The Latest Word - as of 5/12/2025:
Congratulations to our Compton Crook Award Winner for 2025: The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills.
Congratulations to Sharon Lee, Winner of the 2025 Robert A. Heinlein Award. She will attend Balticon 59
Special Events at BSFS Building: (Some Online)
During May many normal monthly events at BSFS will be on Hiatus because of our building supporting Ballticon preparation including storage. Check below for updates and we will see you at BALTICON.
Book Club Meeting at BSFS: (off for Balticon)Next Book Club held June 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM. (AT THE PICNIC NOT OUR BUILDING) Featured Book: Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, #1) by Robin Hobb. This Book Discussion will be in person at the BSFS Yearly Picnic. Come to the Picnic!
Meeting ID: 941 2901 6253 Passcode: 041896
Film Night at BSFS: Off in May due to BSFS Building used for Balticon Prep. Next on June 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM (building opens at 6:00 PM for early folks and browse the library) Check back closer to date for details. The license we have to clear copyright says we can not advertise on the web but we can distribute flyers so, use the password "movie" on the pdf file of the flyer that opens when you click here to see info about this month's films. Free screening on our 10 ft screen. Watch with old or new friends.
BSFS Social Meeting: (OFF for BALTICON in May) Normally Join members of BSFS and anyone that loves SF in-person (at our building or a party at the home of a BSFS member when they volunteer) for free form conversations and hanging out. Discuss everything SF, Fantasy or whatever in an informal session. On the fourth Saturday of the month at 8:00 PM+ (or earlier if book club ends) till 11:00 PM unless folks keep on talking then later.... (Come on down to Balticon as that is where we will all be)
Speculative Poetry Workshop by Zoom: A monthly writer's workshop for SF and Fantasy and Speculative authors of poetry held every Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Near term this would mean on 05/21/2025. By Zoom only (only use this zoom link for Poetry Workshop, for other zoom meetings use proper links below) at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82112772660?pwd=OpzU8diAfWSeCiAhdfSGKyfhcPW4Os.1
Sunday Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event at Online:(Off till after Balticon) Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event next held June 29, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. On Discord only at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ To participate by Discord you do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy. Our Tabletop Roleplaying Games (RPGs) meetup! We will be rotating through various tabletop Sci Fi RPGs. You are welcome if you love Tabletop RPG's. We will be running for all levels and will have premade characters available. We will run as many games as we have players to fill. For more details contact yoshi at bsfs dot org
Anime Social at BSFS: (off till after Balticon and the picnic, see you in July unless you come to Balticon or the Picnic) Anime Social will be in person and on Discord. Join Discord here Next held on 07/26/25 between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM we will be screening prnding schedule, check back closer to date. Join the event in cyberspace at the watch-parties channel on the BSFS discord. For more info or suggest titles for the future contact anime at BSFS dot org
Alphabet Soup Board Gaming at BSFS: Every third Sunday of the month at the BSFS Building. Off in May as BSFS Building being used for Balticon prep. Then on Hiatus until we find another event manager to open the building. For info email dale at bsfs dot org
Fiber Arts Creativity Circle: Work on your sewing, knitting, crafting and share skills including cosplay building etc. Discuss everything SF, Fantasy or whatever during this informal session. On the first Saturday of the month during 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. (Borrow and bring back books and work on other volunteer projects will happen at same time in rest of building) Off in June due to clean up post Balticon. Next time on July 5, 2025 at the BSFS Building.
See our long range events calendar here.
Borrow and bring back books from our 18,000+ item free lending library at any event or meeting at the BSFS Building.
Special Events Sponsored By BSFS Outside BSFS Building:
BSFS Picnic at Patapsico Valley State Park: June 28, 2025 at the HOLLOFIELD AREA, SHELTER #: 301, 8020 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE (RT 40 W), ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21043 (NO RAIN DATE) NOON to DUSK ( ˜ 9 PM)[set up 11:00 AM]
Oral History of BSFS Video Online: David M Ettlin one of the two surviving founding members of BSFS tells the story on Y-Tube at https://youtu.be/4Bxb4WBvh6E?si=HIlpfg-J9W4HeUEQ
Balticon Planning and BSFS Business Meetings:
These meetings this month will be in person at the BSFS Building and by teleconference by Zoom. To attend in person see our directions page at bsfsdrct.htm. To attend by Zoom using your computer use link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88616075406?pwd=YmF1aDhPZzVYR2NjdzBYdGZ0aStpZz09
Passcode: 930363
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406
Or iPhone one-tap : US: +13017158592,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# or +19292056099,,97614691479#,,,,*463191#
Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC), +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago), +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma), +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston), +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406 Passcode: 930363
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ac59gxWAiW
The Baltimore Science Fiction Society business and discussion meeting will be held at 8:30pm on June 14, 2025 in person and by Zoom to share ideas, watch us warp traditional parliamentary rules, hang out etc. Connection details see above.
The Balticon 60 Planning Meeting next held on June 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM. Drop by in person or on Zoom then to share and learn ideas about how to improve the next and future Balticons. (or volunteer) Come on down an hour or more early to help put stuff back into storage after Balticon.
Writers Circle at BSFS:
BSFS sponsors a Writing Circle 6:30-8:30pm usually meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month, near term this means teleconference only by zoom on 06/12/2025 and 06/25/2025. Participants prefer to stay on zoom for now. This is a SF and Fantasy focused writing group. If you write check it out. At least Seven stories work shopped at this writer's circle have been sold to professional markets in the last three years. This is a recurring meeting so any Writer's Circle meeting use:
Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/91064908740?pwd=TENjZ25HenRNOHhtcHFaRlZnOGE3dz09
Meeting ID: 910 6490 8740
Passcode: 805110 (see Zoom phone numbers above for dial in at need)
For more info contact BSFSEvents at BSFS dot org
