MenuVolunteer for Boskone and Win a Free Trip to Mars!
Okay, that’s a lie. There’s no free trip to Mars. But we really, really need your help, and we hope you help us to build a great Boskone! And you will have our eternal gratitude, some spiffy rewards, and even the chance to come to Boskone next year for free. Plus, it’s a great way to meet people!
The types of things we need volunteers for include:
- Pre-Convention: Planning, organizing, designing, writing, proofing, accounting, marketing, web updates, etc.
- Loading and unloading the truck
- Setting up the Art Show
- Various sit-down tasks
- Manning places like Registration, Consuite, Den, etc.
You don’t need to be local to volunteer
Just send us an email at volunteers@boskone.org before the con or stop by the Volunteers desk in the Galleria during Boskone. In your email, please provide:
- Last Name
- First Name
- email address and telephone
- Street Address, City, State, Zipcode, Country
- Areas where you are interested in volunteering
It would help us if you also provided:
- Times and Days Available
- Have you attended Previous Boskones or other Cons?
- Are you registered for B59?
- Skills, Background and Experience
Depending on the number of hours you work we offer several kinds of awards, including a memberhip to Boskone 60.
Live in the Boston-area?
If you’re local and would like to meet us before the convention, we’ll be putting things together at our clubhouse in Somerville, Massachusetts in February. Drop us email at volunteers@boskone.org for more information.
Schedule
We always need help Thursday afternoon and evening at the convention hotel (Westin Boston Seaport District). If you can help us unload the truck full of convention-running goodies, build our Art Show, or do various tedious sit-down tasks made delightful by good company (and yummy by the Secret Buffet of Fandom), that happens on the night before the convention begins. And, of course, we could use help during the convention, at the end with packing it all back up, and getting it into and out of the truck.
To give you an idea of when we might need people, here’s a table with expected work sessions before Boskone. Please check back closer to the con for the latest details!
| Date | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, February 12, 1pm–7pm Sunday, February 13, 1pm–7pm (Saturday time and both ending times are approximate. Stay in touch.) |
Badge production, packing boxes for truck-loading |
NESFA Clubhouse 504 Medford St., Somerville, MA |
| Wednesday, February 16, 6pm–11pm (approx) | Truck loading |
NESFA Clubhouse 504 Medford St., Somerville, MA |
| Thursday, February 17, 3pm–9pm (approx) | Truck unloading, convention setup volunteer reg |
Westin Boston Seaport District 425 Summer St. Boston, MA |
| Friday-Sunday, February 18–20 (as early as 10:00 am Friday ) |
Boskone – stop at Volunteers in Galleria for staffing needs |
Westin Boston Seaport District 425 Summer St. Boston, MA |
| Sunday, Feb 20, 3pm–9pm (approx) | Teardown & truck loading |
Westin Boston Seaport District 425 Summer St. Boston, MA |
| Monday, Feb 21, 1pm–6pm (approx) | Truck unloading as soon as the truck arrives at the clubhouse |
NESFA Clubhouse 504 Medford St., Somerville, MA |
Rewards
Besides the satisfaction of a job well done, spiffy rewards for folks who work 6 hours or more, free books, munchies (we want to keep you moving!), and a free membership to next year’s Boskone for people who work 12 hours or more—double credit for pre- and post-convention work that includes setup and teardown.
Dead Dog Party
The Dead Dog party occurs Sunday after teardown, celebrating taking down the Art Show (and surviving it!), packing up the office, loading the truck, and bringing the convention to a successful end. We celebrate in the Galleria. Please pitch in with teardown. The more help we get, the sooner the party starts!
And we promise: just as soon as a free trip to Mars is available, we’ll put your name in the hat!