FilKONtario
Introduction '''FilKONtario''' is a fan-run convention in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario area dedicated to filk, the music of science fiction and fantasy fandom. Established in 1991, it is the only filk convention in Canada. In its fifth year (1995), the convention initiated the  Filk Hall of Fame, which continues to recognize those who have made significant contributions to filk music and the filk community, worldwide. This international awards program is administered through FilKONtario, with an international jury.
History At the time FilKONtario was founded, there were only five filk conventions worldwide: Consonance (San Francisco area), ConChord (Los Angeles area, started 1983), the Northeast Filk Con, and Ohio Valley Filk Fest (Columbus area, started in 1984), and the British Filk Con (started in 1989). Heather Borean, the first conchair, wanted something a little closer to home and proposed the idea of founding a new con. The name is a concatenation of "Filk", "KON" (for "convention") and "Ontario." The early days of FilKONtario were a bit challenging. Attendance was low the first few years, but a feeling of relaxed inclusiveness, following the lead of the con's first year guests,  Bill and Brenda Sutton, became the norm. In 1994, the convention drew a large crowd, with guest Kathy Mar, and has been quietly growing since that time.In the first year the convention mascot was established, which is a penguin with a guitar.Like most filk conventions, other than the Ohio Valley Filk Fest, FilKONtario is a small event, usually with about 130-150 attendees. Gradually the convention has grown from modest beginnings to offer programming Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, with requisite filk circles until the early morning, workshops in the mornings and a "Dead Penguin" (a play on "dead dog") sing Sunday evening. In addition, the guest roster has grown from a single guest of honour, to having a GoH, a Filk Waif, an Interfilk Guest and an occasional Special Guest, an author or artist from Southern Ontario. "Filk Waif" is an idiosyncratic term honoring the first waif,  Mary Ellen Wessels, whom two of the concom members brought to the con at their expense because she couldn't afford it. (Hence, "waif".) The role is identical to Toastmaster.In 2007, in cooperation with   Interfilk and after two years of fundraising, FilKONtario's only guest was the  n'Early Music Consort, a choir of sixteen performers from England. This is thought to be one of the largest guest slates offered at a small convention.FilKONtario has been the honoured recipient of guests funded by   Interfilk since 1994.Interfilk is an international arts charity registered as a 501(c)(3) in California. FilKONtario is one of the recognized cons on that charity site.
Typical convention activities Programming typically includes: Concerts, song-writing contests, workshops on guitar, voice, performance, etc., one-shots, dealers' room, a fund-raising auction for Interfilk, theme circles, and, especially, open song circles where everyone who chooses can sing and play, and listeners are especially welcome. The circles start in the late evening and go into the early hours of the morning, or later. There is an opening reception, and sometimes a CD release. Some children's programming is usually available.Recording of the concerts and filks has been done since the first year of FilKONtario, resulting in the following releases, the first two on tape, the remainder on CD:* Make Believe (FilKONtario 1), Wail Songs* Let's Have a Filksing (FilKONtario 2), Wail Songs* Songs From FilKONtario 7: Why Can't Penguins Filk?, Love Song Productions, A Dozen Cats Studios (Savedsounds and USB Studios) * Where the Magic is Real (FilKONtario 8), a joint production of FilKONtario and USB Studios* Filk Dreams — music from FilKONtario 9, USB Studios* Filk Memories — music from FilKONtario 10, USB Studios* FilkNotes — the music from FilKONtario 11, USB Studios* Filk Together — music from FilKONtario 12, USB Studios* Triskaidekafilkia — music from FilKONtario 13, USB Studios
Filk Hall of Fame Inductions into the Filk Hall of Fame take place at the Saturday evening banquet. The Hall was created to honour "contributions to filk music and the filk community". Each year a jury reviews the nominations and votes anonymously for their selections. Once the votes are tallied, the Administrator contacts the inductees for the current year. The citations noting the inductees' contributions are read at the banquet, and those inductees present are given a copy of the citation and a plaque. These items are mailed to those not present.The next day there is a concert in honour of the new Hall of Fame inductees. Each new inductee selects five pieces of music significant to him, her or them. These are performed at the concert.There is additional extensive material about how to nominate and what constitutes contributions to the filk community on the  Filk Hall of Fame web site. In addition there is a complete list of inductees and their citations.Citation:  Songs noted in citations for inductees to the Filk Hall of Fame were used as part of the empirical database for this academic article
Outreach The FilKONtario Concom (convention organizing committee) has twice produced the filk track at a Worldcon:  At Torcon 3, 2003, Toronto, ON and at Anticipation, 2009, Montreal PQ.In preparation for Anticipation, two of the concom developed a multi-media presentation called "From the Earth to the Moon:  a celebration of manned space flight". This presentation included PowerPoint, live narration and live music, with many members of the concom and filkers who were present at the con. It was the keynote filk track item for Anticipation.Since then the concom has staged "From the Earth to the Moon", four more times:  FilKONtario 2010, a meeting of the  USS Hudson Bay (a local science fiction fan club) June, 2010; SFContario, November, 2010; and ConFusion, January, 2011.The latter three were by specific invitation of the organizing group.In addition a similar performance focusing on both manned and unmanned space exploration was performed at the invitation of the University of Toronto's Astronomy and Space Exploration Society presentation on 26 September 2009 as an opening act for keynote speaker Dr. David Charbonneau.
