BOSKONE 56 is coming February 15-17, 2019!  and the program schedule is now online.

Come check out all of the exciting activities and start planning your convention! The schedule is available through the Grenadine app schedule so that you can personalize your Boskone experience or you can view the text-only schedule.

Boskone 56 Program Highlights!
Be sure to check out the full program schedule to see what else you would most like to attend, but here are a few highlights from this year’s signature events:

Free Friday Afternoon Programming (January 15 2:00-6:00 pm)
We’re hosting Free Friday Afternoon again, which means all Boskone programming begins at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 15th and is free to the public from 2:00-6:00 pm. Memberships are required after 6:00 pm on Friday and throughout the rest of the convention.

Friday, 5:00 PM (free to public)
Special Event: Interview with The Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin Director Arwen Curry
Theodora Goss, Arwen Curry
Marina 1 · 50 min · Interview
Theodora Goss interviews director Arwen Curry about her feature documentary Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin. With Le Guin’s active participation, Curry followed her for a decade to document her life and work. From A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) with the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award to Lavinia (2008) with the Locus Award, Le Guin’s numerous accolades include multiple Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards. This special interview with Arwen Curry is hosted in coordination with the Boston premiere of Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin at the Boston SF Film Festival on Thursday, February 14. Official Trailer: Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin from Arwen Curry on Vimeo.

Friday, 9:00 PM
Opening Ceremony: Meet the Guests
Cindy Pon, Christopher Golden, Jim Burns, Elizabeth Hand, Vandana Singh, David G. Grubbs (M), Michael Swanwick
Galleria – Stage · 15 min · Event
Welcome to Boskone, New England’s longest-running convention for fans and creators of science fiction, fantasy, and horror! Whether you are attending for the first time or the fifty-sixth, we invite you to join us in the Galleria to meet this year’s guests:

• Guest of Honor: Elizabeth Hand
• Special Guest: Christopher Golden
• Official Artist: Jim Burns
• Young Adult Fiction Guest: Cindy Pon
• Hal Clement Science Speaker: Vandana Singh
• NESFA Press Guest: Gardner Dozois (in memoriam)

The Opening Ceremony ends with a toast to Gardner Dozois by Michael Swanwick.

Friday, 9:15 PM
Boskone 56 Reception
Vandana Singh, Elizabeth Hand, Cindy Pon, Christopher Golden, Jim Burns
Galleria – Art Show · 105 min · Event
Connoisseurs and philistines alike: welcome to the Boskone Art Show! Join us in the Galleria for an upscale social mixer. Meet our program participants while enjoying refreshments, stimulating conversation, and exceptional art that’s a feast for the eyes. Experience the music and the festivities as Boskone celebrates another year of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in Boston.

Saturday, 6:30 PM
Boskone Book Party
Brenda W. Clough, Erin Underwood (M), Cerece Rennie Murphy, Isadora Deese, Christopher Paniccia, Steve Davidson, Suzanne Palmer, Clea Simon, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, Julie C. Day, Karen Heuler, Jeff Hecht, KJ Kabza, Grady Hendrix, Kenneth Rogers Jr., Clarence Young
Galleria – Stage · 50 min · Event
Come join the fun at Boskone 56’s Book Party — and meet the presses and authors who have new books coming out at the con! This is your chance to see what’s new from writers you already love, as well as those you have yet to discover.

This is NESFA Press’s official release party for On the Road with Gardner Dozois: Travel Narratives 1995-2000 (NESFA Press, February 2019) with a special “Introduction” by Michael Swanwick and “Memories of Gardner” by Robert Silverberg, Sheila Williams, Walter Jon Williams, Eileen Gunn, James Patrick Kelly, and Erin Underwood.

Saturday, 8:00 PM
Boskone 56 Awards Ceremony
David G. Grubbs (M), Daniel M. Kimmel, Jane Yolen, Bruce Coville, Gay Ellen Dennett, Michael Sharrow
Harbor II+III · 20 min · Event
Saturday night’s extravaganza begins with the New England Science Fiction Association’s Award Ceremony, in which we present our annual Skylark and Gaughan awards. The Skylark Award honors the work and personal qualities of an exceptional contributor to science fiction. The Gaughan Award is presented to a talented up-and-coming / emerging speculative artist. We’ll also be announcing the winner of the NESFA Short Story Contest!

Sunday, 11:00 AM
Boskone Book Club: Want by Cindy Pon
Cindy Pon, Bob Kuhn (M)
Griffin · 50 min · Discussion Group
The Boskone Book Club continues! Join us for a conversation that brings con-goers together to consider one noteworthy work at length. This year we are reading Want by Cindy Pon (our Young Adult Fiction Guest). Boskone’s own Bob Kuhn will lead the discussion; Cindy Pon will join the group halfway through for a Q&A. To participate, please read the book and come ready with your thoughts and questions.

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Want to attend Boskone? We’d love to see you there. All attendees need to purchase a Boskone 55 convention membership before the price rise on January 23. Click here to buy yours today! 

Full Weekend Rates

These rates are good through January 22, increasing on January 23.

• Adult Full Convention: $55
• College Student Full Convention: $35(school ID required)
• Grade: K-6 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)
• Grade: 7-12 Full Convention: $25 (school ID may be required)

One Day Rates

• Friday One Day: $25
• Saturday One Day: $50
• Sunday One Day: $20

Memberships for Children and Kids-in-Tow

All children (ages 7–12) who use Dragonslair services must be convention members. However, children who stay with their parents at all times are considered “kids-in-tow,” and need not have memberships. (“Kids-in-tow” do not receive any convention materials.) We are not able to offer babysitting through the convention.

Day rates for College and K-12 students will be available at-con with the rates above.

If you have additional questions, please contact us at registration@boskone.org.