Marscon, March 2-4, 2018, (including Propatorium) in Bloomington, MN (with pictures)

OB10

Sr Member
Hey, Prop Dudes and Dudettes. I wanted to give people a little advance notice about Marscon coming up in a few months. (https://marscon.org/2018/index.php) The upcoming Marscon will be number 20, if I recall correctly. And for the last 10, 11, not sure how many years, a small intrepid band of mostly mid-western prop builders and collectors have been showing off the latest or favoritest props that we've acquired or built. We have our very own room to call our own, and we call it... The Propatorium. Last couple years, it hasn't all quite fit in the room....

For the last 4 or more years, we've had the Cult of "Wis"Karo bringing in Daleks from the far side of Wisconsin. And they're threatening to bring in a whole bunch more this year; newer, deadlier Daleks. Plus we have at least 3 Minneapolis/St. Paul based Daleks which have been known to show up, plus Davros. (And a "working" Speeder Bike, but March isn't the best time of year to bring that around town.) And flying up from the more southerly regions, we have a kick-butt K-9, and K-9's "Master" does a killer John Leeson impression! We've had a mobile Tardis, and I think that'll be back again. What's the big deal about a Tardis that you can move around? It moves around on it's own.

This last year (and in 2018) we also had The Saber Legion (http://www.saberlegion.org). They fight. Each other. With lightsabers. So they have a table and a bunch of demos over the weekend. Luckily, the ceilings in the current hotel are tall enough for them to actually fight. The Science Room has some cool displays, including a huge collection of model spaceships and other sci fi models. I'm also planning on contacting the local R2 Builders and see if they want to hang out and geek out with some of our favorite droids.

The artist Guest Of Honor this year, Steve Thomas, is pretty awesome (http://www.stevethomasart.com). Actor GOH is Roger Cross from Dark Matter, Continuum, and LOADS of other things.

We have some great party rooms, and also an entire Dementia Music track (Dr. Demento style tunes) with loads of Dementia musicians coming in every year to perform. The great Luke Ski arranges that whole area; in past years, we've had Paul and Storm, and Dr. Demento himself.

I'm in the process of uploading and organizing a lot more pictures from previous Propatoriums and conventions, but here is a link to check out some of the prop-centric happenings at cons we've been to.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24502629@N04/albums
 
Re: Marscon, March 2-4, 2018, (including Propatorium) in Bloomington, MN (with pictur

Last night I added a metric space-ton of Marscon 2017 pics which can also be found at the above link.

Besides a mobile Tardis, multiple Daleks and K-9, we should also have a couple R2s attending. A few local R2 Builders Club members are planning on bringing a couple R2s, a Mouse Droid or two, and a Gonk.

Things are coming along really well! And really fast! The con is only a month and a half a way. Currently registration is $50 until January 31. After that, the price will go up to the $65 at the door price. https://marscon.org/2018/registration.php

The schedule is filling up, but we're still looking for panel ideas. In the past, we've had panels on future weapons, science fiction weapons, prop building, Dalek building, mobile Tardis building, Cyberman building..... https://marscon.org/2018/ideas.php The Propatorium has leaflets with links to prop resources (most especially including the RPF), but it's cool when the future propbuilders can actually talk to the future prop builders in person. They can do that at the Propatorium, but it's nice to get a whole load of interested people all in the same place at the same time where they can ask questions.
 
Re: Marscon, March 2-4, 2018, (including Propatorium) in Bloomington, MN (with pictur

And there's going to be another event at the con. Long time RPF member and Minnesota fan fixture BAK55, Blair Keith, died last July. We're going to be having a get together Friday evening at the con. Blair was a costume and prop master. He did a great Captain Kirk back in the day, he designed and built our Retro Spaceman helmets, belts and rayguns, he made a fantastic Rocketeer costume in the early 90s. The rocketpack and helmet were cardboard. He was known as the King of Cardboard or Captain Cardboard (not to be confused with the model builder who goes by the name Captain Cardboard). He could do amazing things with cardboard (much cheaper and less toxic than a lot of regular prop materials), and he taught a few of us his techniques. For those of you who have been to CONvergence, he designed and built the Transporter Pad, Agony Booth and Bridge Console in the U.S.S. Nokomis' Star Trek room. Plus helping build and assemble the room, plus most of the other rooms that the Nokomis and the WDF did. We'll be having a special display of his prop work and designs, plus his artwork, some displayed in the Propatorium and some in the art show. It's going to be very strange around here to be at conventions and not see him there. He's also the Posthumous Guest Of Honor this year.

"Remembering Blair Keith

1 Blue Heron - Masquerade Lounge — Friday 06:00 pm

Artist, prop master, fan, friend… Blair was a former captain of the U.S.S. Nokomis, and a well-known member of local SF fandom for decades. We are gathering to share memories and celebrate his life.

This is not a badged event. Everyone is welcome."
https://marscon.org/2018/schedule.php
 
Re: Marscon, March 2-4, 2018, (including Propatorium) in Bloomington, MN (with pictur

hey guys, I miss coming to marscon and the propatorium every year. I'm in cleveland now, the prop scene.. doesn't exist up here. They have a toy collectors group.. but they aren't really into making things.. or screen accuracy.. just the condition of the box something came in..they preferring looking to touching.. kind of aggravating. Sorry to hear about Blair.. Hope all is well with you guys!
 
Re: Marscon, March 2-4, 2018, (including Propatorium) in Bloomington, MN (with pictur

Hey Dave, we miss you, too! And Hammerhead, and Jay, and... If only there was a way to maybe, oh, I don't know, fly to Minneapolis from Cleveland or something... or take an Uber.... :rolleyes Just saying. Maybe you could start planning next year's vacation now. Who doesn't want to come to Minnesota the first weekend of March? It's lovely!

I finally finished uploading the newest Marscon pics to Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/24502629@N04/albums/72157666492617538 I need to go back and add tags, and sort some things out, but they're there to see, at least.
 
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