MarsCon 2025 - Virginia Beach: Full Schedule

1:00pm EST

The Nocturne Faire - Basic Character Creation & Gameplay

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 6:00pm EST

Attend the Drop-In Session to learn more about Vampire: The Masquerade. If interested, you can create a character with which to play for the weekend. Gameplay basics will also be discussed. People who attend this workshop will learn how to make a character, receive an overview on the rules for tests, player interactions and discipline use.

Friday January 17, 2025 1:00pm - 6:00pm EST
Bar Area

Events & Demos, LARP

5:00pm EST

The Blibbering Humdinger Concert A

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

The Blibbering Humdingers

Featured Musical Guest

We are Scott, Kirsten, Aiden, Liam, and Chuck! We create acoustic nerdrock for –Gamers, geeks, and galactic guardians, browncoats, centaurs, and mandalorians;Hobbits, elves, and wizard gangsters; avengers, defenders, and black-belt hamsters;Elder gods, small gods, fans of Tripod... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

6:00pm EST

Opening Ceremonies

Friday January 17, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Join our Toastmaster, Michael Khandelwal, and our Guests of Honor as we officially open MarsCon 2025 (Virginia Beach).

Speakers

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Jake Clark makes badass art for badass stories. Full of grit and storytelling, his work is geared to instantly capture attention. Using 3-d modeling software combined with digital painting, his fully custom creations play with perspective and scale in a way few other covers in the... Read More →

Cassandra Clarke

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Cassandra Rose Clarke’s novels have been finalists for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her poetry has placed second in the Rhysling Awards, been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and appeared in... Read More →

Christopher Ruocchio

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Christopher Ruocchio is the internationally award-winning author of the Sun Eater, a series blending elements of both science fiction and fantasy, as well as more than twenty works of short fiction. Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Christopher received a degree in English... Read More →

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Have you ever wanted to hear a Disney princess singing about the things you love…board games, ninjas, and krakens? Rhiannon’s Lark is happy to make your wish come true. Alyssa Yeager is an accolade-winning musician including the Pegasus award for “Best Performer” and Guest... Read More →

Stephen Buonocore

Gaming Guest of Honor

Stephen Buonocore is a hobby game entrepreneur, game media personality, game industry veteran, as well as a former financial services industry IT professional.Buonocore is the retired founder, owner and President of Stronghold Games, formed in 2009 to publish quality hobby board and... Read More →

Michael Jon Khandelwal

Mars Con Toast Master

Michael Khandelwal is the Executive Director of The Muse Writers Center, a nationally recognized literary center in Norfolk, Virginia. An award-winning writer and teacher, he writes poetry, fiction, editorials, profiles, and feature articles, which have appeared in Rattle, Coas... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos

7:00pm EST

Guest of Honor - Cassandra Clark

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Stop by and hear one of our Author Guests of Honor discuss her current and upcoming projects and how the writing process works for her. There will be time for questions from the audience.

Speakers

Cassandra Clarke

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Teresa Bhaile

Guest Liaison and Programming Director, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Guests of Honor

7:00pm EST

Quick & Casual Games: Learn, Win, & Take

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Salon H - TAGS Open Gaming

Learn a quick and casual game. Play with others who are learning the game. If you win, you get to take home the copy! Even if you don’t win, you have still learned a new, quick game.

Speakers

Dave Seletyn

Gamer, President of Mars Con Board, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Dave is passionate about board gaming, tabletop RPGs, and miniatures games. He values the ability of games to transport players into a contained reality and loves the friends he has made through gaming. He is currently playing a lot of Battletech. He is also an award winning miniatures... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Salon H - TAGS Open Gaming

Events & Demos

7:00pm EST

The Nocturne Faire - Day 1

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - Saturday January 18, 2025 12:00am EST

Salon P

Day 1 starts with a quick Q&A, especially for those who were not able to attend the afternoon's workshop. Once gameplay begins, characters are introduced and the chronicle begins. The stage is set, the mystery identified and the players begin to investigate how a family was murdered and what, if any, connection that has to the strange green fires in the City Wood. At the end of the night, a short reflection time will allow players to comment on what worked and didn't work this day.

Friday January 17, 2025 7:00pm - Saturday January 18, 2025 12:00am EST
Salon P

Events & Demos, LARP

8:00pm EST

Rhiannon's Lark Concert A

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Friday January 17, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

9:00pm EST

Mikey Mason Concert A

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Mikey Mason

Featured Musical Guest

Mikey Mason spent more than a decade as a full-time standup comedian. He headlined on all four coasts, performed multiple times each on NBC, at the legendary House of Blues, and the Hard Rock Casino. He even headlined the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas. But it wasn’t... Read More →

Friday January 17, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

10:00pm EST

Jam Session, Open Mic, Filking

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST

Salon L

Join several musicians, both those who make their living with their music and those who play because they love it, as they jam together. If you play, bring your instrument and join in. If you don't, come, listen and join in when you feel comfortable.

