ConGregate 12: Full Schedule

************ THE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE, UP TO, AND EVEN DURING, THE CON ************

When using the Sched app, go the bottom of the app and select "My Account." Scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit "Refresh All Data." You should do this MULTIPLE times each day.

con-gregate.com

arrow_back View All Dates

3:30pm EDT

35 Years of Vampire: the Masquerade & The World of Darkness

Saturday July 18, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT

Piedmont Salon 3

35 Years of Vampire: the Masquerade & The World of Darkness (how White Wolf's TTRPGs influenced us as writers, gamers, artists, etc. - a total WoD love fest & celebration

Special Guest: Viovode Mekhet (Storyteller for the Sat night LARP?)

Moderator: Michael G. Williams

Speakers

Steven S. Long

Literary Guest

Steven S. Long’s been involved in the gaming industry for over thirty years, during which time he’s written, co-written, edited, or developed over 200 books. He got his start as a freelancer for Hero Games, for whom he wrote several books in the mid-Nineties. He soon branched... Read More →

Michael G. Williams

Literary Guest

Michael G. Williams writes queer horror and science fiction celebrating the monstrous and the macabre. His books include the award-winning vampire series The Withrow Chronicles (Laine Cunningham Award); the thrilling urban fantasy time travel series Servant Sovereign; the sci-fi... Read More →

Janet Carden

Online Media Guest

Janet Carden aka The Halfling is one half of the husband/wife team of The Halfling and The Spaceman podcast. She has been active in many aspects of fandom since her high school days. She and her husband have created many fan projects together, including The Familiar Magazine... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Piedmont Salon 3

Fandom

7:30pm EDT

The Mercenary Guild Annual Meeting

Saturday July 18, 2026 7:30pm - 8:30pm EDT

Piedmont Salons 1-2 (panels)

Saturday July 18, 2026 7:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
Piedmont Salons 1-2 (panels)

Fandom

Tech Needs sound system

8:00pm EDT

Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation: 50 Years Since Rush's Iconic "2112"

Saturday July 18, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

Grand Ballroom Salon C (panels)

"When the F%#K did Rush become cool?!"

As the band Rush continues their Fifty Something tour and tribute to Neil Peart, our panelists discuss one of Peart's greatest science fiction masterpieces, 2112 (and other stuff).

Speakers

Wayland Smith

Literary Guest

Wayland Smith is the pen name for a native Texan who has lived in Massachusetts, New York, Washington DC, and presently makes his home in Virginia. His rather unlikely list of jobs includes private investigator, comic book shop owner, ring crew for a circus (then he ran away from... Read More →

James Fulbright

Con Chair / President, ConGregate

James Fulbright was introduced to AD&D by a friend in 1979. After joining his first gaming group, his friends convinced him to start attending conventions like StellarCon. It wasn’t long before attending cons led him to start helping out with those cons; which, in turn, led to running... Read More →

Chuck Parker

Performance Guest

A performer for more than 35 years, Chuck Parker has filled many musical roles: heavy metal guitarist, singer/songwriter, jazz sideman, open mic host, filk circle regular, session player, and World’s Okayest Bassist™.Chuck has been a regular on the con circuit for more than a... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom Salon C (panels)

Fandom

8:00pm EDT

Geeky and Nerdy Parenting

Saturday July 18, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

Piedmont Salon 3

Geeky and nerdy parents are not quite the outliers they once were, but are not really still "normal". How do geeky parents deal with "normal" kids? Other parents? Techniques for creating well-rounded individuals?

Moderator: J. Matthew Saunders

Speakers

DJ McGuire

Performance Guest

D.J. McGuire began his geek journey watching Star Trek Original Series on syndication. These days, he works in Defense IT and teaches economics at his local community college. He has been a musical performer (bass and vocals) for over eight years, starting with Dimensional Riffs in 2017. He has also played with the Nefarious Ferrets... Read More →

Sammie Cassell

Film Guest

Sammie Cassell is a North Carolina based filmmaker, actor, improv and sketch comedian, and all around busy guy. His film/tv credits include Halloween Kills, Eyes of Tammy Faye, Kill Giggles and upcoming appearances in Righteous Gemstones and Please Don’t Destroy. A life long comic book fan and collector along with being a lover of all things horror, wrestling and pop culture, he’s also known as Sammie the Comic Book Man. Sammie and his production partners, Dan Sellers, Jeff Cochran, and Chad Hunt with Wreak Havoc Productions also do the... Read More →

Bryan Young

Literary Guest

Bryan Young works in many different media. He's published thousands of essays and hundreds of short stories in publications like Marvel and Image Comics, Star Wars Insider, Huffington Post, SYFY, /Film, Script Magazine, Weird Tales, the Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Library Literary Magaz... Read More →

EJ Isaacs

Literary Guest

EJ Isaacs is at heart, a geek. As a child I grew up with classics in science fiction from Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark and Robert Heinlein. A late comer to role playing, he enjoyed creating backgrounds to the characters he was playing. For a three-year period, he was involved with... Read More →

J. Matthew Saunders

Literary Guest

J. Matthew Saunders is the author of the Daughters of Shadow and Blood trilogy inspired by the Brides of Dracula, the Dreadful Penny occult detective series, and numerous fantasy and horror short stories. He is a member of HWA and SFWA.He was born in the small Appalachian town of Clayton, Georgia and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. He received a B.A. in history from Vanderbilt University and a master’s... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
Piedmont Salon 3

Fandom

3:30pm EDT

7:30pm EDT

8:00pm EDT

8:00pm EDT

Get help with the event