Shore Leave (US convention)/2017
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Shore Leave (US convention) |
| Dates: | August 3-5, 2017 |
| Frequency: | |
| Location: | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Type: | |
| Focus: | multi-fandom |
| Organization: | |
| Founder: | |
| Founding Date: | |
| URL: | |
| 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.
2017: Shore Leave 39
It took place July 7-9, 2017. at Delta Hotels Baltimore Hunt Valley.
Two guests were Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis.
2017: Con Programming
- Showcase: Con Skit: something by Mystery Trekkie Theater 3000, it was their last performance. (see for more information on the con's skits in general)
- The Chromatics (music)
- other unknown
2017: Con Reports
[...]I had three panels on Saturday. First was “History for Fun and Profit,” where we talked about using history in our SF/fantasy writing — mostly involving writers of alternate history SF/F, but I talked about how my history studies helped me write about future events, first contacts, cross-cultural interactions, and so forth in my SF. After a quick lunch (a peanut butter sandwich I’d made for the trip), there was “Defending the Light Side,” which was about optimistic and/or humorous writing, refuting the attitude that such things are fluffy or insubstantial. Then I guess I just hung around with various people I ran into for a couple of hours — it’s all kind of blurred together about what conversations I had when — and I did my first hourlong stint in the “author chimney,” the narrow space between brick pillars that’s the only place the book vendors usually have for authors to sit and peddle our work. But it was a slow afternoon — most of the guests were probably in the big ballroom watching Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn give their talk. So it was mainly just a chance to sit and rest between panels. Finally, we had the “Upcoming Star Trek Books” panel with me, Dave, Dayton Ward, and Scott Pearson. We didn’t really have much in the way of new Pocket novels to discuss beyond what’s already been announced, so I thought we might have to do a Q&A about our recent books to fill the time, but Scott also talked about all the other books and comics coming out from other publishers for the rest of the year, and that ended up occupying most of the hour after all. But I got to talk some about my upcoming Rise of the Federation: Patterns of Interference, and how it’s the climax for the Trip Tucker/Section 31 arc I inherited when I started doing the ENT novels.
[...]
Sunday morning, I got up a bit late and had an 11 AM panel, and I had to have breakfast and check out of my room before the panel, so I didn’t have time for much else that morning. But it was a fun panel, called “Where No Tale Has Gone Before” — Dave, Keith, Dayton, Scott, and myself talking about whether there were still new Star Trek stories to tell after all these decades. Answer: Yes, of course. There are always untapped areas to explore, and every new story introduces new elements that can be explored further. But it was a good talk.
[...] [1]
Last weekend I attended Shore Leave 39, an old-school sci-fi con. While yes, the con is at its heart a Star Trek con, other sci-fi is celebrated as well. It has a great science track, too.On Friday afternoon I got to gaze at the sun (and observe sun spots, and watch plasma separate from the sun) thanks to the Westminster Astronomical Society, who brought a handful of telescopes with them. There were panels on science in movies, women in sci-fi, superhero panels, LBGTQ+ panels, and a wide selection of teen programming as well. There was also a wedding and a birthday party, which was open and inclusive to everyone at the con.
As I said, it's an old-school con. Attendance usually hovers around 1500 people, which is perfect. The guest list is also pretty impressive. This year they had Kevin Sussman, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Michael Hogan, and more. One of the nicest things about this con is that they offer guests a chance to get a free autograph from select guests on Saturday evening. I wound up getting autographs from Sussman, Sirtis, and Dorn for my father. I honestly can't think of another con that offers that perk.
If you've been on the fence about Shore Leave, I implore you to visit at least once. The hotel is nice, and there's plenty of food options around the hotel. Plus, there's ample parking. [2]
Well, it started out to be a normal day until I walked into the hotel where the Shore-Leave convention was being held the weekend of July 7-9 2017, Earth time. Spaceships, and Klingons and Gorn, oh my. This is one of the most awesome fan run conventions around. I am honored to be able to cover this diverse genre event.Shore-Leave is a local Baltimore Maryland convention where anything can happen. There are so many cos-players, you know, people dressed up as all sorts of beings and characters and super heroes and more! These science fiction characters and more are usually seen walking around the hotel . At, least, I think they are all humans. The show has awesome dealers rooms to purchase cool items. I also spotted a large, parked Battlestar Galactica Cylon spacecraft right in front of the hotel entrance! A human entrepreneur has created this lifelike life size full scale model to pose next to and inside the cockpit for photo ops. It looks real enough to fly into space. Perhaps it does. Back inside I was briefly accosted by Darth Vader. He let me go, the Force was with me.
Throughout the weekend,besides the guests signing for and chatting with fans at their tables, there were numerous panels, stage talks, art show, charity auction, gaming, photo op session with the guests, dealers rooms, a full size Doctor Who Tardis and Dalekamong other items , the masquerade costume contest, and the Ten Forward party Saturday night plus so much more! Fun fun and more fun.
[...]
Shore-Leave 2017 was a grand time over it’s 3 day weekend run. Fans get to take away many a unique involvement as I am sure the guests, writers and all others involved do. I was able to get interviews, snap many photos, obtain some autographs, and connect with friends all while covering the show. It is usually a bittersweet time when Shore-Leave winds down Sunday evening. We humans and other beings from other worlds, dimensions, realities, and times, prepare our minds to return to our otherwise, normal, or abby-normal lives again, having had such a delectable experience! [3]
References
- ^ from Christopher L. Bennett, The Shore has been Left; archive link (July 10, 2017)
- ^ by Baltimore Lauren, from Shore Leave 2017: A Delightful Sci-Fi Con In Hunt Valley, Maryland; archive link (14 Jul 2017)
- ^ from The Shore-Leave Convention 2017. After evading a meteor shower. Mark Grossman reports in from his Shore Leave.; archive link