bayconnews | July 3rd —6th, 2026

Happy International Towel Day! 🎉 Celebrate with BayCon by using promo code TOWELDAY for $10 off a full weekend badge* ! DON’T PANIC! But this deal won’t last forever! Buy your badge today! Link: baycon.org/register/ ** promo code good for May 25th, 2026 ONLY**

Come check us out at @fanimecon ! We’re right by Artist Alley hall!

sharing some BayCon flyers and info, so be sure to check them out! 😊

We’re at @KublaCon !! Be sure to stop by and say Hi as our wonderful staff will be tabling during the event! 🧩♟️🀄️ And while we won’t be tabling for Fanimecon, we still have one of our great staff members tabling with AFSP and

event with panels, Music and food in downtown Berkeley. For a schedule of events and more details visit baybookfest.org

All this takes place at the 12th annual Bay Area Book Festival in the East Bay Area. For more info and how to participate in other activities: locusmag.com/2026-locus-a... Then on Sunday, May 31st we’ll have a space at the Bookworm Block Party outdoor fair, a sprawling literary

Join the Society for Speculative Fiction (spSF) and BayCon 42/ Westercon 78 May 30th+May 31st for two special events! On Saturday May 30th we’ll be at the 2026 Locus Awards ceremony, part of the Locus Awards weekend, organized by our convention’s ultimate sponsor Locus Magazine!

,character development, and style. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your craft and join a supportive community of writers. Visit baycon.org/writers-worksh… to submit your work + more info!

Writers workshop is accepting submissions!✍️📝 Our Writers’ Workshops—available at no extra charge with a full weekend badge—offer professional critique for both adult and young authors. Submit your speculative or AfroFuturism fiction by June 30th and get expert insights on plot

Find out more at baycon.org/get-involved

‼️BayCon 2026 is hiring‼️ We are looking for volunteers to help us in many departments, such as Registration, Marketing, Tech, Events, and more! You can also volunteer at con to be a “Gofer” and earn a full weekend membership to BayCon 2027.

just a love for intergalactic nonsense! Bring your friends, grab the mic, and prepare for an evening of poetry so bad it’s good. Don’t panic—just recite! Sign-ups will be announced soon!!

OPEN MIC NIGHT: Vogon Poetry Extravaganza! 🎤📖📚 Do you have a penchant for the wonderfully terrible? Join us for our Open Mic Night dedicated to Vogon Poetry! Channel your inner Vogon, and share your most exquisitely awkward verses-no prior experience required,

If you happen to be at Comic Con Oakland come by and say Hi! Our amazing staff will be tabling at booth 503!

And now, we prepare for the 2nd Afrofuturism Lounge at BayCon. Hit us up if you wanna present and/or exhibit.

‼️BayCon 42 / Westercon 78 badge prices are going up ⬆️ in MAY‼️ Register now to get the lowest full weekend badge price before the convention! Go to baycon.org/register and use code HOOPYFROOD for $10 OFF. We want to see YOU🫵🏼 there in July!

Be sure to check out @ancestrlfutures Afrofuturism Salon this Saturday April 18th! Hosted by Former Baycon Guest of Honor + Poet in Residence Audrey T. Williams (@Virgule2020 ) , and presenting this years BayCon Guest of Honor + Poet in Residence @sumikoska as a reader 📚😊

‼️REMINDER‼️If you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to do so! 🎲🧩

Come check out our Poet Laureate @sumikoska ‘s Book release + Signing party this Sunday April 12th! 📚📖✍️

Speculative Poetry Feature: Staring into the Abyss: A Look at Horror Poetry by Sumiko Saulson locusmag.com/feature/specul…