. No copaganda here.
FACILITATORS: aredlily, Mosca
FANDOMS: Knives Out/Benoit Blanc, Agatha Christie/Hercule Poirot/Ms. Marple, Sherlock Holmes, etc.
12:00 – 12:50
Everything Old is New Again: Forever Fandoms
What gives a fandom staying power? Which ones have stuck with you for the long haul? Do you ever really lose a fandom, or just keep adding to your hoard? Let’s discuss!
FACILITATORS: likeaglass, chaneen
FANDOMS: Due South, Star Trek, Star Wars, Supernatural, BBC Merlin, Leverage, Buffy
1:00-1:30
Closing Ceremonies
We hate to say goodbye, but eventually the fun has to end. Come say goodbye until next year and have a chance to ask questions of the Con Comm and make suggestions for future CONfabs.
FACILITATORS: CONfabulation Con Comm
Track 2 – Constellation
10:00-10:50
The Shipping of Theseus
Greek Mythology has a chokehold on a lot of us, so let’s discuss the adaptations we fandom. What do we like about them? What do we not? What myths would we like to see more represented?
FACILITATOR: GreenBryn
FANDOMS: Young Hercules, Hadestown, Hades the game, Epic the musical, Lore Olympus, Song of Achilles, etc.
11:00-11:50
What Was Old is New
We all have our fave shirt/skirt/pants/etc that we only bought one of. shakes fist Use that old one to make a template for new garments.
FACILITATOR: Countessmary
12:00-12:50
Two Vampires Walk Out of A Church
Let’s talk about the hot mess (affectionate) that is “Interview with the Vampire” (AMC) with other fans. This will not be spoiler-free.
FACILITATORS: aredlily, mcsomethings
FANDOMS: Interview with the Vampire (AMC TV), The Vampire Chronicles (book series by Anne Rice)
***
1:00-1:30
Closing Ceremonies
ROOM: Convair
We hate to say goodbye, but eventually the fun has to end. Come say goodbye until next year and have a chance to ask questions of the Con Comm and make suggestions for future CONfabs.
FACILITATORS: CONfabulation Con Comm
Afternoon Activities – Track 1 (Convair)
3:00-3:50
Flash Drive Exchange: Last Call
If you couldn’t make it to the Speakeasy: Flash Drive Exchange on Friday or didn’t get something from another attendee earlier in the weekend, now’s your last chance to grab those things and share your own bounty. Participants should bring their own flash drives and any files they’d like to share.
FACILITATOR: GreenBryn
4:00-6:00
Anime Club Presents: My Neighbor Totoro
Everyone is welcome to join in this viewing of Studio Ghibli’s 1988 classic animated film My Neighbor Totoro.
FACILITATOR: aredlily
Afternoon Activities – Track 2 (Constellation)
3:00-5:50
Call of Cthulhu Oneshot
Armed with nothing but your imagination (and some provided dice), come face to face with eldritch horrors in a game of Call of Cthulhu!
FACILITATOR: Poisontaster
MAXIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 6
All materials will be provided. Player signup and more details can be found in the Discord.