Shore Leave (US convention)
You may be looking for the Scottish convention Shore Leave.
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Shore Leave |
| Dates: | 1979 - present |
| Frequency: | annual |
| Location: | Baltimore, Maryland (USA) |
| Type: | fan con, actorcon |
| Focus: | science, science fiction media, Star Trek |
| Organization: | STAT |
| Founder: | Star Trek Association of Towson |
| Founding Date: | 1979 |
| URL: | Shore Leave Recent convention reports from 2007 through 2011 can be found at Dayton Ward's blog here. |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Shore Leave is an annual fan-run convention that takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
It was founded by the Star Trek Association of Towson which continues to run it. The first convention took place in 1979; the con was still running as of 2025.
The con's focus was initially on Star Trek, but it has since broadened to include other science fiction media.
The programming includes guest appearances by actors, writer/creators, and scientists, a dealer's room, an art show, filk singing, fan skits, a film and video festival, science and children's programming, workshops, and a cosplay show/contest.
Some highlights were/are: filking by Boogie Knights, Denebian Slime Devils, and Omicron Ceti III, and theater presentations by Cheap Treks and Mystery Trekkie Theatre 3000.
Earlier Uses of the Term at Cons
"Shore Leave Party" or "Shore Leave Disco" were events at early Star Trek conventions such as Equicon, Starcon, and The British Star Trek Convention (1974 & 1975 cons).
More Specific Information on Individual Years
Information on other years, including art show winners, masquerade contest winners, photos, door decoration contest, con reports, program book covers can be found on each convention subpage by year.
The Mascot
The con's mascot is a rabbit, a Star Trek: TOS connection due to McCoy's encounter with the white rabbit from Alice and Wonderland in the episode, "Shore Leave."
The rabbit was represented in the program book's column, "Rabbit Tracks."
Other nods were Howard Weinstein's essay in the 1984 program book called "My Four Years at Hunt Valley; or, Rabbits I Have Known," and the art by Kenneth Morris for the cover of the 1986 program book.
The Venue
The first con was held at Towson State University, 3rd floor of the Student Union Building.
The cons between 1980 and 2023 were held at the Hunt Valley Inn in Baltimore, Maryland (except for the 1986 con which was at Omni International Hotel.)
When the Hunt Valley Inn closed in 2023, the con moved to Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Thanks for the Moon Rock!
From the 1988 program book:
Our grateful appreciation to NASA for loaning us a Moon Rock for display at Shore Leave. We also wish to extend our thanks to the National Space Society for providing security for the moon rock.
Some Long-Running Entertainment
- Boogie Knights
- Cheap Treks
- The Chromatics
- Denebian Slime Devils
- Kobayashi Maru Glee Club
- Mystery Trekkie Theatre 3000
- Omicron Ceti III
Slash and Explicit Fanworks
Early on, Shore Leave allowed explicit fanworks to be sold "under the table." They also allowed ads for explicit Kirk/Spock zines in the program books.
The art show allowed no "pornography" but did allow R-rated "tasteful" nudes. In 2007, two fans reminisced:
- Marnie: What happened was it came after we went to [the 1984] Shore Leave. And we had problems, because Shore Leave was growing by leaps and bounds. It was a real amalgam; they had all these young kids with phasers running around. They had to have all this masking in the art show, to try to sequester and cover the naughty bits….
- Kathy: I remember when they created that little room out of bedsheets in the art show…. You had to go inside this bedsheet room to see the adult artwork. [1]
While there wasn't any official slash programming, in later years, many K/S fans gathered there in plenitude, writing long, long con reports about their experiences in their newsletters and letterzines, such as The K/S Press and Come Together. [2]
Heavy Presence of K/S Fans: 1993-Early 2000s
Beginning in 1993, K/S fans attended in great numbers. For many years, The K/S Press called it "our annual meeting of the clan."
Many of of these fans did not attend any official con programming, and congregated in private rooms and parties. Their gatherings were instead much like a "con within a con." They wrote many exuberant con reports and generally had a fabulous time, but this was more due to their ability to be with each other and away from prying eyes and ears.
This means that most of the art auction reports, art show, and events discussed in con reports did not happen in public venues, but instead at the annual room parties. These parties and gatherings were described in The LOC Connection, then Come Together, and then The K/S Press. Later on, some K/S fans wrote con reports on Usenet.
In 1995, a guest of honor wandered into their party: Garrett Wang and the "Women of Star Trek".
A fan in 1994 wrote:
I attended two (count 'em) Shore Leave organized events: the filk performance, which I was in, and the art auction, which featured gorgeous G-rated (aw, shucks) renderings of K & S by our own Shelley Butler, DEW, Deeb, and Chris Soto. The whole K/S group seemed to spend every waking moment together (about 20 hours per day, but who's counting?), intensely talking K/S. It was heaven. [3]
Another 1994 comment:
Four days after Shore Leave ended, I opened the program for the first time. That should give you a good idea of what kind of convention it was for the intense group of K/Sers who attended. Who needed programming when we had so much to say to one another? [4]
From 1995:
Though some of us didn't partake of many of the con activities, except the dealer's rooms, still it's so great to be in a hotel filled with Trekkers with all that stuff going on. It's really a rainbow society... [5]
From 1997:
I actually did see the guests, the only con activity I usually manage to do. [6]
Showcase: The Con Skits and Plays
The "Not Ready for Paramount Players" became Cheap Treks, which was then absorbed in 2005 by "The Usual Subjects."
