Come playtest a new RPG where you will create actors in B-movies. No prior knowledge needed, just be creative.

Dead Man's draw is a pirate-themed, push your luck, card game. Each game is relatively short, and a player can go from dominating to losing everything to winning the game in the span of minutes. Luck is obviously a factor, but judgement and strategy are crucial as well. Grab a bottle of rum (or coke) and start the con off with daring, cut-throat action!

Come stop by and talk with some of the members of the Penguicon Board of Directors!

Tropes and stereotypes in your books can be upsetting to readers if they're not carefully handled. Authors discuss how to avoid using stereotyped characters and offensive tropes, and also how to turn them on their heads to write better fiction.

A selection of silent movies from the dawn of cinema as we know it, that use techniques and story elements no longer seen in modern cinema. A must-see for anyone who loves cinema, American history, or both! What films in particular will be shown, you ask? You will have to show up to find out!

We're surrounded by distractions and it's easier than ever to procrastinate your writing. How do professionals make sure they keep putting down words in the face of a world on fire, smartphones full of notifications, and impostor syndrome?

As 3d printers become cheaper and more user friendly it is easier than ever to get a printer for your home. I have been 3d printing at home since 2020, and while I don't consider myself an expert, I will gladly share what I have learned to help you upgrade your home gaming experience. In this panel I will go over the different types of 3d printers, choosing which is right for your printing needs, getting a printing area set up, and some of the common printing failures you are likely to encounter.

While few media give us detailed, realistic manuals for their sword combat, we do have a wealth of real-world sources for how to fight with nearly any weapon imaginable. Join Jamie Bliss, LED Saber combat instructor, for an interactive workshop covering one such weapon. (Hands-on space limited, first come first serve.)

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Ryan Rose, Ray Tabler, and Kyle E. Miller.

An hour lecture speaking on frog anatomy, the frogs in the area of the con, frogs from around the world, as well as the conservation issues facing frog species.

Bring your own project, whether sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, etc. Hang out, chat and work on your project with other enthusiasts.

Short story writers discuss how ideas can be turned into short stories that sell for cold, hard cash.

How do you get a job in an industry that doesn't have a "Help Wanted" sign for writers? Whether you’re looking to script branching dialogue for a video game, pen an official tie-in novel for a major franchise, create your own board game, or publish your own tabletop RPG adventures, the path to entry can feel like a locked high-level dungeon. This session is a roadmap for the aspiring pro across all platforms.

A character creation exercise in creating your ideal you! Use skills from tabletop RPGs to learn more about your strengths, values, and who you want to be. Then, go forth and live your adventure!

Costs. Benefits. Trade-offs. How to match your language choice to your application area and where in the stack you operate. With historical perspective on the long-term Transit language evolution. Also, how AI matters.

"It all started with good intentions. A group had heightened emotional and psychological experiences, and years later, some of the participants wrote regretful blog posts saying they gained a sense of purpose but lost their sense of self; their sense of proportion; and their sense. We’ve heard the story many times. Mostly what we hear is advice about how to prevent joining one, but what about how to prevent starting one? Sometimes a group takes hold of each other negatively without anyone having ever planned for that. Can it be better designed from the outset? I’ll suggest practical ways to short-circuit several kinds of self-reinforcing spirals of group norms, and share perspectives from multiple sources, plus my own experiences."

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Ken MacGregor, Leslie Gulvas, and Michael Cieslak.

Making sure our magic (or advanced tech) serves our purpose" This workshop with Storm Humbert will discuss magic system design theory and methods for making sure our magic is more than just window dressing--that it's operating meaningfully at all levels of our story.

Have you ever wanted to run your own Live Action Role Playing game? Learn the ins and outs of running LARPs for your friends or at conventions. *there is no profit

Science fiction novels used to be short, what we'd now call novellas or even novellettes. Hard science was prioritized, with characters like cardboard cutouts, and now characters and their story arcs are critical to Science Fiction stories. In what other ways has Science Fiction changed since its inception? Why did these changes come about, and what do they mean for authors now?

