"Alien Invasion Thwarted by Convention-Goers Armed Only with Lightsabers and Wands!"

On This Day: Science Fiction and Fantasy Edition

Here are five things that happened on this day, sure to interest attendees at a science fiction and fantasy convention:

1. 1938: The radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds caused panic among listeners who believed the fictional story of a Martian invasion was real. #WarOfTheWorlds #HGWells
2. 1955: The novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov was first published in Paris, France. The controversial story of a middle-aged man's obsession with a young girl has been adapted into several films and stage productions. #Lolita #VladimirNabokov
3. 1974: The television series The Six Million Dollar Man premiered on ABC. Starring Lee Majors as a former astronaut who is given bionic implants, the show became a cult classic and spawned spin-offs and merchandise. #TheSixMillionDollarMan #LeeMajors
4. 1998: The film Practical Magic was released in theaters. Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witch sisters, the movie has since gained a devoted following and inspired a prequel book series. #PracticalMagic #SandraBullock #NicoleKidman
5. Birthdays: Celebrating their birthday today is actor David Ogden Stiers, known for his roles in M*A*S*H, Beauty and the Beast, and Stargate Atlantis. #DavidOgdenStiers #MASH #BeautyAndTheBeast #StargateAtlantis

What other notable events or birthdays do you remember from this day? Share them with us using the hashtag #SFandFantasyOnThisDay!

#Concellation2023: The Most Outrageous Convention Yet!

Hey there, space cadets! I'm Crash Facepalm, reporting live from the craziest convention in the galaxy - Concellation 2023! This year's event has been out of this world, with more outrageous events than you can shake a lightsaber at.

#LetsGetWeird

The celebrity sightings alone have been worth the price of admission. I saw George R.R. Martin in the gaming room, trying his hand at a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. He may be the master of Game of Thrones, but he couldn't quite get the hang of rolling a D20.

#NerdAlert

And speaking of Game of Thrones, the cosplay contest was a sight to see. There were so many Daenerys Targaryens and Jon Snows that it looked like a Westerosi army had invaded the convention center. But the best costume award had to go to the guy dressed as a Dalek from Doctor Who. He kept shouting "Exterminate!" at everyone he met, and even tried to exterminate the judges when he didn't win.

#BeamMeUp

The panels have been amazing too. I attended one on the science of Star Trek, where a real-life astrophysicist explained why teleportation is impossible (I guess we'll have to stick to spaceships for now). And the panel on time travel was mind-bending - I'm still not sure if I'm in the present or the future.

#PartyTime

But let's be real, the best part of any convention is the parties. And Concellation 2023 did not disappoint. I went to a Star Wars-themed dance party where Darth Vader was DJing (who knew he had such a good taste in music?). And the after-party for the sci-fi erotica panel was... well, let's just say what happens at Concellation stays at Concellation.

#OutOfThisWorld