This past weekend (29-31 May 2015) was CONsole Room 2015. I’m thrilled that a local-to-me dedicated Doctor Who convention has cropped up and made it successfully through its second year. I have every intention of continuing to patronize it, and am considering upgrading to the Sponsor level. More on that later.

[Side note: I apologize for the lack of photos. After moving house a week prior to the con, I didn’t really have my head on straight, and wouldn’t have been sure where to look for my camera even if I’d remembered. The few photos I did take (with my iPod) were simply too poor to post.]

As last year, I began my con experience on Thursday night at the Pre-Con Mixer. It was a fun time to socialize with the friends I’d made there previously, but due to guest-of-honor Colin Baker’s bad knee, he wasn’t able to circulate among the crowd as Sophie Aldred and Deborah Watling had (and to be honest, we were really spoiled by how much time Sophie spent with us last year). Nor did our table get any time with the other guests of honor. Ellie and Joseph Darcy-Alden (Francesca and Digby from The Snowmen) were unable to be there at all, and though I saw Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones of Torchwood) come in, that was the last time I spotted him.

Having had my expectations raised so far by my first experience, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the Mixer wasn’t quite as fabulous for me the second time around. I doubt, however, that the mild disappointment I felt will be enough to deter me from attending the Mixer next year.

Programming on Friday began at noon, though I didn’t arrive until just before the 3:00 slot. A long line had formed to get in to the main stage, where Colin was scheduled to give a commentary on “The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.” Sponsors get priority seating (line up to enter first, and reserved seats at the front of the room), and I found myself wishing I were able to join them.

However, due to technical difficulties, the commentary ended up getting postponed; they swapped it with the time slot scheduled for an interview with Colin. While I really enjoyed the interview and accompanying Q&A session—and totally agreed with the decision—it bummed me out, because that meant I’d have to miss the commentary after all, because it was now opposite a panel I was on. Such is the way of these things.

Given the schedule for the rest of the afternoon and evening, instead of listening to the interview with Ellie and Joseph (which, in retrospect, I could have managed if I’d really wanted to) I took a break from programming to forage for food. Although the Con Suite made an effort, it paled in comparison to the one at Gally (admittedly unfair, but one has to draw parallels with what one knows), and I ended up driving a mile or so down the pike for fast food.

I made it back in time for Gareth’s interview on the main stage. He’s as charming and witty (if somewhat more profane, which amused me) in person as his character was on screen. I’m in deep smit. I got up to ask him a question and prefaced it with reference to this past Gally, saying I seemed to recall he’d had to cancel because of work. He corrected me, saying he hadn’t been invited (I really need to talk to Shaun Lyon about that!), and I realized embarrassingly late that I was thinking of Kai Owen. Oops. Anyway, he was pretty nice about it, and I got to hear the story that John Barrowman would have told about Gareth if asked to tell just one.

The Opening Ceremony followed right after (which always seems weird, one day into the three-day convention), and then there ended up being a little gap before my first panel. The lack of scheduled meal breaks made life a little awkward, especially for panelists who had several panels in a row, but not to the point of infeasibility, in my experience. Perhaps that is something the organizers can massage next year (along with the programming schedule, which often read as if panels were an hour and a half long, rather than an hour long with a half-hour break until the next scheduled event).

As people began to trickle in for our 8pm panel, we made sure to remind everyone that the “Five(ish) Doctors” commentary was running opposite now, in case they’d missed that news earlier in the day. Despite that, we had a small but enthusiastic audience for “Sizing Up Series 8: The Good, the Bad, and the Pink.” With audience members (and one panelist) arriving late, we sometimes rehashed topics that had already been discussed—and we postponed some for the following day, when the same four panelists were scheduled—but the overall conversation was lively and engaging.

I headed for home after my panel, a little sad not to be having an immersive experience, but glad nonetheless to spend the night in my own bed.

Saturday morning I was back for a 10am panel. This time we tackled “Doctor Who‘s Weird (or Bad) Science,” and boy did we have a lot to say, even without our fourth panelist. Again we had a lot of audience participation, which is always fun (in my opinion), and I think a couple of new head canons were born. Sometimes I want very badly to be able to ignore bad science, and when someone comes up with a way I can accept to do so, I breathe a little more easily.

