ConGregate 12: Full Schedule

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con-gregate.com

1:00pm EDT

Costuming: Where to start

Friday July 17, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

So you've seen Stormtroopers and Mandalorians, or uniforms from Star Trek and Star Gate, but where do you start if you want to build your first costume?

moderator: Cheralyn Lambeth

Speakers

John Dondero

Costuming Guest

He is a certified Jack of All Trades. He started out as a filmmaker and special effects editor, building both digital and practical effects, and has won many awards for both filmmaking and editing. When COVID hit, he switched gears and became an affiliated Twitch streamer and podcaster... Read More →

Dave Fretz

Costuming Guest

I’ve been a part of science fiction and fantasy fandom for more than 50 years and grew up reading Andre Norton, Allan Dean Foster, and Edgar Rice Burroughs books. I even named my younger son Jason after the lead character in the Ray Harryhausen film Jason and the Argonauts. I was... Read More →

Cheralyn Lambeth

Film Guest

Cheralyn (Cher) Lambeth is a professional costume, prop, and puppet builder whose work includes feature films (The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Patriot, Evan Almighty, The Hunger Games, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret), television shows (Dinosaurs!, Homeland, Outcast, The ... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Costuming/Cosplay

2:30pm EDT

It's been 25 years Since WHAT Came Out?

Friday July 17, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

2001 saw a wide release of films in the genre - from the good (Planet of the Apes) to the bad (Donnie Darko) to the unusual (The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra). Join our panelists as the discuss all things film from 2001.
(Knight's Tale!!)

Moderator: Gary Mitchel

Speakers

Alexandra Christian

Literary Guest

Alexandra Christian is an author of romance and horror (two great tastes that taste great together). She began her career in 2010 writing paranormal romance and has since branched out into contemporary, fantasy, and dark romance with occasional forays into horror. She lives in a creepy... Read More →

Bill Mulligan

Film Guest

A 25+ year veteran of high school science teaching, Bill Mulligan has parlayed his love of horror, science fiction, and fantasy films into podcasting, convention panels, indie filmmaking, and storytelling. With creative partners such as Christine Parker and Mark C. Lucas, he has worked... Read More →

Gary Mitchel

Online Media Guest

Gary Mitchel is a writer, reviewer, gamer, podcaster, and general geek living near Atlanta.Gary is the Co-Director, with Joe Crowe, of the American Sci-Fi Classics Track at Dragon Con. Together, they plot panels on various geeky topics, from 80s vampires, to cats in space, to the... 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 →

Friday July 17, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Film/TV

4:00pm EDT

Candy Bullets: Humor in Action, Horror, and Dark Fantasy

Friday July 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Candy Bullets feels like a funhouse mirror—playful on the surface but bending into darker, unexpected shapes. It pairs sugar-coated slapstick with threads of horror and dark fantasy, sweetening the joke before letting it take surprising, sometimes sharp turns so that lightness and danger bounce off each other. The characters are full of contrasts: a wry demon who quips like a late-night comic, a clownish avenger whose painted smile hides recent wounds, and an apparently innocent soul who treats looming trouble like recess. Our panelists discuss how to blend the "sweet" with the dark in their work.

Moderator: J. Matthew Saunders

Speakers

Richard Kadrey

Guest of Honor

Richard Kadrey is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sandman Slim supernatural noir series. Sandman Slim was included in Amazon’s “100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books to Read in a Lifetime,” and is in development as a feature film.Some of Kadrey’s other books in... Read More →

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Special Guest

Defying all odds is what #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon does best. Since her first book debuted while she was still in college, she has placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats and genres, including manga and graphic novels, and has more than 70 million books in print worldwide.A pioneer in paranormal, fantasy, science fiction and romantasy, she has become one of the most popular and influential authors in the world (in adult, YA and... Read More →

Kevin A. Davis

Literary Guest

Kevin A Davis is a fantasy author with over twenty published novels, including the award-winning DRC Files, a paranormal procedural series where the Atlanta-based team hunts cryptids.He resides in north Florida and attends conventions throughout the year, including as staff as Director... Read More →

Alexandra Christian

Literary Guest

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 →

Friday July 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Literary

5:30pm EDT

AI Inflection Point

Friday July 17, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

AI inflection point: Are we at an "inflection point" in human history where AI will usher in rapid change (or has it already)? Will the AI bubble burst? Is there really a bubble? What might the future look like?

