All,

As you know, the in-person CON.TXT 2020 has been postponed to July 9-11, 2021, at the Residence Inn Pentagon City. All CON.TXT 2020 registrations have been rolled over to CON.TXT 2021 (if you don’t want to attend CON.TXT 2021, you may request a refund through Eventbrite until June 9, 2021). Any hotel room reservations made in our 2020 room block have also been automatically rebooked for the equivalent July 2021 dates.

However, we ARE still hosting CON.TXT 2020: virtually! This free, one-day virtual con will be held on Saturday, July 25, with panel programming running from 10am to 7pm EST, followed by a cosplay/fancy dress cocktail party (make and share recipes for your own themed drinks!) and a vid show. We plan to open up a new panel suggestion post for CON.TXT 2021 next year, so we are repurposing the original 2020 suggestion post for the virtual con. We are still taking panel submissions, so add your suggestions! If you’d like to moderate and/or see an idea you’d love to take on, drop a comment in the linked post and volunteer.

Timeline

Now: Panel submissions are open!

Sunday, May 31 (11:59pm EST): Panel submissions close

Wednesday, June 3: Panel voting opens!

Monday, June 15: Panel voting closes

Early July: CON.TXT 2020 programming schedule posted on our website

Mid-July: Virtual con instructions go out

FAQ:

Q: How much does the virtual con cost?

A: The virtual con is free, although you are welcome to donate on PayPal. Donations will go towards paid features for software that facilitate the virtual con and scholarships for CON.TXT 2021.

Q: Do I need to register for CON.TXT 2021 to attend the virtual CON.TXT 2020?

A: No. You can participate in the virtual con regardless of if you plan to attend CON.TXT 2021!

Q: How do I register for the virtual CON.TXT 2020?

A: We will post a survey later this month to collect the email addresses of those interested in attending the virtual con (but if you're already registered for CON.TXT 2021, you will receive instructions for the virtual event automatically and don’t have to answer the survey!). We will use that information to send out the instructions for participation.

Q: What time does the con start?

A: 10:00am (Eastern Daylight Time). Convert to your local time here.

Q: Is there an age restriction for the virtual con?

A: Yes. You must be 18 on or before July 25, 2020 to attend this event.

Q: How are you going to enforce the age limit?

A: We acknowledge we have no enforcement authority on this restriction. We will rely on your honesty and integrity to comply with this requirement, due to the sensitive nature of panel discussions as well as the (virtual) presence of alcohol at our cocktail party.

Q: What are the technical requirements to participate?

A: We will likely be using Zoom and Discord for the panel programming and chat features, respectively, and potentially other, similar programs. You may need to download or install these applications to participate. Guides will be available before the con.

Q: What happens once I register?

A: We will send out further instructions in early-to-mid July on the software we plan to use, as well as the appropriate invitations (Zoom and Discord server invites) so that you can connect and participate the day of.

Q: Is the virtual con going to be recorded?

A: No. We will not be recording any of the panel sessions or social activities.

Q: What panels are going to be included in the virtual con?

A: That’s up to you! We have a running list of panel suggestions here. The post will stay open until May 31, 2020, so add your suggestions now! We will use your suggestions and votes to organize panel tracks and finalize programming.

We’ve never held a virtual con before, and we would welcome your ideas and suggestions on best practices. Post your ideas, as well as any questions, in the comments and a member of the concom will get back to you shortly.