Spa-Con, the city's multigenre convention, returns for its second year next week with a "Twin Peaks" and "Stranger Things" vibe, featuring television stars, science fiction authors and a host of events, workshops and vendors.
Hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Garland County Library, the con runs Sept. 22-24 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Its inaugural run last year drew 3,905 attendees.
Bill Solleder, Visit Hot Springs' marketing director and Spa-Con planner, calls it "the most dynamic and largest con in Arkansas."
"Spa-Con is a smarter and more current convention than most conventions in the region," he said.
A few tweaks have been since last year. Spa-Con 2017 will bring Shannon Purser, known for her role in the Netflix series "Stranger Things," and Sheryl Lee and Sherilyn Fenn, known for their roles in the television series "Twin Peaks."
Solleder said that, given the popularity of "Stranger Things" and the reboot of "Twin Peaks," the lineup of special guests should put Spa-Con 2017 on the cutting edge of pop culture.
"That we have current guests is really essential to what Visit Hot Springs and the Garland County Library are trying to push out there," he said.
Solleder also said that the Spa-Con planning committee has prided itself on cramming the convention full of activities this year.
An escape room, virtual reality lab and starship bridge simulator have been brought back from last year. Others, such as laser tag, have been added for the first time.
"I've gone to a few conventions where you go in, you walk the vendor hall, you walk it again, and then you're done," Solleder said. "The more activities we can provide, the longer people will stay. In fact, I challenge con-goers to do every single thing that we have to offer in the three-day weekend."
Spa-Con will also be filled with artists holding panels and workshops, including Pat Moriarty, Timothy Lim and Kelly Williams.
"The artists that we have coming in, the cosplayers that we have coming in, the activities that we have scheduled -- they're also all very current," Solleder said.
Spa-Con 2017 is set to kick off at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22, with an opening ceremony in Bank of the Ozarks Arena. A screening of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" will follow.
Saturday will be highlighted by two panels -- one featuring Purser, which will be held at noon in Room 205 of the convention center, and another titled "Teleportation, Fiction or Non-Fiction" in Room 202 of the convention center at 2 p.m.
"Teleportation, Fiction or Non-Fiction" will feature Tal L. Klein, author of "The Punch Escrow," a sci-fi novel that explores the panel's given topic (see related article). It will also feature Steven Showalter, of NASA, and Arkansas School of Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts professors Brian Monson and Jack Wadell.
"(Klein) didn't just want to do it on his book," Solleder said. "He was like, 'We should do a teleportation panel, and I'll bring my friend from NASA.'"
Sunday's events will include a panel with Lee and Fenn at noon in Room 205 of the convention center and the Spacademy Awards and closing ceremony at 4 p.m. in Horner Hall.
Weekend passes are $25, and VIP tickets are $125 each. VIP passes grant access to the convention's VIP lounge on Saturday and Sunday, meet and greets with Purser and Lee, and a Spa-Con goody bundle.
Solleder said that he has the goal of reaching 5,000 guests this year.
"I really believe there's something for everyone," he said. "There's a little bit of geek in all of us."
Local on 09/17/2017