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PolaCon
Updated: Oct 3
Mark your calendars for the 8th PolaCon back where it all started* — Denton and Dallas, Texas!
Start to make travel & lodging plans to join us Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 1. And, by popular demand, IFS will also plan some “Day Zero” events for Thurs., Sept. 28.
PolaCon 8 tickets are available NOW (And, yes, you DO need tickets this year!): https://polacon8.eventbrite.com
We can’t wait to see y’all!
Instant Film Society’s PolaCon returns again for 3-days** packed with 20+ demos, talks, Q-&-As, panel discussions, workshops, #PolaWalks, photo booths and much more.
We’ll have sessions for beginners just starting their instant film journey as well as advanced workshops for the long-time “Polaroiders.”
PolaCon8 will officially kick off with IFS’ 12th Annual Rain-or-Shine #PolaWalk at The State Fair of Texas on Friday, September 29 followed by a mixer, concert and after party Friday night in Denton at Rubber Gloves.
Then we'll spend all day Saturday and Sunday near Downtown Denton with the Zines & Things Swap Meet, PolaWalks, workshops, demos, roundtables, tons of backdrops, photo-ops, and many surprises.
Here's the full PolaCon 8: An Instant Film Convention Schedule!
For those who arrive early:
9/28 THURSDAY: “DAY ZERO” // Dallas & Denton
DAY: JFK Historic Sites Meet-Ups & PolaWalk for PolaCon 8
11 a.m.-12:30-ish Meet at the Campisi’s on Mockingbird for lunch [5610 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas] Visit campisis.us/history for context
1-2:30 p.m. Dealey Plaza Area #PolaWalk
Meet in the shade of the “The Grassy Knoll” at 1:15 p.m. before we stroll around Dealey Plaza/Sixth Floor Museum/Schoolbook Depository/John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza
2:30 p.m. Meet at the northside of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza
3-4 p.m. Meet at Top Ten Records for a Jefferson Street PolaWalk
338 W. Jefferson Blvd
4-6 p.m. “History Happy Hour” meet-and-greet at Texas Theatre with cool historical photographs, slides and more from the investigative records of a Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputy from November 1963.
231 W. Jefferson Blvd
thetexastheatre.com/about
NIGHT: RGRS in Denton
Then we will head North to Denton for a showcase of local talent with 4 remarkable bands and a cool vinyl DJ at Rubber Gloves 8 p.m.-midnight. Doors open at 7 p.m.
8 p.m. R. Buttrum
9 p.m. Lung
10 p.m. Young Dean
11 p.m. Python Potions
12-2 p.m. DJ DREAMLOVER69
FRIDAY: DAY ONE // Dallas & Denton
DAY: DALLAS: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 12th Annual Rain-or-Shine #PolaWalk at the State Fair of Texas – Includes Scavenger Hunt list. (Official meetups behind Big Tex in Fair Park at noon, 3:30 and 6 p.m. -- Look for the group of photographers with a Rainbow Color Wheel Umbrella. See the Facebook event page for full details.)
NIGHT: DENTON: “double eXXposure” Welcome party and concert with photographable bands on the indoor stage, as well as drag and burlesque performances on the outside stage thanks to our friends at What the Femme Productions.
7 p.m. doors open; 8 p.m. show starts.
8 p.m. MAPLE メープル (Denton)
9 p.m. What the Femme
10:15 p.m. Harley Deville (NYC)
10:45 p.m. CookiE ToNGue / Ow wOw mEoW (NOLA/NYC)
11:30 p.m. Caleb De Casper (Austin)
12:15 a.m. Lorelei K (Dallas)
11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. “The Pricemaster” Telethon in the Rubber Room. “The Pricemaster” will screen on loop until...
1:30 a.m. to ??? After Hours Screening of “The Pricemaster” with a Q-and-A with the photographer who filmed the mesmerizing half hour of the most unforgettable garage sale of all-time on VHS tape in 2001. “The Pricemaster has spoken....”
SATURDAY: DAY TWO // Denton [From noon on all at Rubber Gloves] 8:30-9:30 a.m. Downtown Mural PolaWalk tour lead by @InstantDenton
Meet at Jupiter House at 8:30 a.m. sharp. Arrive early if you plan to grab some coffee or a bagel or cinnamon roll before the walk.
