Thursday
16.00–17.15 Sign up, pick up badges
If possible, please bring your own lanyard.
17.15 Welcome to Åcon 13!
17.30 Guest of Honour interview
We welcome Fiona Barnett to Åcon 13!
19.30–20.30 Artificial Intelligence
Johan Jönsson, Saara Henriksson, Mikko Rauhala, Ian Sales
Artificial Intelligence – whatever it might mean – has entered the public consciousness in ways that never before in the past year or so. A panel of experts discusses the use of AI in work and fiction, and see if they can get a grasp of this current hot potato.
21– What to Watch?
Mikko Seppänen & Elisa Wiik
So many things to watch, so little time. Worry not! Our self-appointed experts are back to give you their take on the best and worst genre series from the 2023–2024 television season.
Friday
11.15 – Excursion to Pommern! Sign up beforehand (incl.guide & professional photography)
12.00–13.00 Non-book recommendations (group discussion)
Seen/heard/played anything fun recently? Come and tell the others!
13.30–14.30 Up-and-coming author readings
Nicke, Mikko Rauhala
15.00–16.00 Doctor Who
Martin Bergman, Kisu
The new Doctor is almost upon us! The next episodes will drop on Disney+ (of all places…!) overnight! What wild speculations about the upcoming Doctor’s antics will we come up with – and what is this personal relationship with Doctor Who anyway?
16.15 Archipelacon info
Come hear all about next year’s big convention in Mariehamn!
16.30 Time travel romance
Fiona Barnett, Markku Soikkeli (M), Sarianna Silvonen, Katarina Norrgård
It’s one of those classic tropes, time travel and that dashing stranger that makes the heart beat faster. Hopefully they are not related though! Or someone with a famous progeny. But what else is there? Our panelists approach the subject from various angles.
17.30–19.30 Dinner Break
19.30–20.30 Hugo categories that shouldn’t exist!
Johan Anglemark (M), Sari Polvinen, Ben Roimola, Jukka Särkijärvi
Over the years, the number of Hugo categories has just expanded. There are Those who feel there are too many categories now – for various reasons! Come hear about what those categories might be and why! Rant warning!
21.00–22.00 Nevermind the Buzzaldrins
JukkaHoo
Yes, he is doing it again. Only you can prevent forest fires!
22.30– Book of the Night (group discussion)
Discussion of Dreamships by Melissa Scott
Saturday
11.00 Maa & Ilma ry annual meeting (private)
12.00–13.00 Book recommendations
Read something good lately? Share your findings! Please only mention things available in English!
13.30–14.30 Why do we want to read cozy?
JukkaHoo (M), Katarina Norrgård, Nina Niskanen, Tommy Persson
One of the big trends in literature is cozy. It is a very divisive genre, with definite fans but also people who don’t much care for cozy. Our panel discusses why and how and what they read as “cozy.”
15.00–16.00 Guest of Honor Speech on Uncanny Histories
16.30–17.30 Travelling to conventions without flying
Johan Anglemark, Carolina Gomez Lagerlöf, Rinna Saramäki, Thomas Westerberg, Tero Ykspetäjä (M)
We all know air travel is bad for the environment, but we also want to get to conventions, even to different countries! The panelists discuss their experiences about travelling to conventions without having to fly. Is this the future? (This is the future…)
17.30–19.30 Dinner Break
19.30–20.30 Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the English Civil War but Were Afraid to Ask!
Fiona Barnett, Sari Polvinen
The experts on English Civil war will discuss and answer all and any questions about the topic!
21.00–22.00 Which is better – a panel
Miikka Riikonen (M)
Panel of Experts are presented with pairs of genre pieces (books, movies, manga, comics, RPG, whatever) and then discuss which of the pair is better – Objectively and Factually of course. The panel may be lighthearted fun or more serious, or both – we’ll find out!
22.30–late Avoiding the Eurovision Song Contest
Don’t care about the Eurovision Song Contest which is, inevitably, being loud in the Adlon sports bar? Come and talk about all things SF in the program room instead! (You may also bring in drinks from the bar…)
Sunday
12.00 Gripe session and information about Archipelacon 2
There will be plenty of time between the programme items to chat with the other members (or to take a walk in Mariehamn, or do whatever else you find joyous), after all Åcon is a very relaxed con.
Åcon 13 