I sneaked in and out of Colin’s next interview panel during the following time slot, as I wanted to be sure to get Gareth’s autograph, which were available in a staggered slot. I apologized to Gareth for my faux pas the previous day and assured him that I’d not gotten any other cast member’s autograph at Gally; I only wanted his, because Ianto’s my favorite. He finished signing my photo with a flourish and a theatrically smug look at his “handler.” I’ll think of that every time I look at that signature now.

Once Colin was done, I zipped off again to find sustenance, and returned in time for Ellie and Joseph’s commentary on The Snowmen. It ended up being my only opportunity to see them on stage, so I was glad for the chance to get to know them just a little. They seem like really kind, pleasant, down-to-earth young people (Colin spoke highly of them at the Closing Ceremony, too), and I look forward to seeing more of them on screen somewhere in the future.

Sadly, I couldn’t stay at the main stage for Gareth’s commentary on Children of Earth (one of the things I wanted most to see) because my final panel was scheduled opposite it (what is up with that?). I can’t honestly say I regret being on the panel, though, because it was perhaps the most energetic of them all “Where Do I Start with the Classic Series?”

I was unique on the panel not only as a woman, but as someone who had started her fandom journey through the “New Series.” I wonder how much that influenced my perspective and advice, but we didn’t bring it up very often after the initial introductions. However, there was a wide variety of advice and opinion both on the panel and within the audience (only a few of whom hadn’t really seen much/any of the Classic series themselves), and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I hope I have the chance to talk more with some of those folks—both fellow panelists and audience members—in the future.

Given that it was still the weekend, and I’ve got young kids at home, since nothing in the next couple of panel blocks was especially compelling to me (mind you—if it had been an out-of-town con for me, I could certainly have found something I’d have enjoyed sitting in on), I took advantage of proximity and went home to spend a little time with my family, including dinner, before returning for the Masquerade.

Last year, the Masquerade had a great turnout, with something like twenty-five entries. This year, there were only ten, which was a little sad to me, but everyone clearly had fun with it, and there were some cool costumes. My favorite didn’t win Best in Show, but I was unsurprised by the costume that did, due to the detail and the workmanship that went into it. That ended my evening, and I headed home.

Sunday was extremely abbreviated for me. I had a leisurely morning with my family, and only arrived at the con in time for Colin’s 1pm commentary on Revelation of the Daleks: Part Two. He hadn’t seen it since it went out nearly 30 years ago, so didn’t really know the story (it hasn’t been nearly that long for me, but I was a little lost, too, especially as the sound was on so low). Regardless, it was nice to hear his thoughts on various actors and moments on set.

I returned to the main stage for the following panel (“Comic Book Artist Conversation”), mainly because I’ve gotten interested in Christopher Jones‘s work through his ties with Gally. Although I’m not an artist myself, and have only recently gotten back into comics at all, it was an entertaining hour with a couple of professionals.

All too soon, it was time for the Closing Ceremony. We had the opportunity to recognize the volunteers, say a fond farewell to our Featured Guests and Guests of Honor, and reflect on the weekend. It’s still a small con, and there are bound to be continuing growing pains as the staff get the nuts and bolts of operations sorted, but I felt it was quite successful again this year, and I’m looking forward to returning.

Pre-registration was available at the con (yes, I took advantage), but pre-reg has not yet opened to the general public. When it does, you’ll be able to register with a regular membership ($60 for adults) or as a Sponsor (as mentioned above; $180). While we don’t know yet exactly what a Sponsorship will include for 2016, in the past it has given a Sponsor not only membership and priority seating, but one’s name in the program book, entry to the Mixer (including early badge pick-up), a convention T-shirt, early admission to the Dealer’s Room, and one free autograph and photograph with each Guest of Honor.

If con’ing is your thing, the Sponsorship is almost certainly worth it. To know for sure if it’s right for you, keep an eye on the CONsole Room website for when they announce more details. Start planning now for 2016—they’ve got Anneke Wills (Polly Wright, Companion to the First and Second Doctors) and Dominic Glynn (composer extraordinaire) lined up already.

Hope to see you there!