Farpoint Convention

^[1]Farpoint is an American science-fiction convention held since 1993 in Hunt Valley, Maryland.^[2] The convention is fan-run, differentiating it from larger, profit-making ventures. Typical programming includes panel discussions, a competitive masquerade, fan videos, an art show, filking^[3] and celebrity guest appearances. It is a successor convention to ClipperCon ^[4](1984-1989) and OktoberTrek (1990-1992). The next Farpoint will be held on February 12-14, 2016.

Locations and Dates

Dates	Location	Attendance*	Notable Guests
October 8–10, 1993	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	1,300	John DeLancie, June Lockhart, William Campbell
October 7–9, 1994	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	1,300	George Takei, Jonathan Brandis, Nana Visitor
October 6–8, 1995	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	1,200	Robert Picardo, John Fiedler
October 5–7, 1996	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	1,100	Michael Ansara, Tim Russ, Mark Goddard
October 4–6, 1997	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	1,500	Jonathan Frakes, Mira Furlan
November 1998	Omni in Baltimore	460	Stephen Furst, Robert O'Reilly
October 8–10, 1999	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	TBD	Peter Jurasik, James Darren, Robert Colbert, Mary Kay Adams
October 2000	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	TBD	Andreas Katsulas, Mary Kay Adams
2001**	N/A	N/A	N/A
February 15–17, 2002	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	876	George Takei, Robin Curtis, Philip Anglim
February 14–16, 2003	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	572	Armin Shimerman, Gil Gerard, Erin Gray
February 13–15, 2004	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	722	Tim Russ, Bill Mumy, Andrew Robinson[5]
February 11–13, 2005	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	737	Jeffrey Combs, Wayne Pygram, Tony Amendola
February 17–19, 2006	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	708	Harve Bennett, Penny Johnson Jerald, Jack Stauffer
February 16–18, 2007	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	758	Ron Glass, Harve Bennett, Richard Hatch
February 15–17, 2008[6]	Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn	774	James Callis, Erin Gray, Marina Sirtis
February 13–15, 2009	Crowne Plaza Baltimore North	799	Alan Tudyk, Philip Weyland, Harve Bennett
Bonita Friedericy taking a picture with three attendees of Farpoint	February 12–14, 2010	Crowne Plaza Baltimore North	744	Felicia Day, Lee Arenberg, Sam Witwer, Mira Furlan[7]
February 18–20, 2011	Crowne Plaza Baltimore North[8]	739	Laurie Holden,[9] Tahmoh Penikett, Bonita Friedericy
February 17–19, 2012	Crowne Plaza Baltimore North	761	Michael Hogan, Kristin Bauer, Kate Vernon[10]
February 15–17, 2013 [11]	Crowne Plaza Baltimore North	792	John Billingsley, Felicia Day, Lee Arenberg, Bonita Friedericy
February 14–16, 2014	North Baltimore Plaza Hotel	TBA	Alan Dean Foster, Phil LaMarr, Melissa McBride
February 13-15, 2015	North Baltimore Plaza Hotel	TBD	Timothy Zahn, Tim Russ, Colin Ferguson

*Attendance does not include dealers and guest numbers

**Convention was not held

History

The Farpoint 1993 Program Book Cover

Since 2009, Farpoint has been held in the Crowne Plaza of Baltimore North, The hotel has changed ownership and is now the Radisson Hotel North Baltimore. From 1993 to 1997 the convention was held in the Hunt Valley Inn. In 1998 the convention was held in the Baltimore Omni. After 1998, the convention went back to the Hunt Valley Inn until 2008. Farpoint was created by Beverly Ott Volker in early 1993. This convention was successor to other Beverly Volker creations such as Clippercon and Oktobertrek. The convention started in October 1993, which had over 1,300 attendees. The convention continued in October until October 2000 when the committee decided to move the convention to February. This decision caused there to be no 2001 convention because it would only be a four month span without the convention. The date change coincided with the committee decision to feature fan interests prominently alongside the celebrity guests. Farpoint programming was moved into individual tracks that focus on fans' many interests: Authors/Writing, Science, New Media (fan-created podcasting/film/webcomics), Media (movies and television), Live Performances (theater/music/comedy), Costuming(Masquerade) and Youth/Children. In 2003, the convention was nicknamed "SnowPoint" because the guests, attendees, and committee found themselves locked in the Hunt Valley Inn due to a massive amount of snow. This was also Beverly Volker's last convention, as she died the May of that year. Due to rising prices, in 2009, Farpoint moved to the then Crowne Plaza of Baltimore North, currently named the Radisson Hotel North Baltimore.

References

External links

• Farpoint Convention Official Website
• Farpoint Convention on Facebook
• Farpoint Con on Twitter
• Farpoint Convention on Google+
• Farpoint Convention on Fanlore