Upcoming Club Meetings 2026
NB: Always subject to change, it’s fandom!
January 10 Zoom only
Elections! We vote for our executive: president, treasurer, Veep, and appoint editors for our website and publications.
Presentation: a comparison of artificial intelligence as depicted in SF with the AI models currently in development in the real world.
Art Presentation: A primer on perspective as a useful guide to producing striking works of sci-fi art.
Discussion: Remembering the classic SF&F toys of our collective childhoods.
January 17 Meeting of the BookWyrms SIG
February 7 Meeting of the BookWyrms SIG
February 21 Zoom only
Don’t Judge a Book by its Movie! Examples are proffered of good SF/F books made into bad SF/F movies, and vice versa! Presenter(s)/Moderator: Joe Aspler
Hidden Gems! We cite examples of SF/F books/films that we serendipitously happened upon and thoroughly enjoyed; happy accidental discoveries, real gems previously hidden, but now revealed, much to our pleasure. Moderator: Cathy Palmer-Lister
Title: Sci-Fi Balderdash (Game)! Actual titles, fake synopses, lots of fun! Presenter(s)/Moderator: Danny Sichel
March 14
The Alien Franchise: We examine the popular SF/horror franchise centered on one the Genre’s most terrifying space aliens! Presenter(s)/Moderator: Charles El Rahi
Real-World Architectural Landmarks in SF/F Film: An appreciation of landmark real-world architectural exemplars and actual futuristically-styled buildings that have been featured in SF/F film.
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
Telepathy: Exploring examples in paranormal belief, and as depicted in SF&F, as well as the implications were a telepathic society, or individual, actually to exist among us. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Danny Sichel, Josée Bellemare
April 11
MonSFFA’s Own MST3K! We try our hand at mocking a really bad sci-fi B-movie, and pop culture as a whole, in the MST3K style!
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
The Titanic in Sci-Fi :On this very date in 1912, RMS Titanic set out from Ireland across the North Atlantic on the final leg of her doomed maiden voyage, inspiring many a tale across numerous genres, including SF/F. We’ll look at sci-fi’s take on the legendary ship.
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
May 9
Impactful SF/F Movies/Television Episodes: We share each of our own examples of films and TV episodes that made us think, wonder, shudder, and that stayed with us well after the closing credits rolled!
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Mark Hickey
Sinbad and the Voyages Never Taken: A look at the unproduced projects of one-man special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen.
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
Coming Soon! We look ahead to this summer in Genre books, films, etc. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
June 13 Away Team
The club embarks upon an excursion to an away-from-meeting-room locale—museum, exhibition, theatre, or such— preferably having at least a tangential association with the sciences, and/or the SF/F universe. Field Trip destination to be determined by the membership in advance of the event.
July 12 SUNDAY Shore Leave
Sunday in the park, 19th in case of rain: Club members convene in Parc Maisonneuve—adjacent Montreal’s Botanical Gardens—for an outdoor barbecue/picnic and afternoon of relaxation in the park. Each individual supplies their own lunch, plus snacks to share; club supplies grill
July 26 Zoom only
Virtual Picnic: Club members convene online via ZOOM for a casual summertime get-together, essentially, a virtual version of the Barbecue-in-the-Park, for the benefit of those out-of-towners and others who could not attend the Barbecue in person.
August 15 Makers’ Workshop
Fancraft Workshops: A series of SF/F-themed, hands-on crafting workshops running concurrently throughout the afternoon. These are designed both to showcase a specific craft, demonstrating the “how-to,” and to encourage MonSFFen to try their hand at one or more of the featured “Fancrafts.” Sci-Fi Origami and SF/F Jewellery-Making are planned; one or two other workshops yet to be determined. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Sarah Aspler, Josée Bellemare, Others
September 19
Sci-Fi B-Movie Purgatory! Offering a list of recommendations, we celebrate sci-fi films that are so bad, they’re good (for a laugh)!
Presenter(s)/Moderator: Adam Jed, Keith Braithwaite
He is Legend! A look at the legacy of genre author and screenwriter Richard Matheson, whose stories permeate mid-late 20th-century SF/F literature, film, and television to a much greater degree that most SF/F fans are aware. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
The Doctor is In! A look at the depiction of science fiction’s doctors and scientists—Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Moreau, Sector General, Cherijo Grey Veil, Hari Seldon, Clayton Forrester, “Bones” McCoy, Emmett Brown, and a certain Timelord. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Danny Sichel
October 17 BOOK SALE
MonSFFA hosts its annual fund-raising, second-hand sci-fi book sale; open to the public, all revenue raised directed to the club’s operating budget.
November 14
The Visions of von Däniken! Various concepts of “Ancient Aliens” in science fiction. Presenter(s)/Moderator: Josée Bellemare
Dragons+! A look at dragons and other fantastical fauna in fantasy and science fiction. Daniel P. Kenney, Cathy Palmer-Lister
SF&F Win, Lose, or Draw: We play the popular parlour game, with an added twist of SF&F! Presenter(s)/Moderator: Keith Braithwaite
December 5 Holiday Feast
Club members and their families, friends, gather at a Montreal restaurant for a festive meal celebrating the season; includes annual fund-raising Christmas Raffle.
December 12 Zoom only
MonSFFen gather online over ZOOM to celebrate the season and exchange season’s greetings; designed as an online version of the Christmas Dinner/Party, for the benefit of out-of-town members, and those who could not attend the party.