Learn the basics of Locksport (picking). We'll go over how pin tumbler locks work and the theory of lock picking. Then you'll have a chance to work with special practice locks to put the theory to practice. This is intended for people who have never picked a lock before. I have a limited number of practice locks and can really only accommodate 10 people.

It's hard to manage all the things that are part and parcel of adult living. Dishes, laundry, cooking, and more can all sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when brain issues make it harder than normal. This panel will help you find ways to handle the things life throws at you.

What is nostalgia? Why is feeling nostalgic so common right now, and is it a good thing or a bad thing?

An introduction to goldwork embroidery. The first 18 participants will receive all materials needed to create a small heart. Techniques taught include using purl pearl, couching, and chip work.

Bob and Randy will discuss what the podcasting industry looks like today, pointers to get started (if you haven't) and strategies to grow your audience.

Welcome to Penguicon 2026! We introduce our Guests of Honor, and hear a few words from our ConChair.

Japan has a different attitude to robots than the West. Instead of Frankenstein and Terminator “Do not play God and create life” themes, Japanese have the Shinto/Buddhist animist idea that mountains, rivers, animals, and artificial objects have their own spirits and are non-human persons. Let’s look at some series with a different view of non-human intelligences and ethics!

You research, you read up on them, you look up maps, but how different would your books be if you visited real world sites in person instead of just doing your homework online? Is it worth a trip? Meet an author who did both and find out what is different. Get a chance to hear about England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Canada, Japan, and the Bahamas.

A workshop on using pop culture to boost mental health. Using geeky imagery to incorporate positive coping skills into daily life and being more like your nerd hero.

We will make characters in the new Daggerheart RPG, and our brave adventurers will take those characters into the Whitewall Mountains in search of the legendary treasures of the Ice Queen! Be warned, old secrets and even older magics stir in the frozen mountains, and what the heroes seek may not be what they find...

Interested in Nixies but don't know where to start?  Did you ever wonder if you could make one those glowing vacuum tubes displays? Or do you just want to see lots of really interesting old display technologies.  This interactive session covers the basics of these devices and how to use them. Dozens of hands-on toys and components will be shared. Resources and recommendations will be shared so that you can go away and make your own fun high-voltage devices.

A ready-to-use setting for role-playing games and fiction with backdrop of military espionage-action.

Rawson's Realms is a Dungeons and Dragons event where we introduce players of any experience level to our one-shot style gameplay with a focus on character improv and combat. With homebrewed mechanics, characters to choose from, and unlimited creative energy, get ready to enter RAWSON'S REALMS! The game itself is simplified for time purposes but packed with tons of fun! We use lights, sounds, and production elements seen in live entertainment to amplify experiences for others.

A panel about suicide and resources for survivors and family.

Shark movies have a lot to teach about how writers need to set and meet reader expectations in their genre.

The PenguiCon 2026 Author Guests of Honor will answer your questions about their work and careers.

This presentation bridges the worlds of technology, fitness, and cyber hygiene to help professionals thrive in an increasingly digital world. The presentation highlights how over-reliance on AI and constant connectivity can lead to burnout, reduced productivity, and increased cyber risks. It advocates for a balanced approach — introducing AI thoughtfully, maintaining strong security practices, and supporting physical health through exercise, nutrition, and mindful movement. The talk also showcases creative integrations between technology and wellness, from fitness gaming setups to accessibility innovations like custom-built AI communication tools. Ultimately, this session inspires attendees to adopt a holistic mindset — one that harmonizes human performance, digital ethics, and personal well-being in the modern tech landscape.

Learn from the founders of IT in the D, based on close to 20 years working and networking in the IT industry. They will discuss personal branding, how and when to network, tips on what events to attend, and lastly how to construct a resume that will attract hiring managers and recruiters.

While supercapacitors offer rapid charge times and virtually unlimited cycle life, they have long been overshadowed by Lithium-ion batteries due to their low energy density. This is because traditional supercapacitor development has hit an engineering plateau, constrained by the scaling laws of physical surface area and liquid electrolytes. This talk introduces a shift from geometric engineering to Quantum Electronic Engineering. By utilizing the unique electronic properties of 2D solid-state heterostructures, we can move beyond the limits of traditional electrostatic storage. We will explore how 'electronic pressure' and Machine Learning-accelerated lattice design allow us to rethink charge storage at the atomic level, aiming to finally bridge the energy-density gap between supercapacitors and high-end batteries.

