SRQCon

All participants and attendees must follow Sarasota County Library Rules of Conduct and Facility Rules while on the premises.

The following SRQCon rules also apply.

• Cosplay is NOT consent! Harassment will not be tolerated. Always ask before taking pictures of a cosplayer or posing with a cosplayer in the background. 
• Cosplay should be appropriate for all-ages.  Selby Library staff has the final say on whether a cosplay or costume is appropriate.
• The following are strictly prohibited as part of your costume:
  • Real weapons, even if they are no longer functioning or sharp
  • Sharp-edged or metal weapons
  • Airsoft, paintball, or BB/pellet weapons
  • Metal or wooden baseball bats or clubs
  • Aerosol sprays, projectiles of any kind (including nerf darts), and pyrotechnics of any kind
• All toy or model guns must be clearly marked with orange on the barrel.
• Large foam, cardboard, and plastic props are allowed.
• Selby Library staff reserves the right to deny entry to any prop or prop weapon.
• Inappropriate use of otherwise allowable props or weapons will result in the weapon or prop being removed from the con.
• Footwear is required and includes shoes, boots, or slippers; socks are not considered footwear. Even if your character does not wear shoes, all participants must wear footwear.

We are currently planning 2025 SRQ Con.

The online application form is now available for prospective presenters, exhibitors/vendors.

2024 Presentations:

Secondhand Science: Time Travel in Pop Culture
11 a.m.
Presented by Nienna Nier

H.G. Wells first penned The Time Machine in 1895. 130 years later, Time Travel is still among the most popular tropes in Science Fiction. Fandom Historian Nienna Nir, gives us an overview of how Time Travel has been utilized in Film and Literature, and compares it against what we know of Relativity and the general science of time. 

Cosplay Dance
12 p.m.
Performance by Shimmy BOOM

Professional dance troupe ShimmyBOOM Bellydance returns for another amazing time at SRQCon! Come enjoy a 20-minute set of cosplay dance and join the fun with easy-to-learn moves taught by the renowned Misha Cain Nell!  

Comic Creation Workshop
1 p.m.
Presented/Led by Bat City Comics

Join Bat City Comic Professionals, a 501(3)(3) educational organization, as they help you learn the quick and easy way to develop the essentials of a great comic book story. From believable characters to problems that create layers for your characters to trudge through to a solution that can leave your readers wowed...and maybe wanting a little bit more! Perfect for writers of all ages and skill sets. 

Character Development Workshop
2 p.m.
Presented by Dr. Emily Carr

Characters are the beating heart of every story--fiction, memoir, movies, comics, graphic novels, even reality television! In fact, it's their actions, dialogue, habits, quirks, appearance, gestures, hopes, dreams, fears, triumphs, failures, and flaws that make a story what it is. It's almost magical, bringing people to life through image and word. In this workshop, you'll learn techniques, both on and off the page, in image and in word - for creating characters (human and nonhuman alike) that seem as vividly dimensional as your wife or boss or best friend or next-door neighbor.

Horror in the Age of Horror 
2 p.m.
Panel discussion with Southwest Florida Horror Writers Association

The purpose of this panel is to discuss, and hopefully generate, ideas for fabricating fear in a world where danger abounds. Readers do not live in a bubble; their consumption of fiction is accompanied by news headlines and social media posts that report disasters and destruction daily. How can horror writers match (dare compete with) the atrocities of the news? How can horror writers create content that inspires chills in readers who have become immune to fear after surviving category 5 hurricanes, a pandemic, and personal traumas? 

Cosplay Contest
3 p.m.

Featuring YOU! SRQCon cosplay rules apply.

Note: The following session has been cancelled 

Writing and Developing Your Characters 
Presented by Barb Jones

Join author Barb Jones (The Blood Prophecy) as she explores the topic of writing and developing novels, which includes ways to become a successful author and to develop characters, especially villains, in this engaging panel discussion! There will plenty of opportunities for questions and learning! 

Barb Jones is the owner of Immortal Cravings, a company built with the purpose of authors helping other authors. 

We are currently planning 2025 SRQ Con.

The online application form is now available for prospective presenters, exhibitors/vendors.

2024 Crafts:

Decorate a cap

11 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Creation Station

Decorate a ball cap with fabric markers, Tulip paint, and bling. Kids and adult sizes available on a first come, first served basis. 

Silk screen a book bag

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Youth program room

Silk screen a canvas book bag using various pop culture templates. Pick your favorite and use the rollers to apply ink to the bag. Personalize your design with fabric markers.

We are currently planning 2025 SRQ Con.

The online application form is now available for prospective presenters, exhibitors/vendors.

2024 Escape Room:

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Solve puzzles, follow clues, and uncover secrets to escape the evil wizard's library and steal back his hidden treasure.

Up to 4 players at a time, for kids, teens, or adults (young children must be accompanied by an adult).

We are currently planning 2025 SRQ Con.

The online application form is now available for prospective presenters, exhibitors/vendors.

2024 Food Trucks:

We have coordinated with the following food trucks to setup during the event! 

• The Empanada Girl
• Q & S Kool Cups

An exhibit/vendor area will be available within Selby Library. The online application form is now available for prospective exhibitors/vendors.

Vendors include local artists and shops.

In 2023, our exhibit/vendor area nearly filled the Selby Library's rotunda.