Previous conventions  # Dates Location Guest ofHonour Official Filk Waif Interfilk  Guest Special Guest SongwritingContest Hall of Fame Committee 1 Apr 12-14, 1991 Holiday Inn Mississauga Bill and Brenda Sutton -- -- -- A theme song for FilKONtario -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Wayne Borean, Joan MacDougall, Terri Neal, Lidia Tremblay 2 Apr 10-12, 1992 Holiday Inn Mississauga Tom Smith -- -- -- Buttons and T-shirts -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Lidia Tremblay, Wayne Borean, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 3 May 7–9, 1993 Holiday Inn Mississauga Michael Longcor Mary Ellen Wessels (unofficial) -- -- Aliens -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Judith Hayman, Dave Hayman, Wayne Borean, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 4 Apr 15-17, 1994 Regal Constellation Etobicoke Kathy Mar Mary Ellen Wessels Heather Rose Jones -- Technology -- Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Lynda Hurdis, Linda Baker 5 Mar 31-Apr 2, 1995 Holiday Inn Yorkdale Toronto Decadent Dave Clement Steve Macdonald -- -- To the Stars and Fools that Go Filk in the Night Bob AsprinLeslie FishOff Centaur Publications Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Rob Sutherland, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 6 Apr 19-21, 1996 Venture Inn AirportEtobicoke Mary Ellen Wessels Barry and Sally Childs-Helton Steve Dixon -- Magic and Magicians Juanita Coulson Julia Ecklar  Bob Laurent  Kathy Mar  Bill Maraschiello Heather Borean, Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 7 Apr 11-13, 1997 Venture Inn Airport Etobicoke Talis Kimberley Clif and Carol Flynt Doug Wu -- Songs based on written SF or Fantasy Lee and Barry Gold J. Spencer LoveMargaret Middleton Heather Borean (co-chair), Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 8 Apr 17-19 1998 Travelodge Hotel Toronto East Heather Alexander John Hall Juliane Honisch and Katy Dröge -- A place you'd like to go to Rafe Culpin Cynthia McQuillinErwin "Filthy Pierre" Strauss Carolyn Brown (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Glenn Simser, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair), Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 9 Mar 26-28, 1999 Quality Hotel Toronto Airport, Mississauga Urban Tapestry Don Neill Harold Groot -- To Space Gary Anderson"Decadent" Dave ClementMary Ellen Wessels Heather Borean, Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Glenn Simser, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair) 10 Mar 31- Apr 2, 2000 Quality Hotel Toronto Airport, Mississauga Larry Warner Diana Huey Scott Snyder -- Tricksters Zander NyrondDr. Jane RobinsonBill Roper Heather Borean (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde 11 Mar 30-Apr 1, 2001 Quality Hotel Toronto Airport, Mississauga Bill and Brenda Sutton Steve Simmons Erica Neely -- Mars and Beyond Gordon R. DicksonGytha NorthBill and Brenda Sutton Heather Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 12 Apr 5-7, 2002 Four Points Toronto Airport  Mississauga Joey Shoji Dave Weingart Anke Teschke Tanya Huff 1.A song based on Tanya's writing2.Technology Past and Future Lissa AllcockKirstin TangerAlan Thiesen Heather Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 13 Mar 28-30, 2003 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Dr. Jane Robinson and Cynthia McQuillin Mark Bernstein Robert Cooke -- Travellers of the Deep Karen and Poul Anderson Barry and Sally Childs-HeltonBob KanefskyChris Malme Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Ingrid de Buda,  Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 14 Mar 26-28, 2004 Delta Toronto Airport West Michael Longcor Kathleen Sloan Blind Lemming Chiffon -- Based on written military SF Katy Droege and Juliana HonischValerie HousdenGary McGath Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Ingrid de Buda,  Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford,  Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour (chair),  Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney 15 Apr 1-3, 2005 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Steve Macdonald Judith Hayman Carla Ulbrich Michelle Sagara Recycling in the Future Clif FlyntJudith and Dave HaymanTom Smith Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde 16 Mar 31- Apr 2, 2006 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Chris Conway Tanya Huff Judi Miller -- Tolkien's World Franklin GunkelmanSteve MacdonaldLois ManganGretchen Roper Heather Borean,  Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman (chair), Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde 17 Mar 23-25, 2007 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga n'Early Music Consort (a sixteen-person filk choir from England) Harmony Chris (Keris) CroughtonBruce PelzKathleen Sloan Heather Borean,  Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford,  Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair) 18 Apr 4-6, 2008 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Vixy and Tony   Bill Roper Marilyn Miller Heather Bruton Nightmares in the Dark Bob (Doc) and Anne PassovoySteve and Colleen Savitsky Heather Borean, Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair) 19 Apr 3-5, 2009 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Heather Dale Urban Tapestry Gerry and Sandy Tyra Robert J. Sawyer Space Games Erica Neely Frank Hayes Heather Borean, Jane Garthson,  Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Sue Jeffers, Ken Lalonde,  Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, 20 Apr 9-11, 2010 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff Erica Neely William Mark Simmons -- Time Travel Jan Dimasi Kristoph KloverMike Whitaker Heather Borean, Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour (chair), Peggi Warner-Lalonde 21 Apr 1-3, 2011 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Wild Mercy Karen Linsley Ghost of a Rose -- Coming of Age Ellen KranzerHoward ScrimgeourUrban Tapestry Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers (chair), Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde 22 Apr 20-22, 2012 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Kathy Mar Paul Estin Steve and Dorotha Biernesser -- The End of Time Tom JeffersGary EhrlichPersis Thorndike Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair) 23 Apr 19-21, 2013 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Tim & Annie Walker Rand & Erin Bellavia Katt McConnell -- FANtastic Canada Cecilia EngRoberta RogowVolker Tanger Jane Garthson (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde 24 Apr 25-27, 2014 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga S.J. Tucker Gary Ehrlich Piers Cawley Lorna Toolis Music in Space Michael LongcorTalis KimberleyKathy Hamilton Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair) 25 Apr 16-19, 2015 Delta Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Bill & Brenda SuttonTalis Kimberley Kari Maaren Nicole Dieker (Hello, the Future!) Heather Borean Silver Kay ShaperoNick SmithSteven Joel Zeve Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde (chair), Peggi Warner-Lalonde 26 Apr 9-10, 2016 Toronto Airport West, Mississauga Cecilia Eng Peggi Warner-Lalonde Batya Wittenburg  Animals in Space Mark BernsteinEli Goldberg Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard 27 Apr 21-23, 2017 Toronto Airport West Hotel, Mississauga Mike Whitaker Cat Faber Shawna Jacques  Wandering the Digital Highway Gary HanakJudi MillerMaya and Jeff Bohnhoff Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford 28 Apr 20-22, 2018 Monte Carlo Inn Brampton Suites, Brampton Leslie Hudson Tim Griffin Sabine and Michael Kinder First Contact Sibylle MachatPaul Willett Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford 29 Apr 12-14, 2019 Monte CarloInn & Suites Downtown Markham Juanita Coulson Margaret Davis & Kristoph Klover Summer Loraine Russell  Cosmic Hotels W. Randy HoffmanHarold Stein Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford 30 Apr 24-26, 2020(Postponed) Monte CarloInn & Suites Downtown Markham Stone Dragons The Blibbering Humdingers PDX Broadsides  Back to the Moon Juliana McCorisonRob WynneBlind Lemming Chiffon Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally HeadfordFrom the FilKONtario program book archive.
References
Sources * Access to the print archives of FilKONtario—program books, progress reports, etc. 1991 to 2011. *  Tatum, Identity and Authenticity in the Filk Community , 3 Journal of Transformative Works and Cultures (2009). This article discusses what filk is, references the Filk Hall of Fame administered by FilKONtario, and contains excerpts from Sally Childs-Helton's speech at FilKONtario in 2003. *Solomon H. Davidoff,  "Filk:" A Study of Shared Musical Traditions and Related Phenomena among Fan Groups (M.A. thesis, Bowling Green State University, 1996). Bowling Green State University Thesis 6673. (At BGSU, call no. LD 4191 O6 No 6673.)
External links *  FilKONtario Home Page*  Interfilk*  Filk FAQ *  Filk Hall of Fame*  Filk Culture