This panel is entirely educational and is meant to teach about subjects such as biotechnology and genetic modification through the lens of Cyberpunk anime.

A regularly-occuring event in the Detroit area comes to Penguicon. A Dance Hell is more like cathartic dance than ecstatic dance. All the tracks are quality examples of their genres and were chosen for emotional power, but there is no "right" way to dance to them! And so, we will begin with a quick exercise in how to pantomime. Silent movies will project on the walls, timed to the playlist.

Use Proxmox and an old computer or three to develop a solid home lab to practice relevant IT skills. This is a brief intro to Proxmox and how to use it to develop real IT experience as well as providing useful computer services at home.

Guess who's back? The Old Nerds Drinking Podcast is back for it's second Penguicon Live show. Join myself, JohnPatrickMCP, and whoever else we can beg, borrow, bribe or blackmail, into coming to the mics. We will talk of things nerdy, share some stories, share some drinks, and possibly have some shenanigans. Join us!

A roundtable discussion-style low pressure hangout. You can sit and listen, vent, or ask questions. Anyone who identifies under the queer umbrella or is an ally is welcome to attend. Conversation will be moderated as needed. Chat and connect with other local queers in a safe space. When did you know you were queer? What does queer mean to you? What’s the best local queer hangout? Who’s going to [insert your local] Pride this summer? Come join us and chat with your fellow Penguipeeps who understand.

Let's have a great discussion about Autism and see what services thare are right now.

Generative AI (gen AI) and large language models (LLMs) are revolutionizing personal and professional lives. From supercharged digital assistants that manage email to seemingly omniscient chatbots that can communicate with enterprise data across industries, languages, and specialties, these technologies are driving a new era of convenience, productivity, and connectivity. We have heard horror stories of AI chatbots lying and their Nazification. What is to stop them from turning evil or operating under bad actors, to the detriment of individuals and society? Do we require embedded control, similar to Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics? Why not provide AI with a set of professional ethics? What should those rules be? Who should monitor and police them? How can they fail? And what can we do when they do fail?

You don't need a fancy camera to do great photography. I'll show you how to do Fine Art Nudes with your cell phone and some inexpensive equipment.

A late-night block of bizarre, hilarious, or emotionally confusing anime selected by audience vote.

We have selected a handful of quality, dialogue heavy, fan fictions to read with the audience. We run it like a workshop and try to get the best, most authentic, acting experiences out of our volunteers. We have a great time and still continue to see people from other cons visit this one.

Do you have a pile of books that you have loved but need to find a new home? Are your shelves straining under the weight of books you have already read? Do you want to maybe find a new book to add to your horde? Do you wish to defy the capitalistic overlords and exchange goods without generating profits for the oligarchs? Well come on down to the annual Penguicon Books Swap. Bring your stacks and give them away to new homes or swap them for something in someone else's stack. Everyone is welcome, even if you don't have a stack of your own.

A seasoned coffee shop barista is here to share the tips and tricks for ordering the best coffee, spill the tea about nightmare customers (and how to not be one), and answer your most (french) pressing questions.

Back for the 7th year. Any crafter knows that buying, organizing, and using craft supplies are 3 separate hobbies. Bring the craft supplies that you no longer want or need and pick up some FREE crafting items you'll actually use*. [*no promises]. Are your jewelry making supplies gathering dust and you find yourself really into embroidery instead? Want to begin painting, knitting, cross stitching, paper crafting but don't have supplies to get started? C’mon down! After the first 15 minutes - when everyone who brought items has time to go through the tables - everyone else (that means you!) is welcome. Come find some treasures to take home. Get set up for your new hobby. For free. Items not claimed at the end of the session will be donated. Please Note: Everyone will be asked to use the provided hand sanitizer before digging through the Treasure Hoard.

Learn how to make various types of eyes for costumes and props. Materials will be provided to make an eye.

Got an idea you want to turn into a story? Seasoned pros will walk you through the process of turning an idea into a story with all the necessary elements.

