SFContario is a general-interest science fiction convention

Science fiction convention

Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...

 held in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada and sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Society of Upper Canada.

The first convention took place on November 19–21, 2010, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto. The guests of honour were author Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick

Michael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...

, writers and editors Patrick

Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Patrick James Nielsen Hayden , is an American science fiction editor, fan, fanzine publisher, essayist, reviewer, anthologist, teacher and blogger. He is a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award winner , and is an editor and the Manager of Science Fiction at Tor Books...

 and Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Teresa Nielsen Hayden is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and teacher. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books. She has also worked for Federated Media Publishing, where in 2007 she revived the comment section for the blog Boing Boing...

, fan Geri Sullivan, filk musician Karen Linsley, artist Billy Tackett, and toastmaster Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

Robert James Sawyer is a Canadian science fiction writer. He has had 20 novels published, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and many anthologies. Sawyer has won over forty awards for his fiction, including the Nebula Award ,...

. The convention chair was Alexander von Thorn.

Events at the convention included panels on science fiction and fantasy, writing, science, fan history and conventions, and media, as well as author readings, autograph signings, an interview with expatriate American SF writer and HUAC victim Chandler Davis, kaffeeklatsches, a ceremony presenting pins to past Aurora Award

Aurora Award

The Prix Aurora Awards are given out annually for the best Canadian science fiction and fantasy literary works, artworks, fan activities from that year, and are awarded in both English and French...

 nominees, a masquerade, an art show, a charity auction, filk concerts, bid and other parties, an anime room, and an improv fundraiser for the Sunburst Award

Sunburst Award

The Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic is an annual award given for a speculative fiction novel or a book-length collection.-History:The name of the award comes from the title of the first novel by Phyllis Gotlieb, Sunburst ....

 performed by improvisers from the Impatient Theatre Co.

Impatient Theatre Co.

The Impatient Theatre Co., or ITC, is an improvisational comedy training centre, theatre and production company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded in 2001 by Kevin Patrick Robbins, operating under the business name Impatient Productions. The company began as a longform improvisational comedy...

.

A second convention is scheduled for November 18–20, 2011, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Toronto. The scheduled guests of honour include international author John Scalzi

John Scalzi

John Michael Scalzi II is an American author and online writer, and president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He is best known for his Hugo Award-nominated science fiction novel Old Man's War, released by Tor Books in January 2005, and for his blog , at which he has written...

, Canadian author Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder is an award-winning Canadian science fiction author. His novels present far-future speculations on topics such as nanotechnology, terraforming, augmented reality and interstellar travel, and have a deeply philosophical streak...

, editor Gardner Dozois

Gardner Dozois

Gardner Raymond Dozois is an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004...

, and filk band Toyboat. This will also serve as the 31st Canvention

Canvention

Canvention is the Canadian national science fiction convention, where the Prix Aurora Awards are presented. Normally it is held as part of an existing convention.-Conventions:...

, Canada's national science fiction convention.