106 N. Locust St.
9:30-11 a.m. Free time to Choose-your-own-Brunch-venture on the Square or
10 a.m. Meet at Denton Camera Exchange at 10 a.m. for a “Let’s Taco 'bout Cameras” breakfast hangout at the shop, sponsored by Denton Camera Exchange (DCE) and Mi Casita. Come hungry for breakfast tacos and some of the best salsa in town!
[DCE at 117 Piner St.]
11 a.m.-11:30-ish Hickory Street #PolaWalk
Meet-up at Denton Camera Exchange before PolaWalking across the Square to Rubber Gloves as a group. Feel free to meander at your own pace for this 0.7 mile, 15-minute stroll.
Doors do not open at Rubber Gloves until noon!
Please, attendees, do not arrive at Rubber Gloves until doors open at noon.
[Vendors and exhibitors can obviously arrive at 11 a.m. to begin setting up.]
Noon - 6pm The Main Event** (demos, talks, workshops, panel discussions, etc.) & The Zines & Things Swap Meet. 411 E Sycamore St. (Noon) Sydney Diamond - Cyanotypes
(1 p.m.) One-on-One Instant Film 101
(1 p.m.) Hannah Harbor - Emulsion lifts
(2 p.m.) Jesse Wisdom - 4x5 Demo/Portrait Session
(2:30 p.m.) Joshua Preston – Instant Film Composites, mosaics & “joiners”
(3 p.m.) Pete Madden - Polaroid Transparencies
(4 p.m.) Ben Fraternale - I-2 Camera Demo
(5 p.m.) State of the Emulsion Address
(6 p.m.) Bret Watkins - Portrait Demo/PolaCrawl
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Choose-your-own-adventure free-play time
8 p.m. to 1 a.m. More cool photographable performances, as well as Karaoke with J Doubles
Doors 7/Show 8
{Outdoor Stage}
At the Helm Presents:
Jessy Lanza
Golden Donna
Yalcy Lailliw
{The Showroom aka the indoor main stage}
10 p.m. - 2 a.m.
PolaCon & FLUID CONSTRUCT present:
Pintalabios
freakhorse
Xinexport
{The Rubber Room}
9 p.m. until attendees stop singing or “last call”
PolaCon Presents: Karaoke with J Doubles, featuring a special camera- and photography-themed Karaoke menu just for PolaCon 8 attendees.
SUNDAY: DAY THREE DENTON: 9-10:30 a.m. Choose-your-own-Brunch-venture
10:30 or 11 a.m. to noon-ish Meet-up at DCE before walking en masse to Harvest House.
Noon-6 pm at Harvest House for more workshops/demos, photo booths and another opportunity to sell or swap Zines & Things. We’ll also have 3 DJs spinning vinyl-only sets from noon to 6 p.m.
· (12 pm) Matthew Nixson - Tintype demo
· (1 PM) Lora O’Shaughnessy - Instax transparencies
· (2 PM) Music Photography Panel
· (3 PM) Armand - 8x10 demo & photo booth
· (3 PM) One-on-One Instant Film 101 from IFS (on-site sign-up required)
· (4 PM) More than Prints – Group Discussion
5-6 pm Free time/Choose-your-own-dinner-venture, then head to Rubber Gloves for THE BIG SHOW.
6 to ??? pm Wrap Party at Rubber Gloves with two of our favorite live acts: The Polyphonic Spree and Pearl Earl. Doors 7; Show 8.
Follow @instantfilmsociety on Instagram and Facebook for more details as they develop.
Want to be a part of PolaCon 8? We're taking applications for presenters, vendors, and volunteers!
Apply at the links below:
WHERE TO STAY IN DENTON?
Denton is located 40 miles north of Dallas, 25 miles north of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Airport & 36 miles north of Dallas Love Field (DAL) Airport. Book early while attendees have several nearby hotels, AirBnBs and real B&Bs to choose from.
Check out Denton accommodations here: discoverdenton.com/where-to-stay/
Check out our other events, too! For folks on the West Coast, there's PolaCon Bay Area. And, for our PolaPals on the East Coast, there's PolaCon NYC. Hope to see you there!
*Chronologically the 14th PolaCon.
**OK, 4 days now!
[ Polaroids & 📷: @justinsgoode ]