An introduction to industrial automation, the sensors, controls, and devices that make trains run, buildings work, and blinkenlights blinken. Come by if you want to see how the other half of programmers live!

Learn how to take 2 sticks and some string and make a dish cloth!

Let’s get together to squee about our favorite anime, manga, and light novels from 2025 to the present! Guilty pleasures included.

So you're inspired to write a dystopia but not sure where to start. This workshop walks you through the rules of a dystopia and the multiple approaches to world/story building while leaving time to discuss works/ideas in progress and workshop them as a group.

Q&A with Detroit area small press Atthis Arts managing editor Chris Bell. Ask anything about the business of publishing: including contracts, finance/accounting, distribution, crowdfunding, book design (layout/ebooks/audio). Questions submitted ahead of time are encouraged. Self-publishing questions are welcome.

Author Signing - Jennifer Blackstream & Christine Daigle

What's your career navigation strategy? Work requires skills and experience. It’s all about gaming strategies. Are you contemplating your opening, middle, or endgame? You need to assess if you are going for opportunities, money, or security. Your strategy will dictate your tactics. What have you been focusing on: the job search, your skill set, or market demand? This will be the bulk of the conversation. Bring your stories and your issues. Maybe we can help you work out a strategy, or at least a few tactics. Don’t waste time experimenting with low-probability strategies. If you are established professionally consider how to augment your current skills. More importantly, how are you positioning yourself to make those difficult transition points? Recent graduates need to consider their entry strategy and how to maximize their career growth.

Bob is the founder of IT in the D and the host of the IT in the D podcast. Bob is a tech sales guy by trade and is known for sitting at the corner bar stool at various dive bars talking about anything to literally anyone. This session won't give you the gift of gab, but you will leave better equipped to have a conversation with anyone about anything. He has taught numerous courses on business storytelling and has over 1,500 hours of recorded content online.

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with David Weber, Jarod K. Anderson, and Richard C. White.

In 2013, I explained how the telephone network worked. 13 years later, I say how it works NOW, and what has changed in the last 13 years (and it's been a LOT).

Come join us on the Kumihimo merry-go-round, where we will discover how math, geometry, and rhythm spin together to create art. In this interactive session, participants will learn about the origins of this ancient Japanese braiding technique, get a chance to create their own woven patterns, and maybe even see how a LEGO robot can join the fun!

Anime Music Videos are fan-created shorts. People with waaay too much time on their hands pick a song and create a music video using clips from one or more anime series. Think “I Am the Walrus” with scenes from Odd Taxi, or a song from Kpop Demon Hunters with battling anime magical girls. Crazy fun!

One of the first board games based on D&D! You all take the roles of adventures exploring a dungeon full of monsters and treasure. Be the first to meet your goal in collected gold coins and escape the dungeon to win! Be warned, your hero may die, in which case you start fresh with a new one, but this cost you valuable time. Also, this is not a co-operative game, and there are options to mug fellow adventurers and steal some of their loot! Secret doors, magic items, deadly monsters, and magical spells are all a part of the CLASSIC DUNGEON!

Authors discuss what they've learned about writing, publishing, and marketing they wish they'd known when they first started.

Our written voice gives us a connection to our readers. It is important to be truthful to the readers. Through our characters and the situations they endure, we can instill empathy in our readers, help them see new possibilities, or simply help them escape the real world for a bit of time. Our words need to be honest to allow the reader to suspend disbelief and accept the world we’ve created. If what you’ve written doesn’t feel real to you, the writer, the reader won’t believe it either.

Author Signing - Jim Butcher

Modern “paganism” is far more complex than you might think. There are countless paths, often with few things in common. Everything from honoring nature, updating ancient sundered religions for today, sacred feminism, Wicca, some forms of witchcraft, and new deliberately-constructed systems. Some have no deities, some have thousands. Some employ magic, some don’t. We’ll include as many traditions as we can. Stop by for a fascinating discussion and bring your respectful questions.

Author Signing - Jarod K. Anderson

A ready-to-use setting for role-playing games and fiction in a very different kind of dungeon.

Learn to take a hook and some string and make dish cloths!