Speakers

The Blibbering Humdingers

Featured Musical Guest

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST
Salon L

Events & Demos, Concerts

10:00pm EST

MarsCon Win, Lose, or Draw

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

Join in the MarsCon tradition of the audience participation game show event! Everyone is divided into two teams. Each team has an artist, and the rest of the team guesses what the artist is drawing. Be careful! Time is limited and if your team doesn’t guess correctly, the other team has a chance to guess. Come for the laughter, come for the fabulous prizes! It might be the most fun you have at MarsCon.

Speakers

Dave Seletyn

Gamer, President of Mars Con Board, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Friday January 17, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Events & Demos

10:30pm EST

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Friday January 17, 2025 10:30pm - Saturday January 18, 2025 12:30am EST

Main Programming Room

Friday January 17, 2025 10:30pm - Saturday January 18, 2025 12:30am EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos

10:00am EST

Create an Intersteller Legend

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00am - 10:15am EST

Main Programming Room

What can be created when an artist, an author (or two or three), a musician, a scientist and a costumer get together? Hopefully, an Intersteller Legend that can lead a Galatic Empire! Taking ideas from the audience, the professionals will build a character with a rough sketch portrait (with a signature look), a reasonably fleshed out backstory and a theme song. Come see what our experts can concoct.

Moderator

Robert Hampson

Author, Scientist

Dr. Robert E. Hampson is a neuroscientist, professor, and author who spends his time exploring the frontiers of memory research and the far reaches of the imagination. With a Ph.D. in Physiology & Pharmacology, he studies how brains encode memories and develops futuristic technologies... Read More →

Speakers

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Christopher Ruocchio

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Max Thompson

Cos Player

Hello there and welcome to my channel! My name is Bash, The Prop Slayer! My channel is dedicated to bringing game and movie replica weapons and armor to life. My main sources of inspiration are Final Fantasy, Star Wars, and The Lord of The Rings. I was introduced to cosplay and prop... Read More →

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00am - 10:15am EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos

11:00am EST

The Nocturne Faire - Basic Character Creation & Gameplay

Saturday January 18, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EST

Bar Area

Saturday will start similarly to Friday (Day 1) with open workshop time. New players can learn how to create characters and how to join the game 'mid-stream,' while more experienced players wishing to join the Chronicle will be tied-in so that more players can enjoy the event. The purpose of the Saturday workshop is to help players join who were not able to play on Friday.

There may also be a tabletop game played during this time as a fun filler event.

Saturday January 18, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EST
Bar Area

Events & Demos, LARP

12:00pm EST

Guest of Honor - Jake Clark

Saturday January 18, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Stop by and hear our Artist Guests of Honor discuss his current and upcoming projects and how the creative process works for him. There will be time for questions from the audience.

Speakers

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Teresa Bhaile

Guest Liaison and Programming Director, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Saturday January 18, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Guests of Honor

1:00pm EST

Guest of Honor - Christopher Ruocchio

Saturday January 18, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Stop by and hear one of our Author Guests of Honor discuss his current and upcoming projects and how the writing process works for him. There will be time for questions from the audience.

Speakers

Teresa Bhaile

Guest Liaison and Programming Director, Mars Con Inc (Virginia)

Christopher Ruocchio

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Saturday January 18, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Guests of Honor

3:00pm EST

Barony of Marinus Combat Demostration

Saturday January 18, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST

Shenandoah Room

This local chapter of the international Society for Creative Anachronism cordially invites you to witness a slice of life in the Barony. Come see Medieval era clothing, etiquette, and maybe even combat, as the Barony holds a Hearing of Petitions. You might even be able participate!!

Speakers

Barony of Marinus

Entertainers Group, Society for Creative Anachronism

The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an inclusive community pursuing research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture. The lives of participants are enriched as we gain knowledge of history through activities, demonstrations, and events.Their... Read More →

Saturday January 18, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Shenandoah Room

Events & Demos

4:00pm EST

Masquerade & Charity Auction

Saturday January 18, 2025 4:00pm - 8:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Michael Jon Khandelwal

Mars Con Toast Master

Mikey Mason

Featured Musical Guest

Jake Clark

Artist Guest of Honor

Lindsay Reinoehl Bartleson

Featured Costuming Guest

Lindsay Bartleson of Geek Diva Cosplay has been cosplaying for just under a decade. In that time she has received multiple awards at conventions in both workmanship and stage presentation and quickly reached the Master level. She has presented many cosplay panels and has also acted... Read More →

Max Thompson

Cos Player

Saturday January 18, 2025 4:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos

7:00pm EST

The Nocturne Faire - Day 2

Saturday January 18, 2025 7:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00am EST

Salon P

Players will "awake from daysleep" and join the throng of court members tasked with cleaning up after the previous night's escapades. The threat of the demonic may attract the notice of hunters or those pledged to end such activity and bring some interesting meetings that have caught the attention of the sabbat inquisition. As slayers of demonic and keeping a code of honor are often at odds, it will be fun to see how the players react and move forward. At the end of the session, there will be a short, open forum where the players can express what they experienced, what they enjoyed and what could have been done better.