Another collaboration was Mystery Trekkie Theater 3000.
From a 2015 comment:
The plays have historically been referred to as “showcases.” I believe that began with the Shore Leave Showcases of the early 1980s. The convention ended with one of these parodies. That name has faded, but I liked it as a way of remembering some history. I can tolerate any descriptive name for what we do. I bridle only at “skits.” That’s a demeaning term for something we put so much effort into. [7]
From a comment in 1994:
2 events that "MAKE" a fan-run con for me: Mystery Trekkie Theater (MTT)" and "Cheap Treks (CT)". MTT is is exactly what you might think; a Trek takeoff of MST3K, where a bunch of people sit just in your way while you're watching a TREK episode (MTT seems top always use TOS, which I think has the best impact) and they talk to the screen. In this case, the guys doing the kibitzing are people like Peter David, Arne Starr, Howard Weinstein and(maybe) Bob Greenberger (if I've named the wrong individuals, I apologize, but I think I got it right). If the names are unfamiliar(shame on you<G>!), they do a little writing and drawing in the TREK Universe<G>. [8]
One highlight for a select group of fans at a 1997 private party was the Dancing Penises.
See List of Shore Leave Skits.
Some Fan Testimonials
1984
In 1984, fan and frequent guest, Howard Weinstein wrote in the essay in the program book called, "My Four Years at Hunt Valley; or, Rabbits I Have Known" :
While Shore leave was humming along from year-to-year, big, star-laden Trek and SF cons were fading, and the Shore leave Committee decided to take the path other fan-con groups were trying -- adding a star or two to the old mixture. George Takei was the first to be beamed to Cockysville, in 1983. [9]
1988
In 1988, Weinstein wrote an essay in the program book called "Shore Leaves I Have Loved, or, If This is Shore Leave X, I Must Be a Lot Older Than I Think I Am":
It was '81, and Bob Greenberger came along, too, starting the Shore Leave/Clippercon tradition now known as "The Bob & Howie Show." Now, to those of you who've only been attending recent Shore Leaves overflowing with really famous guest stars and celebs, the idea of spending an hour or two with me and Bob (who are generally extremely accessible to anyone who wants to chat with us) may not sound all that thrilling. But back in those early days, Bob and I were headliners, for crissakes! Which I mention not to blow personal horns but merely to point out Shore Leave has grown in its ten years. Now it's a rare year that doesn't have two or three STAR TREK cast members, someone from the production side of the camera, as well as STAR TREK and SF writers, editors, and more. There's so much programming at a Shore Leave, you shouldn't ever be bored—only frustrated when there are three things you want to do at the same time.I've never been to a friendlier con than this one. Whether I've be previewing the next TREK movie or reading chapters from an upcoming novel or singing songs or doing a slide show, whether for an audience of ten or 500, the reception has always been as warm as a July day in Baltimore (but less sticky, thanks to hotel air-conditioning). Is it that only nice people come here, or is it something in the air that makes converts of the grumpiest of fans? I don't know. I do know that Shore Leave has always been one of the highlights of my year. When friends ask me, What's a good convention to attend? I always tell them about this one. The folks who've been organizing and running it all these years started out as fans and they still are. They've never forgotten the little touches that make cons fun for those attending, and they always give Shore Leave guests first-class treatment.
I have no idea why all these committee members and helpers are willing to work like maniacs so we can all have I guess it's one of those mysteries science may never solve. But I'm glad they've been crazy enough to do it for ten years, and I hope they never quit.
From Jacqueline Lichtenberg in the 1988 program book:
I have gone to Shore Leave conventions as Guest, attender, and attending program participant, and have often moved heaven, earth, and starships to make it to this one convention. I do it because I need 'shore leave' from the isolation and the long, hard grind. I need recreation for my nerves. And the best place to get that is among friends and new potential friends. No mat - ter the effort to get there, I have never been disappointed in a Shore Leave. I never expect to be.
From Geraldine Sylvester (original con chair) in the 1988 program book::
IN THE BEGINNING.....Ten and a half years ago, to be exact, in my house in Randallstown, the star Trek Association of Towson was born. Towson was chosen because it was a central location for all areas in Baltimore. The first Shore Leave was a one-day Can put on at Towson State University. Encouraged by the interest of the attendees, we decided to try for a three-day con in 1980 at Hunt Valley Inn. Floating a loan, the club went ahead and booked the hotel and prepared our first flyer.