Fiction requires creating interesting, immersive worlds, especially in Fantasy, SciFi, and Horror. Panelists discuss the most popular worlds in fiction and why they stand out, as well as how the panelists create the worlds they use in their fiction.

This presentation explores how artificial intelligence can enhance cybersecurity operations and the effectiveness of Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts. It introduces key AI models like GPT-5 and Gemini, outlines best practices for privacy and security, and defines the core roles and responsibilities of SOC analysts. The presentation demonstrates how structured AI prompts can be used to understand cybersecurity concepts, generate study material, identify and analyze threats, decode malicious code, and streamline investigative workflows. Through practical examples and live demonstrations, it emphasizes integrating AI tools to strengthen incident response, improve learning, and advance cybersecurity readiness.

This panel is about dipping your toes into the world of self-defense training. An hour long Q&A. Ask your "What If"s, get thoughts and opinions not just from myself but from other attendees that are experienced.

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Storm Michael Humbert.

In fiction (you can't really do this in nonfiction without getting arrested), you should be mean as hell to your characters. This is particularly true for genre fiction, and doubly so for Horror. In this panel, we'll discuss how far to go, whether it's okay to kill your protagonist (spoiler: I have no problem doing this), and how to do it in a way that won't leave the reader mad at you (probably).

Novice methier Michael Cieslak will present the basics of mead making including a presentation of the gear you need to make your own honey wine. He will also share humorous stories from his own mead making. If we're lucky, there will be mead on hand to sample.

Rawson's Realms is a Dungeons and Dragons event where we introduce players of any experience level to our one-shot style gameplay with a focus on character improv and combat. With homebrewed mechanics, characters to choose from, and unlimited creative energy, get ready to enter RAWSON'S REALMS! The game itself is simplified for time purposes but packed with tons of fun! We use lights, sounds, and production elements seen in live entertainment to amplify experiences for others.

Self-published authors discuss why they chose the self-published route and detail just how they went about publishing their own books.

What IS creaming? Why did my thing do that thing? How does bread....bread? A professional baker answers your questions on the great mysteries of the mixing bowl.

Author Signing - Evan Dicken

Dead Man's draw is a pirate-themed, push your luck, card game. Each game is relatively short, and a player can go from dominating to losing everything to winning the game in the span of minutes. Luck is obviously a factor, but judgement and strategy are crucial as well. Grab a bottle of rum (or coke) and start the con off with daring, cut-throat action!

Guests of Honor will play a game of Sentinels of the Multiverse with each other, and attendees may spectate. This will happen on the table with the power outlets in the lobby, between the grand staircase and concessions.

With AI books flooding the market, how do we, as creators, stand out and connect with our audience? The panel will discuss tips and strategies to authentically connect with readers and rise above the AI slop.

Listen to readings by Valtinen Erik Karille, Vera West, A. Carina Spears

This follow-up to my previous talk this weekend, about how to avoid starting a cult, discusses the equal and opposite problem of hyper-individuated alienation. Almost everyone abandons voluntary associations at the slightest friction. Life is reduced to employment, a spouse, children, pets, and maybe some extended family. A life without voluntary associations is frictionless and predictable, but group skills atrophy, leading to anxiety. This is not a moral failing, just a predictable cultural drift. What can we do, without nagging or shaming, to make group life worth the trouble?

An exploration of the various paths to becoming a published author and finding your audience, whether you want to be traditionally published, published with small or medium presses, or self-published.

The greatest enemy of the gaming hobby has always been scheduling. Trying to find people to play with, or against, who are free at the same time that you are free. This is an old problem and there is an option: Solo Gaming. While it may not be as fun as playing a game with friends, solo gaming can be a fun way to still game even when you are the only one who is free.

A kid-friendly, family friendly series of chemistry demonstrations with prizes.

Author Signing - Stephanie Loree

Relax for a while with your favorite Shinigami/Grim Reapers and enjoy some tea, games, and maybe win some prizes. Just a cozy cool-down between other events

GODOT is a powerful and open source game engine that you can use to make your own video games. The engine is easy to learn with lots of great tutorials and detailed documentation for all skill levels. In this talk we will demonstrate some of the functionality that GODOT has, resources for people want to learn more, and build a simple game with participant feedback.

