Hal-Con presents: Stories from the Stars, A Sci-Fi Book Fair
Join us in purchasing sci-fi books, talking about sci-fi books, and meeting local authors! This is an all-ages event and out-of-this-world costumes are encouraged!
Date
September 26th, 2026
Time
10AM – 4PM
Location
51 Forest Hills Pkwy, Dartmouth, NS B2W 6C6
Entry Price
Free!
We will yet again be selling raffle tickets for themed prizes. Get an extra ticket if you are wearing a sci-fi themed costume!
Vendors
Artoftola Creative Studios
Author Jude Mire
Bea Waters
Ben O’Liari, Author
Brennan Smith
Bronwyn Fairchild
Cheryl Lawson
Emerald Baynton – Author
Glen Carabin’s DART-MOUTH
Hannah D. State
Inconceivably Nerdy
Lumi Matcha by Macao Imperial Tea Halifax
Merset Art Inc.
Monster Comic Lounge
NEWBIA
Nurse naturals
Perler Fun Art
Peter J. Foote – Author
S.D. Miller
SorixaenChaotic
Spooky Juniper Co.
The Teapothecary
Trident Booksellers & Cafe
Tristis Ward
Wingdom House Press
Societies
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Halifax Centre
Starbase Halifax
Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
Vendor applications are now closed, but we still have space for children’s book authors and non-profit societies! If either of those describe you, click the button below to apply!
Schedule
| Time | Name of event | Length | Location |
| 10:00 AM | Doors open | ||
| 10:00 AM | Create your own clay alien! (claylien) | All day | Kid’s corner |
| 10:30 AM | One Flesh One End: A Locked Tomb Book Club Welcoming all Necromancers and Cavaliers to come together for an open fan-driven discussion of Tamsin Muir’s book series: The Locked Tomb. This will not be a spoiler free panel as we will cover all three books of the series. |
1 hour | Panel room |
| 11:00 AM | The Enduring Appeal of Science Fiction An informal discussion of science fiction tropes, themes, and what makes the genre so popular, presented by author Cheryl Lawson |
30 minutes | Panel room |
| 11:30 | Read-along with Hal-Con’s community squad cosplayers Join your favourite characters as they read to you from a variety of sci-fi kids books! |
4 hours (off and on) | Kid’s corner |
| 12:00 | Author Reading of “Journey to the Dark Galaxy” by Hannah D. State Hannah will be talking about the writing process, creative inspiration, and reading a few short passages. |
15 minutes | Panel room |
| 12:30 | Author Reading by Bea Waters | 15 minutes | Panel room |
| 1:00 | Making Your Brain Do The Thing (Writing Strategies For When You Just Can’t Get Started) Strategies for writers with ADHD, executuve disfunction, procrastination, flucuating energy levels, overwhelm or limited time. This will be lecture-style short workshop with an interactive powerpoint and Q&A, presented by author Bronwyn Fairchild. |
1 hour | Panel room |
| 2:30 | Mixed Media Bookmarks Workshop Make your own bookmark! Materials are provided. |
1 hour | Kid’s corner |
| 3:00 | The Author is Undead: Shortcomings of Postmodernism in a world with AI This is a presentation with discussion on the concept of meaningfulness in art and the degree to which the artist is an important factor in determining meaning. It will cover topics like postmodernism vs modernism, AI “art,” and the importance of “friction” in a world that keeps trying to be frictionless. Presented by author S.D. Miller |
30 minutes | Panel room |
| 3:30 | Raffle prizes drawn! | ||
| 4:00 | Doors close |
Schedule
| Time | Name of event |
| 10:00 AM | Doors open |
| 10:00 AM | Create your own clay alien! (claylien) |
| 10:30 AM | One Flesh One End: A Locked Tomb Book Club Welcoming all Necromancers and Cavaliers to come together for an open fan-driven discussion of Tamsin Muir’s book series: The Locked Tomb. This will not be a spoiler free panel as we will cover all three books of the series. |
| 11:00 AM | The Enduring Appeal of Science Fiction An informal discussion of science fiction tropes, themes, and what makes the genre so popular, presented by author Cheryl Lawson |
| 11:30 | Read-along with Hal-Con’s community squad cosplayers Join your favourite characters as they read to you from a variety of sci-fi kids books! |
| 12:00 | Author Reading of “Journey to the Dark Galaxy” by Hannah D. State Hannah will be talking about the writing process, creative inspiration, and reading a few short passages. |
| 12:30 | Author Reading by Bea Waters |
| 1:00 | Making Your Brain Do The Thing (Writing Strategies For When You Just Can’t Get Started) Strategies for writers with ADHD, executuve disfunction, procrastination, flucuating energy levels, overwhelm or limited time. This will be lecture-style short workshop with an interactive powerpoint and Q&A, presented by author Bronwyn Fairchild. |
| 2:30 | Mixed Media Bookmarks Workshop Make your own bookmark! Materials are provided. |
| 3:00 | The Author is Undead: Shortcomings of Postmodernism in a world with AI This is a presentation with discussion on the concept of meaningfulness in art and the degree to which the artist is an important factor in determining meaning. It will cover topics like postmodernism vs modernism, AI “art,” and the importance of “friction” in a world that keeps trying to be frictionless. Presented by author S.D. Miller |
| 3:30 | Raffle prizes drawn! |
| 4:00 | Doors close |