Moderator: Chris Oakley

Speakers

Joey Starnes

Fan Guest

Joey Starnes first claimed her inner geek in 2007 after visiting her first DragonCon. In 2008, she moved to Charlotte, NC and started the Charlotte Geeks, home of the Guardians of the Geekery podcast, the Geekery Market, Two Woke Bonnets podcast and the Merry Mayhem. Her main geekdoms... Read More →

William C. Tracy

Literary Guest

William C. Tracy (he/him) writes and publishes queer science fiction and fantasy through his indie press Space Wizard Science Fantasy. His largest work is the Dissolutionverse: a space opera with music-based magic including nine books and a TTRPG. He’s also published Fruits of ... Read More →

Dennis M. Myers

Literary Guest

Born and raised in central Minnesota, Dennis M. Myers developed a serious reading habit early in life due to the influence of his grandmother. In late high school he read one particularly "awful" book and, with all that teenage hubris, decided that he could do better.After spending... Read More →

Chris Oakley

Fan Guest

Chris Oakley owned and operated Oakley’s Gently Used Books, a bricks & mortar used bookshop with a specialty in Sci Fi/Fantasy, for more than 20 years (1995-2016) in Charlottesville, VA. She has been a bookseller at Madicon, MarsCon, MystiCon, RavenCon, Libertycon DSC50, DSC60 and... Read More →

Brandon Whitworth

Science Guest

Brandon Whitworth is a professional engineer with over 20 years of experience on a variety of projects with many interests inside and outside engineering. His professional career has spanned many projects, including the Space Shuttle program (where he was awarded a Silver Snoopy... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Science

7:00pm EDT

Room Closed

Friday July 17, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Friday July 17, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Room Closed

8:00pm EDT

Star Wars: After the Mando and Grogu

Friday July 17, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

A cute little alien in a beskar armor and a silent but deadly bounty hunter have won the hearts of fans across the world. Join our panelists as they discuss this new Star Wars story and where we hope it takes us in the future.

Moderator: Dance Harden

Speakers

Dance Harden

Fan Guest

Dance Harden is a 3rd generation SFF fan with a background in the performing arts. Their kink performance group was the featured local guest for Lollapalooza 1996 in Newport, TN. Later, they studied history and media studies at UTK. After moving to Charlotte, NC in 2008, they entered... Read More →

Tom Hutchens

Costuming Guest

Founder of the Mando Mercs Costume Club, being a Mandalorian fan goes all the way back to 1983, a five-year-old sitting in the theater watching Boba Fett fall into the Sarlacc Pit in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

In 2007 Tom founded the Mando Mercs Costume Club (MMCC), becoming o

... 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 →

J. Matthew Saunders

Literary Guest

Carol Cowles

Online Media Guest

Carol has long been a fixture of Geek Culture in Charlotte, NC. She has served for several years as the Programming Director for ConCarolinas and worked the Carolina and Arizona Renaissance Festivals for 15 years. She also podcasts – she is Carol the Cat on Guardians of the Geekery... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Film/TV

9:30pm EDT

Building Larger Than Life Costumes and Props: Challenges and Solutions

Friday July 17, 2026 9:30pm - 10:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Whether you're building full-size Daleks, designing car add-ons, or crafting floor-length wings, creating a large costume or prop comes with its own unique challenges. Join our panelists as they share tips, techniques, and stories about how to bring a larger-than-life costume to life.

Moderator: Cheralyn Lambeth

Speakers

Tom Hutchens

Costuming Guest

John Dondero

Costuming Guest

Cheralyn Lambeth

Film Guest

Old Dominion Daleks

Costuming Guest

Rick and family took their love of theater and science fiction and formed Luna-C Productions in 1997. Rick is the director, one of the scriptwriters, and plays several roles in the Luna-C Productions comedy troupe in addition to producing, directing and acting in a number of their... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 9:30pm - 10:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Costuming/Cosplay

9:30am EDT

Workshop: Writing Your First Novel - How to Get from the Initial Idea to a Finished Manuscript

Saturday July 18, 2026 9:30am - 11:00am EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Rumor has it that 95 percent of people who try to write a book give up before finishing, and it can feel like a daunting process. Bruce Buchanan gave up on his first three attempts before finishing The Blacksmith's Boy (and now, several other books!). In this workshop, he will show you how he changed his approach and process to reach the finish line.