This is a very lightweight walk through the history of personal computers. I really want to focus on the “golden age” (1973-1987). Pre-Windows “IBM clones”.

A gentle walkthrough of what Linux is, why people care, and how to try it without breaking your computer. No prior technical knowledge assumed.

A lot of writers struggle to finish a first draft. Pros offer tips and tricks to stick with and finish your book, even through the dreaded Middle.

Outlining your novel can speed your writing and help you get to the finish line. Authors explore different ways to write an outline for your novel.

Listen to readings by Ken MacGregor, Leslie Gulvas, Michael Cieslak

How cuisine, trade, and scarcity shape believable fictional cultures more than maps or magic systems ever will.

Before there were LEDs and TFTs, electronic devices through the 20th century required ingenious ways of delivering information to the users of radios, televisions and early computers. Think about what it would be like if you had a computer with no display screen of any kind.  For almost 70 years, this was a problem for all electronics. There are hundreds of interesting technologies that tried to address this problem. Some are very practical, and others are downright crazy. And when you add in the fact that all of them run at high voltages (higher than 100 volts in most cases), it adds to the mystique.  This interactive session will share this history from the 19th through the 20th century with some hands-on examples of all of the major innovations of that era: Vacuum tubes, Nixie tubes, Magic eyes, CRTs, and many others.

Author Signing - Llewellla Forgie

Authors explain how they come up with characters that are complex, believable, and compelling to read about.

Having spent the last 15 years doing (largely) DIY wind and solar setups for myself, as well as limited battery backups, generator tie-ins, and solar grid tie-ins, I would like to share my experience and sources with anyone wanting to test the waters and maybe do their own small or single house setup. Learn about low voltage and high voltage DC, battery backups, and optimal positioning.

Listen to readings by Ray Tabler, Storm Humbert, Katie Spina

Will demonstrate and assist assembly of a Raspberry Pi 4/5 kit then go over methods of running retro game emulation on the Pi platform. This will include flashing a microSD card with a popular emulation software, going over some OS setup, and how to load and play games via USB stick. We will then demonstrate a few emulated systems and control options including modern console controllers and legacy CRT light gun hardware.

The Royal Manticorian Navy welcomes Penguicon to eat snacks, drink beverages (especially hot chocolate!) and mingle with fans of the Honorverse.

Horror authors discuss why readers love the horror genre, why they write it, and what modern classics you should check out.

In this Penguicon fundraiser special event, we will be building our own open source Bluetooth Speaker, using the ESP32 Audio Kit developer board and Squeezelite firmware. Build your own custom 3D printed bluetooth speaker with the Penguicon logo on it, and learn more about the ESP32/Squeezelite platform, and then take your custom 3D printed bluetooth speaker home with you.

Author Signing - David Weber

Gather together with fellow Whovians to discuss your favourite monsters, your least favourite stories, and the current state of the show!

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Valtinen Erik Karille, and Stephanie Loree.

Learn from the founders of IT in the D how to maximize your network. IT in the D has been running monthly networking events for 19 years and have learned a thing or two. Get some real world tips, ideas, and ways to build and maxmize your network.

A discussion of how to write poetry that resonates with a broad audience and challenges traditional ideas of verse. Poets will discuss speculative poetry and how the use of science fiction and horror tropes can make it more accessible. Panelists will also detail markets and opportunities for speculative poets, and give the audience prompts to help them get started on their own poems.

Intro to business income taxes for small businesses, partnerships, LLCs, S-Corps and the like.

This workshop with Storm Humber will focus on breaking down what it means to have a prose style (spoiler, everyone does) and how we go about discovering, fine-tuning, foregrounding, and capitalizing on our personal styles.

A practical discussion of how conventions and fan communities can build healthier social norms.

DMs, GMs, Storytellers, Keepers, Facilitators, we are siblings behind the screen, the masters of the maps, the dealers of the dice! Gather to share tales of anguish and triumph, get advice, and seek support, whether you've been running games for twenty years or are still trying to schedule your first session.

There are only three things you need to do to produce large volumes of high-quality code using robot friends, and you should be doing two of them already. This talk will explain all.

