Upcoming Club Meetings 2024

SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1:00PM-5:00PM

1:00PM – THE ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE:Club members recount their experiences observing the total solar eclipse of April 8 and share any photos they snapped of the event.

1:30PM – THE SPARK THAT LIT THE FIRE: Moderated discussion of our earliest exposure to science fiction and/or fantasy; MonSFFen recall the novel, short story, comic book, movie, or television show that introduced them to the genre, and sparked their life-long interest in SF/F.  Assigned moderator: Cathy Palmer-Lister

2:30PM – WILLIAM CASTLE: HOLLYWOOD’S MAESTRO OF THE MOVIE-MARKETING GIMMICK! 

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1:00PM-5:00PM

1:00PM – LOST WORLDS:  We explore the “Lost Worlds” of both SF/F literature and screen! From Jules Vernes of the past to the imagined futures of the Star Trek Universe! Presented by Joe Aspler.

2:00PM – GUEST SPEAKER: Rich Larson
We welcome guest speaker Rich Larson (Annex, Ymir, Tomorrow Factory), acclaimed by Gardner Dozois as “One of the best new writers to enter science fiction in more than a decade.”

3:30PM – THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE: The same genre story as told in different media—novel, comic book, film, television series; we examine and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each medium when telling a story.  Assigned moderator: Danny Sichel

 SATURDAY, JUNE 8: MONSFFA FIELD TRIP 2024

Montreal Biodome; meet-up in main entrance lobby: 12:30

SUNDAY, JULY 14, 10:30AM-4:00PM: MONSFFA BARBECUE-IN-THE-PARK 2024

Parc Maisonneuve, Montreal (next to Botanical Gardens, across street from Olympic Stadium); rain date: Sunday, July 21

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1:00PM-5:00PM

1:00PM – THE MULTIVERSE: We examine the concept of “the Multiverse” in science fiction, including those famously depicted in both Marvel’s and DC’s comic book superhero stories. Presenter: Danny Sichel

2:00PM – TOM SWIFT AND HIS SCIENCE FICTION BOOK SERIES
An examination of the Tom Swift sci-fi/adventure books, ranging from the 1910s to the present day.  Presenter: Mark Burakoff

3:45PM – GAME: BUG-EYE BET!: We resurrect a game created by the late Sylvain St-Pierre in which still photographs and video clips from SF/F movies or TV shows are shown to players, who must then answer a series of questions focused on the minute, inconsequential, trivial details of that which they have just seen! Bets are placed on how accurate will be their recall of said details. Gamemaster: Keith Braithwaite

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1:00PM-5:00PM

1:00PM – REPORT ON WORLDCON 2024: Club members who   attended the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland will report on the convention and share anecdotes and photos with the club. Presenters: Joe Aspler and Cathy Palmer-Lister

2:00PM – MONTREAL’S BID FOR WORLDCON 2027: Given the recent launch of a Montreal bid for the 2027 Worldcon, we invite a representative of said bid to provide details and all the latest information. Guest Speaker: Montreal in 2027 Bid Committee Representative

2:30PM – WHAT MAKES THIS STORY SO GOOD? We ask the question of those who should know, perhaps, more than anyone—authors and editors! And of course, we also probe what exactly it is that makes another story so bad! Guest Speaker:  TBD , discussion moderated by Cathy Palmer-Lister

3:30PM – GAME: NOW PLAYING: Game in which SF/F movie posters with the film’s title, recognizable tag line, and cast/credits blanked-out or blurred are shown, leaving players to guess the proper title of the movie. Gamemaster: Keith Braithwaite

SATURDAY OCTOBER 19, SCI-FI BOOK SALE:  OPEN TO PUBLIC

THE RETURN OF MONSFFA’S SCI-FI BOOK SALE! After a five year hiatus, MonSFFA’s annual fund-raising SF/F used book sale is back! Hundreds of books at cut-rate prices! Bulk-purchase bargains! Great deals on specialty coffee-table books!
Doors open to the public at 12:30PM.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1:00PM-5:00PM

1:00PM – REPORT ON CLUB’S SF/F BOOK SALE 2024: The club’s co-treasurers will report on October 19’s SF/F used book sale.
Presenters: Joe Aspler and L. E. Moir

1:30PM – PLANNING SESSION FOR 2025 MEETING PROGRAMMING: We will take discussion-topic suggestions and presentation ideas from the membership and begin slotting in meeting programming for the coming year, assigning presenters and moderators, as well. Assigned moderator: Keith Braithwaite

3:45PM – GET A WONDERFUL LIFE: SPECULATIVE FICTION STORIES CENTERED ON CHRISTMAS AND/OR THE HOLIDAYS
With the festive season quickly approaching, we look at some of the more interesting SF/F tales of Christmas, and/or the Holidays, both in print and on screen: Moderators: L. E. Moir and Brian Knapp

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 6:00PM-12:00AM (OR LATER!) MONSFFA’S CHRISTMAS DINNER AND PARTY 2024

Dinner at a downtown restaurant (to be determined) and our annual fund-raising Christmas raffle, followed by drinks and partying either at the same locale, or at a nearby bar (also to be determined)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2:00PM-4:30PM
MONSFFA’S HOLIDAY ZOOM-PARTY 2024

For out-of-town club members and friends, and those MonSFFen unable to attend the previous night’s celebration, we hold an informal get- together on ZOOM to allow an exchange of season’s greetings, and casual chat and good cheer.