SFContario is a general-interest

science fiction convention Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of the speculative fiction genre, science fiction. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expres ...

held in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada and sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Society of Upper Canada. The first convention took place on November 19–21, 2010, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto. The guests of honour were author

Michael Swanwick Michael Swanwick (born 18 November 1950) is an American fantasy and science fiction author who began publishing in the early 1980s. Writing career Swanwick's fiction writing began with short stories, starting in 1980 when he published "Ginungagap ...

, writers and editors

Patrick Patrick may refer to: * Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name * Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People * Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint *Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...

and

Teresa Nielsen Hayden Teresa Nielsen Hayden (born March 21, 1956) is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and workshop instructor. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books and is well known for her weblog, ''Making Light''. She has also work ...

, fan Geri Sullivan,

filk Filk music is a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction, fantasy, and horror fandom and a type of fan labor. The genre has existed since the early 1950s and been played primarily since the mid-1970s. Etymology and defin ...

musician Karen Linsley, artist Billy Tackett, and toastmaster

Robert J. Sawyer Robert James Sawyer (born April 29, 1960) is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 24 novels published and his short fiction has appeared in ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'', ''Amazing Stories'', '' On Spec'', ''Nature'', and numerou ...

. The convention chair was Alexander von Thorn. Events at the convention included panels on science fiction and fantasy, writing, science, fan history and conventions, and media, as well as author readings, autograph signings, an interview with expatriate American SF writer and

HUAC The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

victim

Chandler Davis Horace Chandler Davis (August 12, 1926 – September 24, 2022) was an American-Canadian mathematician, writer, educator, and political activist: "an internationally esteemed mathematician, a minor science fiction writer of note, and among the mos ...

, kaffeeklatsches, a ceremony presenting pins to past

Prix Aurora Award The Aurora Awards (french: Prix Aurora-Boréal) are a set of primarily literary awards given annually for the best Canadian science fiction or fantasy professional and fan works and achievements from the previous year."Literary glow of Auroras lur ...

nominees, a masquerade, an art show, a charity auction, filk concerts, bid and other parties, an anime room, and an improv fundraiser for the

Sunburst Award The Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic is an annual award given for a speculative fiction novel or a book-length collection. History The name of the award comes from the title of the first novel by Phyllis Gotlieb, ''Sunburst' ...

performed by improvisers from the Impatient Theatre Co.Sunburst Award Event Page
/ref> A second convention was held on November 18–20, 2011, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto. The scheduled guests of honour include international author

John Scalzi John Michael Scalzi II (born May 10, 1969) is an American science fiction author and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He is best known for his ''Old Man's War'' series, three novels of which have been nom ...

, Canadian author

Karl Schroeder Karl Schroeder () (born September 4, 1962) is a Canadian science fiction author and a professional futurist. His novels present far-future speculations on topics such as nanotechnology, terraforming, augmented reality, and interstellar travel, an ...

, editor

Gardner Dozois Gardner Raymond Dozois ( ; July 23, 1947 – May 27, 2018) was an American people, American science fiction author and editing, editor. He was the founding editor of ''The Year's Best Science Fiction'' anthologies (1984–2018) and was editor of ...

, and filk band Toyboat. This event also served as the 31st

Canvention Canvention is the Canada, Canadian national science fiction convention, where the Prix Aurora Awards are presented. Normally it is held as part of an existing convention. Conventions The list of past Canventions may be referenced in the programme ...

, Canada's national science fiction convention. The third convention was held from November 9–11, 2012, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto. The scheduled guests of honour include Hugo and Nebula winner

Jo Walton Jo Walton (born 1964) is a Welsh and Canadian fantasy and science fiction writer and poet. She is best known for the fantasy novel ''Among Others'', which won the Hugo Award, Hugo and Nebula Awards in 2012, and ''Tooth and Claw (novel), Tooth ...

, Jon Singer, and Hugo Winner Christopher J Garcia. A fourth convention is planned for November 29-December 1, 2013, at the same location, with guests

Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire (pronounced SHAWN-in; born January 5, 1978 in Martinez, California) is an American author and filker. McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. She uses the pseudonym Mira Grant to write science fiction/ horror and the pseudon ...

Dave Kyle David A. Kyle (February 14, 1919 – September 18, 2016) was an American science fiction writer and member of science fiction fandom. Professional career Kyle served as a reporter in the Air Force Reserves with the rank of lieutenant colonel, wr ...

, and

References

External links

SFContario official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sfcontario Science fiction conventions in Canada Events in Toronto Recurring events established in 2010 2010 establishments in Canada