The Royal Manticorian Navy will recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of their members.

So you want to become a technical writer. If you're in it for the money or the glowing admiration of your fans, might I suggest writing Urban Fantasy Porn instead? I would like this to be an open exchange about the journey and process.

Meta-discussion of what makes a convention panel succeed or fail.

Witches have been weaving their spells in anime since the 60’s, while launching the Magical Girl genre. Whether it’s enchanting hijinks, learning their craft at a snooty school, chilling out, saving the world, or trying to end the Hundred-Years’ War in France, these witches are up for any challenge!

Using the new Daggerheart RPG, we will make characters and send them deep underground to plumb the mysterious Tomb of the Everliving. Expect to encounter mysteries, treasure, and threats from a distant age!

I am a gamer, a convention attender, and a single dad. Over the years, I have learned that in many situations, there is no substitute for being prepared. But what does that mean? You can not be prepared for absolutely everything, but with a few simple preparations, you can be prepared for many things. In this panel, we will go over making a small everyday first aid kit, a good "Adventure Bag", and having an emergency Go Bag.

Demonstrate how to connect and properly setup a surround sound system and display. This will include professional level calibration of the speakers and display as well as best practices for speaker placement and TV height and distances. May also go over wall mounting a TV if interest is there.

A group discussion on how warfare is portrayed in science fiction. Examples include David Weber's Honorverse, Heinlein's Starship Troopers, Joe Haldeman's Starship Troopers and Arkady Martine's A Desolation Called Peace. Come with your knowledge and questions.

A discussion of what draws people, especially young people, to the horror genre. Why some people are drawn to horror at a very young age.

WordPress is open-source software that powers over 40% of the web, making it a great tool for establishing a stable home base online. As platforms ebb and flow, WordPress lets you control your content, your data, and your design. In this session, I’ll build a self-hosted WordPress site from scratch, live, walking through prerequisites, installation, essential setup, customization, and publishing. In this session, you’ll see how approachable it is to launch something you truly own and how to take control of your online presence.

Everyone can stop by and dance to epic 80's music, as well as a selection of others picked by DJ Meph.

A roundtable discussion-style low pressure hangout. You can sit and listen, vent, or ask questions. In the past, we've talked about the ins and outs of living with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, asthma, cerebral palsy, amputation, blindness, migraine, fibromyalgia, mental illness, accessibility issues and wins, and more. Disabilities can be visible or invisible, terminal, chronic, and more, so come chat with your fellow Penguipeeps who understand.

"Romantasy" is considered by many to be a hot "new" genre. What's the deal?

Listen to readings by Matt Betts, Jean Davis

Romance is one of the largest and fastest-growing genres of manga, and successful ones become anime series. Similar to the “Clean Romance” literary genre, these stories stress building relationships, emotional connections, and character development without graphic content. This time we’re covering romances without fantasy elements. School romances are popular (and we’ll tell you why), but there are plenty with adult characters too. If you hate Hallmark movies, these series may just be for you.

Equipment for an open Rock Band play area will be available in the evenings, as will Mario Kart and a selection of emulated retro games.

This is a late-night panel where writers discuss the dos and don'ts of writing physically intimate scenes.

Hour Long Comedy variety panel meant to be a showcase of the strangest content that the internet has to offer.

Three episodes selected for maximum strangeness, screened at the hour they deserve. No content warnings, just the void staring back. You might want to bring a blanket.

This fitness yoga class blends traditional yoga poses with strength training and cardiovascular movements for a balanced, full-body workout. Participants will improve flexibility, build lean muscle, and boost endurance through flowing sequences, bodyweight exercises, and dynamic movement. The class is designed to enhance both physical strength and mindfulness, leaving you energized, focused, and refreshed.

GODOT is a powerful and open source game engine that you can use to make your own video games. The engine is easy to learn with lots of great tutorials and detailed documentation for all skill levels. In this talk we will demonstrate some of the functionality that GODOT has, resources for people want to learn more, and build a simple game with participant feedback.

Tips and tricks for finishing fiction before it grows out of control and demands a trilogy.

The first page of a book is the most important one, because this is where you grab your reader. Authors explore some of fiction's most powerful opening lines and discuss how they write their own.

