UK PonyCon schedule released!

Go right here for the official site's schedule page. To start with just the "Saturday – Mane Event Rooms" timetable is visible. Click the little pictures under the schedule to see the "Saturday  Additional Rooms" chart and the equivalents for Sunday. They're a little fiddly, but they work.

I've so far only had a chance to have a brief skim down the schedules, so please take this as more of an "instant reaction" post than anything resembling more detailed thoughts. What I will say, though, is that you look at this schedule and think, "Yep, this is UKPC". I mean that as a compliment!

This is the first UK PonyCon to have show guests, so I'm pleased to see three signing sessions for the VIPs. As is only reasonable, Gold and Silver ticket holders will get faster access to these, so it's important that us Bronze and Standard plebs get a fair chance as well. I think this setup should do that.

Acknowledging that scheduling is a really tough job and that no possible timetable is going to satisfy absolutely everyone, I think the committee have done very well for the most part. Inevitably there's a place or two where there are potentially annoying clashes, but I doubt that can be avoided.

It's great to see the return of the Saturday night concert! As I type this we still don't know who any of the musicians are going to be, which I'll confess surprises me a little. I checked back, and in 2019 all artists were known quite a lot earlier. Hopefully details are just being finalised and will be published soon.

I'm not keen on the timing of the evening Pub Quiz (always a highlight). Extending it to 90 minutes is fine, but 11pm is a really late finish. Too late, I think. Up until 2019 it generally finished at 10pm, which I would much have preferred this time too. Anyone attending this and not staying over the road is going to have a very late night and possible transport difficulties.

That's my one real whinge. There are plenty of nicer things, though! Not least the fact that we're finally going to get one of those VA script readings that American con-goers are forever going on about. With a Q&A afterwards, though at only an hour for both combined that's likely to be relatively brief.

Lots of old favourites return. Pinch the Parcel has been a UKPC staple since about 1487, and Rainbow Dash Attack is nearly as venerable! Dr Pony is back to talk about the Gothic, there's bingo, you can paint a blind bag – and of course there's singing! Karaoke and also I'm delighted to see, the pre-opening ceremony singalong. Yay!

So, it's all falling into place nicely. Only three weeks to go now until I'm off to my eighth UK PonyCon. Not an academy record, but not bad! I shall of course bore everyone here to tears with my convention reports when all is said and done, so do make sure you have an escape plan. :D