The Latest Word - as of 6/22/2026:
The BSFS Avery/Deutsch Amateur Writing Contest closes on 6/15/2026 details at 2026 CONTEST
Special Events at BSFS Building: (Some Online)
Book Club Meeting at BSFS: Next Book Club held June 27, 2026 at 6:30 PM at the BSFS Picnic. Featured Book: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. In person only as internet at park is spotty. Join us in person for the Josh Reinking Memorial Book Club. See BSFS Annual Picnic Info Below.
BSFS Annual Picnic at PATAPSCO VALLEY STATE PARK: June 27, 2026. At the HOLLOFIELD AREA, SHELTER #: 301, 8020 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE (RT 40 W), ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21043 (NO RAIN DATE) NOON to DUSK ( ~ 9 PM) Pot Luck as we bring soda and snacks and you bring meat for gril and anything you want to share. No charge from BSFS, but park has a per person charge. Please see park website for cost details and park info including map at **PARK WEBSITE CLICK HERE*** Remember to bring your joy of SF culture! Volunteers to set up please show at 11:00 AM.
Film Night at BSFS: Next on July 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM. (building opens at 6:00 PM for early folks and browse the library) Not sure what showing yet. The license we have to clear copyright says we can not advertise on the web but we can distribute flyers, meaning you can see last months movie(s) flyer as an example by using the password "movie" on the pdf file of the flyer that opens when you click **here** . Free screening on our 10 ft screen. Watch with old or new friends.
BSFS Social Meeting: Join members of BSFS and anyone that loves SF in-person (at our building or a party at the home of a BSFS member when they volunteer) for free form conversations and hanging out. Discuss everything SF, Fantasy or whatever in an informal session. On the fourth Saturday of the month at (not at 8:00 PM+ in June due to at the picnic which starts at 1:00 PM and consumes all effort that day to pull off) In June will be at the BSFS Picnic all day and not after dark. See info above.
Speculative Poetry Workshop by Zoom: A monthly writer's workshop for SF and Fantasy and Speculative authors of poetry held every Third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Near term this would mean on 7/15/2026. By Zoom only (only use this zoom link for Poetry Workshop, for other zoom meetings use proper links below) at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82112772660?pwd=OpzU8diAfWSeCiAhdfSGKyfhcPW4Os.1
Sunday Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event at Online: Tabletop Role-Playing Game Event next held June 28, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. On Discord only at https://discord.gg/5U3s2YzPzQ To participate by Discord you do need to register for Discord if you have never done so before, but the process is fairly easy. Our Tabletop Roleplaying Games (RPGs) meetup! We will be rotating through various tabletop Sci Fi RPGs. You are welcome if you love Tabletop RPG's. We will be running for all levels and will have premade characters available. We will run as many games as we have players to fill. For more details contact yoshi at bsfs dot org
Anime Afternoon at BSFS: The next Anime Afternoon Social will be July 25, 2026 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. (BSFS Picnic in way in June) Also held on Discord as a watch party. Join Discord here We will be screening: TBD. For more info or suggest titles for the future contact anime at BSFS dot org
Alphabet Soup Board Gaming at BSFS: Every third Sunday of the month at the BSFS Building. Next on July 19, 2026 between 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. For info email dale at bsfs dot org
Fiber Arts Creativity Circle: Work on your sewing, knitting, crafting and share skills including cosplay building etc. Discuss everything SF, Fantasy or whatever during this informal session. On the first Saturday of the month during 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. (Borrow and bring back books and work on other volunteer projects will happen at same time in rest of building). Next time not in July as lands on July 4th. Fiber Arts returns August 1, 2026.
See our long range events calendar here.
Borrow and bring back books from our 18,200+ item free lending library at any event or meeting at the BSFS Building.
Special / Notable Events Longer Term at BSFS:
The Outer Rim: The Off-World Experience — Season 3 of this sci-fi film festival: On August 28–30, 2026 we bring you stories you've never seen, from filmmakers you need to meet at the BSFS Building. We're talking hard sci-fi across categories you'll actually care about — cyberpunk, space opera, alien contact, AI ethics, genetic engineering, temporal paradoxes, and more. Each screening is a first encounter waiting for you on the Outer Rim. Dozens of original, world-class sci-fi films with direct access to the filmmakers behind them through panels & lectures that go deep. Cosplay discounts — dress the part, pay less. Advance passes are on sale now — and they won't stay at this price. You can also split the cost across 4 easy payments. This is your window so don't miss the launch. Get Your Pass at **https://theouterrimfest.com/** . At checkout, enter promo code BSFS2026 to lock in your BSFS member/friend discount.
Oral History of BSFS Video Online: David M Ettlin one of the two surviving founding members of BSFS tells the story on Y-Tube at https://youtu.be/4Bxb4WBvh6E?si=HIlpfg-J9W4HeUEQ
Balticon Planning and BSFS Business Meetings:
These meetings this month will be in person at the BSFS Building and by teleconference by Zoom. To attend in person see our directions page at bsfsdrct.htm. To attend by Zoom using your computer use link https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88616075406?pwd=YmF1aDhPZzVYR2NjdzBYdGZ0aStpZz09
Passcode: 930363
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406
Or iPhone one-tap : US: +13017158592,,97614691479#,,,,*463191# or +19292056099,,97614691479#,,,,*463191#
Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC), +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago), +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma), +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston), +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 886 1607 5406 Passcode: 930363
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ac59gxWAiW
NOTE: If you don't dial *67 before you dial in, your phone number will be visible to meeting participants. Please see Zoom help at https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0060564 for more information about phone numbers and Zoom.
The Baltimore Science Fiction Society business and discussion meeting will be held at 8:30pm on July 11, 2026 in person and by Zoom. Connection details see above. Stop on by and watch us perform parliamentary ritual to work out ideas.
Balticon 61 Planning Meeting next held on July 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM. Drop by in person or on Zoom then to share and learn ideas about how to improve the next and future Balticons. (or volunteer)
Writers Circle at BSFS:
BSFS sponsors a Writing Circle 6:30-8:30pm usually meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month, near term this means teleconference only by zoom on June 25, 2026 and July 9, 2026. Participation on zoom. This is a SF and Fantasy focused writing group. If you write check it out. Many stories work shopped at this writer's circle have been sold to professional markets in the last few years. This is a recurring meeting so any Writer's Circle meeting use:
Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/91064908740?pwd=TENjZ25HenRNOHhtcHFaRlZnOGE3dz09
Meeting ID: 910 6490 8740 Passcode: 805110 (see Zoom phone numbers above for dial in at need)
For more info contact BSFSEvents at BSFS dot org