Some highlights stand out over the years. Collating the Program Book for Shore Leave III for. in my living room by candlelight during a power failure. Bob Greenberger at Shore Leave IV coming out of the film room yelling' 'The projector just blew up" (Thanks Bob, I really needed that). George Takei, our first Trek name guest, at Shore Leave V. "Actors" with Mark Lenard and Walter Koenig, at Shore Leave VI (with the thrill of working on stage with both of them). DeForest Kelly at Shore Leave VII, a truly charming gentleman.
It was fun over the years, seeing the Con grow and become a viable entity in the world of fandom.
From Weston Scrimger in the 1988 program book:
My first Shore Leave was Shore Leave III. I came for one day and joined STAT in November. For seven years I've worked on the Con and have seen it grow into the largest Fan run con east of the Mississippi.My fondest remembrance is of all the people I've met in seven years. Many are now friends and I feel this is my reward for all the work that goes in to putting on a three-day con. At Shore Leave VI, a short skit went over so well that now it's a regular business, the Temple of Trek Revival -- Praise Trek!
To everyone I've met over the last seven years, I say Thank You; Thank you for helping us to make Shore Leave so to much fun to be at and to work for.
From Kathy Scimger in the 1988 program book:
Having been a part of Shore Leave since the beginning, I remember the days when the entire con committee slept in the con suite and the connector; being so tired at the end of the con that we held the dead-dog party two weeks later; of hand addressing all the flyers for mailing. I remember writing the program book with others of the committee while we took turns typing of the typewriter. Most of all I remember the excitement each year .of greeting old friends and meeting new ones. I hope that Shore Leave continues for many years.
1994
Tony was a guest at Shore Leave, a fan-run mostly-Trek convention I attended many years ago in Towson. He was a great panelist, funny and honest.Now, Klingon cosplayers are always a big deal at Trek conventions. They do not fuck around. Their outfits could walk right onto a set and be filmed. Shore Leave always featured a whole contingent of Klingons. They’d run a Klingon Jail - you could pay to have your buddy kidnapped by Klingons and put in jail, and they’d have to raise money to make bail, and then all the proceeds went to charity.
Most Klingon cosplayers I knew weren’t that into Worf. He was just too…Starfleet. So when Kurn came along (and before Martok, the ultimate Klingon character of Trek), he was sort of the standard-bearer. He had been raised Klingon (unlike Worf, who was raised by humans) and was the very image of an honorable Klingon warrior. So you can imagine the excitement when Todd was a guest.
After the panel, we all left the hall, and there in the lobby was a big group of Klingons, standing in formation, in all their costumed glory, waiting to greet Tony. We all stood around to see.
He walked out and saw them. He didn’t greet them. He didn’t smile. He didn’t say hi.
No. Without missing a beat, he strutted up to them, and started…dressing them down.
Suddenly, he WAS Kurn. No makeup, but it was like Kurn was there. Walking up and down the ranks, calling them maggots, criticizing their attention, their bearing. Asking why none of them had bruises. Were they not fighting? Was their bat’leth practice falling behind? Where was the blood? And WHY WAS NOBODY DRUNK. He really tore into them, a little twinkle in his eyes.
The Klingons stood there, responding with SIR YES SIR when he addressed them, quivering with joy.
It was so awesome.[10]
2004
From Kristy Bratton for CityofAngel.com:
Shore Leave has a rich and extensive history with over 25-years of experience in the convention industry. These 25 years have not tainted the organizers but rather made them savvy to the needs of both VIP guests and fans alike. It is indeed one of, if not the best run and organized conventions, headed by Kett Kettering and Marilyn Mann, a convention by fans for fans which is obvious in their diligence and attention to detail. The guests they invite are more often chosen for their fan interaction and enthusiasm rather than their dollar-draw as Shore Leave is certainly a convention that caters to the fans in the Sci-fi and Cult genres. You can always be assured that a varied and exciting guest list awaits to please any fan in attendance... [11]
Photos
- photos; [ archive link] (mostly 2008 and 2009)
Further Reading
- Go for Shore Leave This Summer!; archive link by Donna S. Frelick (November 2023)
References
- ^ from IDICon and 4-Play Con: An Interview with Kandy Fong and Marnie S. (2007)
- ^ "Cons with actors, like Shore Leave, Farpoint, Visions, Unicon, Anglicon, including professional for-profit cons such as those run by Creation. People may sell slash there, usually 'under the table,' but there (probably) won't be panels about it." -- comments by Sandy Hereld on Virgule-L, quoted with permission (April 23, 1993)
- ^ from Come Together #8
- ^ from Come Together #8
- ^ from Come Together #20
- ^ from The K/S Press #12 (August 1997)
- ^ from Steven H. Wilson, “My Fan… Lady?” – Reflections and Resignation (May 28, 2015)
- ^ by Vince Maiocco, from SHORE LEAVE 16; archive link (August 27, 1994)
- ^ from the 1984 program book
- ^ Why Tony Todd is awesome. by madlori on Tumblr, 2024. (Note: the tumblr post itself doesn't specific the year but google search suggests he was a panelist in 1994).
- ^ About the Town Happenings; archive link