Saturday January 18, 2025 7:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00am EST
Salon P

Events & Demos, LARP

8:00pm EST

Mikey Mason Concert B

Saturday January 18, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Mikey Mason

Featured Musical Guest

Saturday January 18, 2025 8:00pm - 9:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

9:00pm EST

Rhiannon's Lark Concert B

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

9:00pm EST

Whose Con Is It Anyway? - Improv Panel

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST

Salon L

In the style of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" this ... panel ... is meant to make you laugh at all the crazy stuff that ends up happening at conventions.

Speakers

Mikey Mason

Featured Musical Guest

Gray Rinehart

Literary Guest

Gray Rinehart is a writer, 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 Show. He is... Read More →

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm EST
Salon L

Events & Demos

9:00pm EST

Boarding Action

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00am EST

Shenandoah Room

A rather large room, several 'hides' and other obstacles, and four hours! Just what you need to have the Nerf war of your dreams. Come prepared with your Nerf-style weapons and protective eyewear. There will be a few devices and some protective eyewear for borrowing on a first come-first served basis. While this is meant to be a family event, it is highly recommended that all participants be at least 10 years old. Participants under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian to either play with them or to stay in the hallway or bar area while the youth is playing. Other participants will not be asked to check their gameplay to accommodate younger players.

Saturday January 18, 2025 9:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00am EST
Shenandoah Room

Events & Demos

10:00pm EST

MarsCon Trivia Night

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST

Salon L

Get your team together for MarsCon’s version of a pub quiz! Questions range from all sorts of trivia. Play for laughs and bragging rights.

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00pm - 11:00pm EST
Salon L

Events & Demos

10:00pm EST

Karaoke

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00am EST

Main Programming Room

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:00pm - Sunday January 19, 2025 2:00am EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos

11:00am EST

Rhiannon's Lark Concert C

Sunday January 19, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Speakers

Rhiannon's Lark

Musician Guest of Honor

Sunday January 19, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos, Concerts

11:00am EST

The Nocturne Faire - Closing

Sunday January 19, 2025 11:00am - 1:00pm EST

Salon P

The Sunday session will officially end the game with a short closing of Elysium. We will discuss the Chronicle; players can talk about their experiences and "dial down" from the game and story. Pros and cons of the event will also be discussed for future Chronicles.

Sunday January 19, 2025 11:00am - 1:00pm EST
Salon P

Events & Demos, LARP

12:00pm EST

Dueling Writers

Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST

Main Programming Room

Come watch as our author guests of honor and author featured guests, along with some wonderful author friends, play a writing game. In two teams, authors are given prompts from the audience and a time limit. They write to the prompt before passing off the story to a teammate, who must continue the story and add details based on other prompts from the audience. The team that creates the best story from the prompts gets bragging rights and a cheesy trophy to pass between them.

Moderator

Gray Rinehart

Literary Guest

Speakers

David Shadoin

Author

David "Shady" Shadoin is a trouble-making, corn-fed Nebraska boy the United States Air Force managed to turn into a somewhat decent pilot of whirly birds. An avid reader from a young age, he has always found inspiration listening to rock music while reading Fantasy and Sci Fi novels... Read More →

Nicole Glover

Author

Nicole Glover is the author of the historical fantasy series, Murder and Magic, which begins with The Conductors. When she's not writing, she's working as a UX researcher where her knowledge about murder and other mysteries is surprisingly useful.

Brad Goodman

Scientist

Brad has been a guest at local science fiction conventions for more than thirty years. Now retired, he worked for NASA Langley Research Center, at their Visitor Center, and in support of traveling exhibits. Later he worked for the Science Museum of Virginia. These assignments came... Read More →

Cassandra Clarke

Author Co- Guest of Honor

Adam Oyebanji

Featured Science Fiction Guest

I was born in Coatbridge, in the West of Scotland, more years ago than I care to remember. Though, now I come to think about it, who actually remembers being born? I moved east to Edinburgh, by way of Birmingham, London, Lagos, Nigeria, Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York: a necessary... Read More →

Alyssa Hazel

Featured Horror Guest

Alyssa Hazel is a Weird Fiction and Horror writer who enjoys exploring the weird, horrible and wonderful through her work. Her pieces have found homes in Bluestem, the Red Coyote, and the Dark River Review. While her specialty is anthologies (she has four) she’s rather proud of... Read More →

Sunday January 19, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Main Programming Room

Events & Demos