Confluence Pittsburgh 2026 Conference Recap
Introduction
I attended the Confluence Pittsburgh 2026 Conference from July 24 to 26, 2026. The conference was held at 1160 Thorn Run Road, Coraopolis, PA, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I also attended the conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. COVID-19 changed the conference to a virtual event called C’monfluence in 2020, which I attended online. The Parsec organization of Pittsburgh runs this literary science fiction, fantasy, and horror conference. The events included panels, author readings, interviews, writing workshops, and filk concerts. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, the Guest of Honor interview, an improv comedy show, and a concert.
The link to the Confluence website.
http://parsec-sff.org/confluence/
They held the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport.
Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026 Program Guide Cover
Picture of my badge from Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026
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Summary
Friday, July 24th at 6 PM
Possible New Earths: Habitable Zones in Star Systems, a lecture by Dr. Melanie Good.
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They held the lecture in Commonwealth West with 27 attendees.
Friday, July 24th at 7 PM
Opening Ceremonies
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They held the ceremonies in Ballroom 1 with 46 attendees.
Friday, July 24th at 8 PM
Book to Movie: Movies Based on SF Books with Barbara Doran, Stephen Fisher, Alan Irvine, and Electra Hammond.
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They held the panel in Commonwealth East with 21 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 12 PM
Fantasy before Tolkien and Horror before Lovecraft with Darrell Schweitzer, Stephen Fisher, Eric Leif Davin, and Lawrence C. Connolly.
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They held the panel in the Commonwealth West Room with 23 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 1 PM
It was 50 years ago today: The Science Fiction of 1976 with Rich Horton, Charles Oberndorf, and Marie Vibbert.
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They held the panel in the Commonwealth West Room with 30 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 3 PM
Writing Guest of Honor interview of Andy Duncan by Marie Vibbert.
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They held the interview in Ballroom 1 with 48 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 4 PM
Writers to Remember: John Varley and Other Major Writers Who No Longer Get the Attention They Deserve with Charles Oberndorf, Mark Painter, Albert Wendland, and Rich Horton.
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They held the panel in the Commonwealth East Room with 15 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 7 PM
Featured Saturday evening entertainment with the Select Start Comedy Group.
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They held the show in Ballroom 1 with 28 attendees.
Saturday, July 25th at 8 PM
Musical Guest Quicksave
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They held the show in Ballroom 1 with 48 attendees.
Recommendation – Conclusion
I’m glad I attended the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh 2026. My star of the con was Marie Vibbert. Marie Vibbert conducted a great Guest of Honor interview and was memorable in the 50 years ago panel I attended that she was on. Based on the information she explained in the opening ceremonies, she was the editor of the 2026 Triangulation anthology, which she presented. She also ran the writing workshops at the con. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, the Guest of Honor interview, an improv comedy show, and a concert. It was a full weekend. I also attended the conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. I hope to attend Confluence in 2027.
Links
Confluence Pittsburgh 2025 Conference Recap from July 25 to 27, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. I attended the opening ceremonies, five panels, two readings, and a concert.
Confluence Pittsburgh 2024 Conference Recap from July 26 to 28, 2024, at the Sheraton Hotel. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. I attended 2 panels, 1 reading, and a concert.
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference in Pittsburgh on July 30, 2022, at the Sheraton. I also attended Confluence in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. I attended 3 panels, two readings, an improv comedy show, a concert, and the guest of honor presentation
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh, held virtually from 10-02-20 to 10-04-20. I attended the opening ceremony, five panels, three readings, one presentation, the guest of honor presentation, and the conference breakdown.
Links Continued
Recap for the Confluence SF Conference Pittsburgh on July 27 & 28, 20, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I also attended Confluence in ‘16, ‘17, and ‘18. I attended five panels, two fiction writing workshops, and the guest of honor presentation
They held the Confluence Conference from July 27, 2018, to July 29, 2018, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended two lectures, two panels, one fiction writing seminar, one author reading, and the guest of honor presentation.
They held the Confluence Conference from August 4 to August 6, 2017, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended seven panels, one writing workshop, one author reading, and the guest of honor presentation.
Recap of the Confluence SF Conference on July 30 and July 31, 2016, at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport Hotel. I attended 15 panels and the U.S.S. Improvise improv sketch comedy routine.