This is the first in a semi-regular series of answers to some of the most common questions we receive about Farpoint convention. If there’s a particular question you’d like answered, please let us know either here on our blog or by sending an email to us at trekcontact at Comcast dot net.

Question: Are Farpoint and ShoreLeave the same convention? Are you run by the same group?

Answer: No and no. This is a question we get regularly, especially from fans who attend all three of the Baltimore fan-run conventions: Farpoint, ShoreLeave and Balticon. The biggest similarities between our conventions: all three are fan-run, located in the Baltimore area, and either now or in the past have been located at the Hunt Valley Inn. But all three conventions are different entities.

ShoreLeave is organized and run by the Star Trek Association of Townson and is held in early August. ShoreLeave is one of the best-known “summer destination” media conventions on the East Coast and has just celebrated 35 years. Balticon is organized and run by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society and is held on Memorial Day Weekend. Balticon held its 47th convention this year and presents programming focused on science fiction literature and creativity. Both ShoreLeave and Balticon are held at the Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley, MD.

Farpoint is organized and run by Farpoint Enterprises and is held annually on President’s Day weekend at the Crowne Plaza Baltimore North in Timonium, MD. Farpoint 2013 was our 20th anniversary. Our programming covers the gamut of fan interests, as we want to provide fans with the opportunity to both share and learn. We have multiple program tracks running all weekend to meet this mission: media (movies and TV), authors (books and writing), science, new media (film making, podcasting, webcomics, internet-based creativity), children and youth, live performances, cosplay/Masquerade, art and gaming. Our tracks include panel discussions, workshops, presentations and guest talks; con-goers are welcome and encouraged to interact with our guests to share information and meet new friends.

Our annual Open Committee Meeting, held at the end of every Farpoint, is one of our best ways to learn about your interests. We invite you to include this meeting as part of your convention schedule each year to sit down with the convention committee and other con-goers to give us ideas for our next convention. The ideas we collected at the end of Farpoint 2013 are being used right now to help plan program events for next year. And our door is always open to you for questions and comments at our main email address, trekcontact at Comcast dot net.