Arcana 46 Preliminary Program Schedule

(updated October 12, 2016)


To volunteer to participate, contact Eric M. Heideman,eheideman@dhzone.com

*=Items that may still have space for one or more volunteers.


Thursday, October 20, 2016 CE:


6:30-8:00 p.m. DreamHaven Books, 2301 38th St E, Minneapolis. A reading/Q&A by, reception for, and autographing by Arcana 46 Guest of Honor KATHE KOJA. Greg Ketter and Alice Bentley, hosts



All subsequent Arcana-related events will take place at the Best Western Plus—Bandana Square, 1010 Bandana Blvd W, St Paul (651-647-1637).



Friday, October 21, 2016 CE:


2:30 p.m. Registration Table (outside the Soo Line Room, 1st floor) opens


3:00 p.m. Vendor Room (Dealers & Art; Milwaukee Road Room, 1st floor, between Soo Line & Northern Pacific) opens


*3:30-4:25 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line Room; 1st floor). Panel or Discussion: Star Trek Dark

A 50th anniversary tribute. The Star Trek galaxy—six TV series and 13 feature films, with another TV series on the way—has been largely known for its upbeat view of the future, with hundreds of sentient species overseen by the benign Federation of Planets. But there's plenty about it that's cautionary. Let's explore the darker side of Trek, series by series, film by film. Eric M. Heideman, mod.


4:00 p.m. The Waiting Room (bar area of hotel lounge, 1st floor) opens


4:30-6:25 p.m. DINNER BREAK

Some of us will walk or drive the three blocks to Gabe's by the Park, 991 Lexington Pkwy N, St Paul.

You're welcome to join us.


6:30-7:00 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Opening Ceremonies

Featuring a Guest of Honor Kathe Koja Interview, Part One by Greg Ketter, interviewer


*7:05-7:30 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Panel or Discussion: Minn-Con-Arcana at Bandana Square: The Silver Edition

Featuring reminiscenses about this convention's 25 consecutive years in Bandana Square and the hotel next door to it. Eric M. Heideman, mod.


7:30 p.m. Vendor Room closes


7:45-8:00 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Award Presentation

The Minnesota Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in the field of the fantastic by a Minnesotan is accepted by Dwayne H. Olson on behalf of Allen Anderson (1908-1995).


8:00 p.m. Registration Table closes


8:30 p.m-past midnight, Krushenko's (Room 101). Germanic Horror Party

Let's get expressionistic!


9:00 p.m. The Waiting Room closes




Saturday, October 22, 2016 CE:


10:00 a.m. Registration Table (outside Soo Line) opens


10:00 a.m. Vendor Room (Dealers & Art; Milwaukee Road Room) opens


*10:00-10:30 a.m., Vendor Room (Dealers & Art; Milwaukee Road). Meet the Vendors

See the Dealers show their wares! Talk with the artists about their work.Greg Ketter, DreamHaven Books; Steve Fastner & Rich Larson; Tales of the Unanticipated, et al.


10:30-11:25 a.m. An Interview with Kathe Koja, Part Two

In which our Guest of Honor is further interviewed by Greg Ketter


*11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line Room). Panel: Walking Alone: Shirley Jackson, 1916-1965

A centennial look at the author whose work ranged from humorous family memoirs to such classics of horror fiction as the short stories “The Lottery” and “The Summer People,” and the novels The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Eric M. Heideman, mod.; Cynthia Booth, Roger Lasley, Brian K. Perry


*12:30-12:55 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Autographing: Kathe Koja, Cynthia Booth, Roy C. Booth, et al.


