If this is your first filk convention, you may have some questions for us. Please email filkontarioinfo@gmail.com or join our Facebook group for anything you want to know! And if you’re shy of asking questions, we hope to answer some of them here.
What is FilKONtario?
FilKONtario is a fandom convention for people who like to sing, play, or listen to music. People come from all around the world to meet with friends and have fun. The convention is organized by people who love music and fandom, and want to enjoy a wonderful weekend with friends they may see only once or twice a year. And filkers keep coming back, because they have such a great time.
What is filk music?
Filk is the music of fandom. It comes from a tradition of mostly acoustic, folk-based music, but filk has grown a lot in recent decades and encompasses many genres, including rock, blues, jazz, Celtic, hip hop, and anything else you can think of. The uniting theme is science fiction and fantasy, but filkers also sing songs about crafts, chocolate, computers, animals, science, and many other nerdy or geeky subjects. Instrumental pieces are welcome, too. Ultimately, filk is the music of the filk community. If you have written a song and want to share it in a filk circle, then as far as we’re concerned it’s filk!
Many filkers play acoustic guitars, but you will also see fiddles, drums, shaker eggs, ukuleles, and mandolins, plus the odd rain stick, autoharp, concertina, or oud. Some filkers sing without the backing of an instrument.
When you hear a song in a filk circle, it’s an entirely new and different experience. You can take a song that sounds fantastic when the performers do it alone and put it in the circle… and it takes on a life of its own. Someone adds a fiddle part. Someone else joins in on the bodhran. Maybe someone plays the flute or the pennywhistle. Six or eight or maybe even sixteen people add fantastic harmonies. Others pick up their guitars, figure out the chords, and play along. Suddenly, it’s more than a song; it’s a shared experience, and expression of community and friendship. And that is very, very cool.
— Erin Bellavia
I play a [fill in the blank—guitar, trombone, bagpipes]. Will I be welcome in a filk circle?
Pretty much everything is welcome as long as people take their turn and play nice.
What is the convention like?
The con starts with a reception on Friday night, followed by concerts and filking. On Saturday we have a full day of workshops, concerts, the Interfilk auction, more concerts, and lots more filking. On Sunday there will be more workshops, more concerts, and an evening of open filking called the Dead Penguin for those still standing. On Monday, the last of us will say our sad farewells (or sing Till We Meet Again) and depart until next year.
Most of the action at the con takes place in the main hall, where there will be a series of concerts over the course of the weekend. We have three headlining guests, plus some other concert performances, as well as a concert by this year’s inductees to the Filk Hall of Fame. Attendees can also sign up to play a small set (two songs or ten minutes, whichever is shorter), or an individual song. There will also be a song contest taking place at the convention. The hall will be set up with audience seating, but there are also tables at the back where people work on crafting projects while they listen to the concerts. Bring your needles and yarn or your latest art project!
We will also have some smaller rooms available which will be open for attendees to play music together during the day. In the evening, themed filk circles will be hosted there after the concerts are over. There will also be some workshops during the daytime. In the lobby outside the main hall there will be a marketplace where filkers can sell music, merch, apparel, geeky trinkets, vintage fandom items, and more. And, for a quieter space to relax, talk, and get something to eat, the consuite will be open and stocked with drinks and snacks.
For a complete schedule, check out our Program page. If this year’s program isn’t posted yet, you can also see last year’s program grid there to get an idea of what the con will be like.
More information:
- FKO20 – Noob at a Filk Convention, by Errol Elumir: A charming and witty review of Errol’s first experience at a filk con in 2010.
- From Ties and Tails to Dead Penguins: FilKONtario 8 Revisited, by Lloyd Landa: An article on FilKONtario, originally published in the June 1998 edition of The Voyager.
The convention organizers and a few other early arrivals will be there on Thursday to get ready for the convention. Let us know if you’re planning to be there early too!
How much does this all cost?
For everything you need to know about registration and payment, check out our Registration page! It’s cheaper to preregister than to pay at the door, so if you know you’re planning to come we recommend you register ahead. Kids’ and teens’ registrations are also cheaper—or even free, if they’re very small! And day rates are also available, if you’re only planning to come for one day.
For information on where the con will be held and to register for our special group rate, check out the Hotel page. If you’re concerned about costs, join our Facebook group to see if you can find someone to share a room with—it’s a great way to cut expenses, make new friends, and have fun all weekend.
Breakfast is included in the hotel rates, and the FilKONtario consuite will provide beverages and snacks free with your membership. You are responsible for any additional meal costs.
I’ve heard that filkers write bad parodies of good songs and sing off-key and play badly. Is that true?
In a word: yes! But we also have wonderful professional musicians; seasoned performers; funny, touching, moving, and thoughtful original songs; and excellent singers. We welcome everyone, even those who are less polished or talented—but many filkers are extremely talented. Some of our friends were told not to sing at some point in their lives, but have learned to be quite acceptable or even very good musicians. And even for those who haven’t, filk is about finding the joy and play in music and being creative, even if you’re not “good at it.” It’s a very supportive and welcoming community.
Where else can I learn about filk?
We have an About Filk section with lots more information! You can also check out Kay Shapero’s Filk FAQ, this article by Jordan Kare on the Interfilk website, or even Wikipedia!