We've had a few of these virtual cons now, and it's fair to say that the fandom is only just getting started with them. There's a simple list on Equestria Daily, but here I'll add a few sentences about each one, so you get everything on the same page. Isn't that exciting? Thought so. In chronological order, then...
BABSConline – Fri 8th/Sat 9th May
Given the BABSCon team's experience and contacts, I have high expectations for their first venture into online conning. No guest announcements yet, but I imagine there'll be big names in there. A shame they're relying on Facebook (so far?) for announcements rather than setting up a proper website, though they do have Discord up and running. (The existing BABSCon site is concentrating on 2021.)
Burning Mare Music Festival – Sat 16th/Sun 17th May
These guys don't seem to have much infrastructure as yet, with applications being taken on their Twitter. Said applications only seem to have opened for about two days, which is strange. They do have a Discord server, which has a couple of names I recognise (Wootmaster, for example) but I don't really know much at all about who's running this one.
PoniesOnline – Sat 23rd May
A rather smaller-scale, one-day con here. They have an actual website (yay, even if it is a little garish) and streaming will be on YouTube, not the now-popular Twitch. No information yet on guests or schedule, but they have announced a charity – Child's Play, who send toys and games to hospitals and similar institutions. Declaration of interest: one of the staff is a friend of mine.
Quantum SEAPonyCon – Sun 24th May
No rest for the wicked! The very next day from PoniesOnline comes another event! Project SEAPonyCon isn't new to the convention game, having run several in various parts of SE Asia. Quantum is taking a startling approach: running within a Minecraft server! Sadly the mod pack they're using only runs on Windows, and I'm a Linux pony, so I doubt I'll be be able to access this one. I don't have Minecraft either, a rather bigger handicap. :P
PonyFest Online 3.0 – Sat 30th May
The fuf returns! This one will, I suspect, be the big one for many people. Coming off the back off two highly regarded iterations, this third staging of the convention doesn't have much to say just yet. However, 2.0 was easily the closest I've ever experienced online to the authentic Pony convention experience. I therefore have high expectations – and high hopes.
SLPonyCon – Mon 1st June to Tue 30th June
I know almost nothing about this one, except that it's planned to take place within the Second Life environment. And yes, those dates are right – the logo button (see it via the EqD link above) does indeed suggest it's going to run all month. I'm not sure that really counts as a con in the usual sense, but then I don't play SL so I'm not really sure. They have no website, which doesn't help.
BronyBash.Online – Fri 19th/Sat 20th June
Despite being a month and a half away, which is an age in online convention terms, this group already have a website and some musical guests lined up. A good roster, too: L-Train, 4EverfreeBrony and General Mumble are among the highlights. No other guests, panels or vendors announced yet, though. Slight concern: the website is rather minimal and doesn't name any of the staff.
And that's the lot! (For now...) I don't think it will startle anyone too much when I say that PonyFest 3.0 is already inked in on my personal calendar, and I fully expect it to be excellent. BABSConline should be good as well, though I hope they don't continue to use Facebook all the time – it's a horrible site to browse if like me you don't have an account. The others are more unknown quantities. We shall see
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