*1:00-1:55 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Panel: Puppets, Marionettes, and Ventroloquists' Dummies in Fact, Folklore, Fiction, and Film

Each year Arcana does a “Monster of the Year” panel. This time we look at our artificial friends, particularly, though not restricted to, their scary side. Eric M. Heideman, mod.; Kathe Koja, Roy C. Booth


2:00-2:55 p.m., A/V Room (Northern Pacific Room, next to Vendors). Slideshow Presentation: The Art of Jon Arfstrom, 1928-2015

Celebrates Arfstrom, the painter/illustrator/Weird Tales cover artist/longtime mentor to Minn-Con-Arcana. Greg Ketter, presenter; Greg Larsen, technical support


3:00-3:55 p.m. A/V Room (Northern Pacific Room, next to Vendors). Fastner & Larson's Daughter of Trailer Park of Horror

Local fantasy artists Steve Fastner and Rich Larson present and discuss another batch of trailers from films that influenced and inspired their less-than-tasteful body of work. Steve Fastner & Rich Larson, presenters; Greg Larsen, technical support


*4:00-6:00 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Minn-Con Auction

Featuring books, DVDs, BluRays, artwork, and miscellaneous items, the Auction keeps Arcana's parent organization afloat. And it's gobs of fun! Dwayne H. Olson & Michael Waltz, auctioneers; Roger Lasley, recorder; Greg Ketter, assistant recorder; Kathe Koja, moral support. To donate or consign, contact Dwayne, dholson84@gmail.com


6:00-7:55 p.m. DINNER BREAK


8:00-8:55 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Performance: The Art of Darkness: A Participatory Fiction

Kathe Koja, performer


9:00-11:00 p.m., Krushenko's, (Room 101). Book Release Party for. MacGUFFIN, a horror/mystery/thriller  by Roy C. Booth and John F. Mollard, based off of their optioned screenplay, from Indie Authors Press. Both authors will be present and participating.


11:00 p.m.-past midnight, Krushenko's (Room 101). Puppet Party

Featuring civilized conversation; puppets, marionettes, and/or ventroloquists' dummies optional.




Sunday, October 23, 2016 CE:


11:00 a.m. Registration Table opens


11:00 a.m. Vendor Room (Dealers & Art; Milwaukee Road Room) opens


*11:00-11:55 a.m., Mainstage (Soo Line Room). Panel: What are You Reading?

Featuring especially—but not limited to—horror-related books and magazines, published especially—but not limited to—during the past 18 months. Includes information about what's coming out in the horror publishing field. Roger Lasley, mod.; Brian K. Perry


*Noon-12:25 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Panel: Weird Historical Figures and the True Life Macabre, Part One

Focusing mainly on three historical figures of the 15th, 16th and early 17thcenturies, whose true life atrocities significantly influenced horror fiction and cinema: Gilles de Rais (1405?-1440), Prince Vlad Tepes, the historical Dracula (1431-1476?), and Elizabeth Bathory, the “Blood Countess” (1560-1614). Eric M. Heideman, mod.


*12:30-1:55 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Weird Robin Reading

Bring a five-ten minute sampling of your poetry and/or prose, with a second five-ten-minute sampling in reserve in case we have the time.


*2:00-2:55 p.m. Panel: The Madness of Dr. Caligari 

The new Fedogan & Bremer book, The Madness of Dr. Caligari, has gone to press and should be available at Arcana. We accordingly thought that we might do a panel on old time fantasy cinema, mainly German or Germanic, that has remained influential over the years—probably including The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Golem, the 1920 and 1931 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Nosferatu, Metropolis, the Lugosi Dracula, the Karloff Frankenstein, Freaks, and the Karloff The Mummy.Eric M. Heideman, mod.; Dwayne H. Olson, Scott F. Wyatt


3:00 p.m. Vendor Room closes


*3:00-3:55 p.m., Mainstage (Soo Line). Panel: What are You Viewing?

Old and new, US and international films of the weird, the macabre, and the dark fantastic we've viewed in the past 18 months. Might include some tidbits about soon-to-appear horror films. Eric M. Heideman, mod.; David Christenson


4:00-4:15 p.m., Mainstage. Closing Ceremonies

Featuring a few words about the convention we've just shared, and some news about Arcana 47 next fall. Eric M. Heideman, MC. Followed by...


4:15-4:45 p.m. Mingling and fond fairwells. Followed by...

5:00-7:00 p.m. Our traditional Sunday dinner expedition to Tavern on Grand, 656 Grand Ave, St Paul; followed by...


7:15 p.m.-, Back at the hotel: The Undead Dog Party, featuring:

Railroad Lobby: Conversation & Gaming;

Krushenko's: Conversation & Viewers' Choice

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