Speakers

Bruce Buchanan

Literary Guest

Bruce Buchanan can pinpoint the moment he became a fan of heroic fiction. When he was six, he accompanied his parents to the Kmart in Shelby, N.C., Bruce’s hometown. On his way to scope out the toy aisle, something caught his eye: A Spider-Man comic book, bagged with two other... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 9:30am - 11:00am EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Literary, Workshop

11:30am EDT

Humor in Writing

Saturday July 18, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

From puns to pratfalls, humor in writing can sometimes be hard to portray. Join our panelists as they discuss how to write stories that make your reader laugh out loud.

Moderator: Lexx Christian

Speakers

John Scalzi

Guest of Honor

John Scalzi is the Hugo-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Old Man’s War, Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society, and Starter Villain, among other novels. Some of his short work was featured in the Netflix animated series Love, Death + Robots.He was president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (now the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association), but he got better.He owns one dog, three cats, a six-necked guitar and a church. His burritos are internet infamous and possibly actual crimes. He lives... Read More →

Kal Spriggs

Literary Guest

Kal Spriggs is a US Army combat veteran, gamer, and science fiction and fantasy author of over 40 published novels. He has visited over 35 countries and has worked in a variety of industries including environmental remediation, farming, civil engineering, the military, and transportation... Read More →

Dave Dobson

Literary Guest

A native of Ames, Iowa, Dave loves writing, reading, boardgames, computer games, improv comedy, pizza, barbarian movies, and the cheaper end of the Taco Bell menu. Also, his wife and kids.Dave has written ten novels including fantasy, sci-fi, mysteries, and thrillers. In addition... Read More →

Richard Kadrey

Guest of Honor

Alexandra Christian

Literary Guest

Saturday July 18, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Literary

1:00pm EDT

Pre-judging for Costume Contest/Green Room

Saturday July 18, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Judges: Jett Dixon, Cheralyn Lambeth,

Speakers

John Dondero

Costuming Guest

Cheralyn Lambeth

Film Guest

Jett Dixon

Costuming Guest

Jett has been attending & assisting at conventions for over a decade, finally delving into the roles of Programming Staff (RavenCon, ConCarolinas, Conapalooza) and Panelist.Apple of Your Eye Cosplay is Jett’s Facebook page for all things cosplay, showing off her thrift- and scrounge-style... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Costuming/Cosplay

2:30pm EDT

Closed for Green Room

Saturday July 18, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Saturday July 18, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Room Closed

4:00pm EDT

Ask Jenn Whitworth Anything About Artemis

Saturday July 18, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Jenn Whitworth worked on the Artemis program, NASA’s ongoing lunar exploration initiative, designed to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and pave the way for future crewed missions to Mars. Building on the initial uncrewed Artemis I test, NASA successfully launched Artemis II in April 2026, sending four astronauts on a historic 10-day loop around the Moon.

Ask her all the questions!!!

Speakers

Jennifer Whitworth

Science Guest

Jennifer Whitworth is an engineer and writer from Huntsville AL. Currently working at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, she supports Artemis and Gateway Payload Integration working directly with the science teams to help them through the various processes to design, build, test... Read More →

Saturday July 18, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Science

Tech Needs Projector/Screen

5:30pm EDT

Bridging the Gap: Empowering Women for a Diverse STEM Future

Saturday July 18, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Supporting and encouraging women to pursue careers in the traditionally male-dominated fields of science, technology, engineering, and math is really important — not just for fairness, but because diverse teams bring fresh ideas and spark innovation. Women still face barriers like bias, stereotyping, and lack of support, so programs that offer mentorship, networking, resources, campaigns, events, and outreach make a real difference by boosting visibility and representation. By empowering women and celebrating their perspectives and talents, we can build more welcoming teams and institutions — and together create better problem-solving and a brighter future for STEM.

