The Festival draws nigh and we have stepped up a gear in our preparations. Right now I’m spending my time nailing down all the little details so everyone knows where they need to be and when, so you can all have a great time when Pure Spec rolls around.
One of the areas I’m always excited about is our Artist & Vendor area. With the festival focusing more on SF literature, I know a few folks were worried we’d have nothing but book sellers as far as the eye could see. While I might consider that a feature, not a bug, it was never my intention to turn our vendor area into one huge book sale (we may run a book sale of some sort later in the year or early next, but that’ll be its own thing).
For one thing, we still want (say it with me) the community to be involved in our vendor area, as much as any other part of the festival. And while there a few of you with your bookish wares, it’s maybe not enough to fill out the entire vendor hall. For another, we never want to exclude local artists and crafts-folk from taking part. Not only do you crafty types make some truly interesting and awesome stuff, but we want to provide another avenue to get your creations in front of your fellow nerds.
And so you will see a great mix of new and returning vendors and artists this year. Local crafty people like Apple Pi Designs, bokchoi, and Bohemian Apothecary are joining us for the first time, along with artists Chris Moet and Angela Dawntreader. CC’s Fun Fashion is joining us with pop culture inspired fashion and accessories, and Elements Games, Collectibles, and Apparel is bringing the gaming goodness along with some more pop culture wares. We’re excited to have local writer’s group Cult of Pain coming out to show off their members’ publications, and equally excited to have USS Bonaventure returning to represent the Star Trek and sci-fi nerdery. If you’re bringing your kids, you’ll want to stop by Dragon Paw Lady Face Painting; even if you are attending kid-less, stop by and grab a sparkly tattoo!
And yes, okay, we’ll have plenty for the booklovers as well. EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing and Tyche Books are both returning this year. They’ve been big supporters of the festival for many years, and we love to see them come back. But we’re also joined by Burning Water Magazine (Edit: Burning Water is not able to join us this year), coming out to their first Pure Spec, as well as Shae’s Books, with a selection of artwork, second-hand SF books, and collector comics. Variant Edition Comics will also join us again this year as a double threat; you’ll find them in the vending hall and also hosting a few of our panels.
Last but certainly not least, On Spec Magazine will join us again this year. On Spec Magazine has, for weal or woe, been with the festival since our first one back in 2005. That should have scared them away (it almost did me), but they not only persisted in supporting us, but their Editor-in-Chief Diane Walton came on board to help us organize. If you enjoy any of our panels this weekend, there’s a good chance it was her idea!
We’re excited and a little humbled that the festival has the support of these fantastic merchants, pop culture groups, and artists. I hope you’ll spend some time during the festival browsing through our vendor room, and maybe snagging something that catches your eye. Just don’t buy that book I want, okay?
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EDIT: Since posting this, Metro Cinema has come on board as a vendor and will be at the festival to hand out their programs and talk about their upcoming season. As well, welcome local artisans Random Array with their wonderful Harry Potter and pop culture jewelry and oddities.
Tomorrow, Friday, July 7 at midnight is our deadline for both panel submissions and vendor applications, so if you’ve been holding out to the last minute, your moment has come! I’d love to see a few more of each sneak in under the wire, so don’t be shy.
We are still taking volunteers, however. If you’d like to volunteer a few hours on either Friday or Saturday (or both), please fill out our volunteer form and we’ll put you to work. You’ll be in line for some great volunteer swag, and entitled to all the benefits of our Muffins for Minions program.