Videos talking about different invisible disabilities like Autism and ADHD among other things.

In the new millennium there has been a struggle amongst younger people to find meaning and satisfaction in a world that is increasingly hostile. Statistics have shown a move away from traditional organized religions to more individual forms of spirituality. People are looking in new places for guidance and comfort. Can fandom be one of those places?

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Katie Spina, Jean Davis, and Fyra B. Ginn.

The history of filmmaking/selling/watching itself is fascinating. The transaction from kinescope to moving pictures, the evolution of cameras and filming techniques. This is a must-see for everyone interested in the histories of movies!

For those of you who missed us on Friday, come by to talk with members of the Board of Directors.

Crowdfunding has taken the world by storm as a way for creatives to fund their projects. Writers reveal how crowdfunding has helped to make their projects a reality.

Draw, or work in another medium. Bring your own paper, board, canvas or whatever and supplies. Hang out, chat and work on your project with other enthusiasts.

The ending of a book or series can determine whether or not readers review it favorably and recommend it to others. What makes a great ending to a book or series that will leave your readers satisfied?

In this demonstration, I will show you how to build a Kubernetes Cluster out of Raspberry Pis. The Rapsberry Pi platform is great for self-hosting your favorite utilities, including APIs, web servers, Home Assistant, MQTT, Postgresql, MySQL, SQLite, Redis, Jellyfin, Sonarr, Radarr, Seerr, Immich, Jellyfin, Joplin, Navidrome, Nextcloud, Gitea, Keycloak, Vaultwarden, and much, much more. Instead of running a separate Pi for each service, why not build a cluster that can run them all, recover from failures, replicate volumes, and manage TLS certificates? Learn how to do all of this and more. You are guaranteed to be shovel-ready to set up your own cluster and hit the ground running.

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Tracy Barnett and Paul Michael Peters.

We'll talk about navigating book contracts for authors and poets publishing with traditional and small presses. We'll examine pitfalls and red flags, common terms, and when to get a professional's opinion.

If there is intelligent life, capable of contacting us then where are they? Let's explore several scenarios. This will be an open panel discussion. Generally, these scenarios will fall under three categories: one, they are or were already here; two, they exist, but we have yet to see or hear from them and three, they don’t exist. We will stick to science-based concepts. So that means inter-dimensional aliens who live in the sun are off the table. That’s for another panel. The Fermi paradox is the discrepancy between the lack of conclusive evidence of advanced extraterrestrial life compared to the high likelihood of its existence. My source material is Stephen Webb’s book: If the Universe is Teeming with Aliens… Where is Everyone?

As gaming is pushing into the mainstream, having painted miniatures to go along with your RPG or Board Game can be a great way to make your game stand out. Thankfully it is also easier than ever to get into painting your own miniatures. In this panel we will go over some entry level products and techniques that will help almost anyone get their minis on the table.

Crowdfunding has taken the world by storm as a way for creatives to fund their projects. Writers reveal how crowdfunding has helped to make their projects a reality.

There's an old saying about not going into business with your friends if you want to remain friends. But plenty of writers have written books with their friends. Authors who have experience collaborating will discuss the process and how to maintain a friendship in the face of disagreements.

Spend an hour sitting, drinking coffee, and talking with Jennifer Blackstream and Vera West.

Humanity is on the way out. Is it War? Disease? Climate Change? Aliens? Who knows? Is there a Mad Max-style fight for the last crumbs? Nope! These folks are tending their gardens, looking at the submerged cities, touring incomprehensible ruins, watching nature reclaim the planet, and quietly sipping the last stocks of coffee. We’ll check out this intriguing anime subgenre.

Listen to readings by Richard C. White, Kyle E. Miller, Fyra B. Ginn

You've finished the first draft of your novel—now what? Whether you plan to submit to literary agents or self-publish, the editing process is crucial to streamlining your plot, intensifying your character arcs, and sharpening your prose. Authors discuss how to use reader feedback and structure your edits to make your novel stand out.

Let's gather to review the events of Penguicon 2026, and hear words from our ConChair and Concom, along with updates on Penguicon 2027.