Moderator: Joey Starnes

Speakers

Joey Starnes

Fan Guest

Angela Giddings

Film Guest

A.M. Giddings is a writer, scientist, cellist, independent filmmaker and aspiring swamp hag from North Carolina. She has a PhD in Microbiology and has authored multiple scientific articles in virology, cell line design, and gene therapy. She enjoys writing stories that live within... Read More →

Emily Jane Buehler

Literary Guest

I write cozy fantasy romances where everyday people (and fairies) have adventures and fall in love. They are lighthearted stories with action and adventure, love and magic, where protagonists learn to believe in themselves and find their courage. And yes, they are kissing books. They... Read More →

Chris Oakley

Fan Guest

Saturday July 18, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Science

7:00pm EDT

Readings Hour Sat

Saturday July 18, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Join our authors in a round robin selection of readings!

MIchael G. Williams
Gail Z. Martin
Mur Lafferty
John Scalzi

Speakers

John Scalzi

Guest of Honor

Mur Lafferty

Literary Guest

Mur Lafferty is an author. Mur Lafferty is a podcaster. Mur Lafferty podcasts about writing and writes about podcasting. She also writes about murders in space, zombies, Minecraft and Han Solo. Her writing and podcasting have resulted in numerous award nominations and wins, such... Read More →

Gail Z. Martin

Literary Guest

Gail Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy, steampunk and more for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing and Darkwind Press. Urban fantasy series include Deadly Curiosities and the Night Vigil (Sons of Darkness). Epic fantasy series include Darkhurst... 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 →

Saturday July 18, 2026 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Literary, Readings

10:00am EDT

Readings Hour Sun

Sunday July 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Join our authors in a round robin style of readings!

Fraser Shermane
Bryan Young
Polly Schattel
Dave Dobson

Speakers

Bill Mulligan

Film Guest

Dave Dobson

Literary Guest

Fraser Sherman

Literary Guest

Born in England, Fraser Sherman wound up spending most of his life in Northwest Florida. He’d be there still if he hadn’t fallen in love and moved to Durham NC to marry his dream woman. They’re still together, with two dogs and two cats added to the family.Fraser has published... Read More →

Bryan Young

Literary Guest

Polly Schattel

Film Guest

A filmmaker and novelist from Birmingham, AL, Polly Schattel’s first feature was the self-produced “Sinkhole” (2005), which won Best Feature at the Indie Memphis Film Festival, and was distributed internationally by Shoreline Entertainment. Her next film was “Alison,” (2010... Read More →

Sunday July 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Literary, Readings

11:30am EDT

Spaceship Design

Sunday July 19, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Be it a military frigate or Exploration vessel, all spaceships require life support systems and a means of locomotion. Explore these and other critical infrastructure needed to carry humanity beyond our atmosphere.

Moderator: Gray Rinehart

Speakers

Gray Rinehart

Literary Guest

Gray Rinehart is an award-winning author, an editor, a singer/songwriter, and a retired Air Force officer. He is the only person to have commanded a USAF satellite tracking station, written speeches for Presidential appointees, devised a poetic form, and had music on The Dr. Demento... Read More →

Dennis M. Myers

Literary Guest

Jennifer Whitworth

Science Guest

Dr. Philip A. Kramer

Science Guest

Dr. Philip A. Kramer is a biomedical researcher who studies aging, oxidative stress, and metabolism. In addition to his academic works, he is a hard science fiction author with two published novels (under the name P. A. Kramer), and several award-winning short stories. His blog (... Read More →

Jim Beall

Science Guest

Jim Beall (BS-Math, MBA, PE) has been a nuclear engineer for 50 years, beginning as a nuclear engineering officer in the US Navy. Civilian experience includes design, construction, inspection, enforcement, and assessment with a nuclear utility, an architect engineering firm, and the... Read More →

Sunday July 19, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Science

1:00pm EDT

It's been 10 years since...

Sunday July 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

High Point Room (Panels)

Zootopia, Rogue One, Hidden Figures, Captain America: Civil War, Suicide Squad (the one with Will Smith and Margot Robbie), Star Trek: Beyond, Deadpool, Ghostbusters (the one with Melissa McArthy and Kristen Wiig) and so many others....

Moderator: Fraser Sherman

Speakers

Sammie Cassell

Film Guest

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 →

Fraser Sherman

Literary Guest

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 →

Sunday July 19, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
High Point Room (Panels)

Film/TV

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