Shore Leave (US convention)

You may be looking for the Scottish convention Shore Leave.
Shore Leave is an annual fan-run convention that takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 
 
It was founded by the Star Trek Association of Towson which continues to run it. The first convention took place in 1979; the con was still running as of 2025.
The con's focus was initially on Star Trek, but it has since broadened to include other science fiction media. 
The programming includes guest appearances by actors, writer/creators, and scientists, a dealer's room, an art show, filk singing, fan skits, a film and video festival, science and children's programming, workshops, and a cosplay show/contest.
Some highlights were/are: filking by Boogie Knights, Denebian Slime Devils, and Omicron Ceti III, and theater presentations by Cheap Treks and Mystery Trekkie Theatre 3000.
==Earlier Uses of the Term at Cons==
"Shore Leave Party" or "Shore Leave Disco" were events at early Star Trek conventions such as Equicon, Starcon, and The British Star Trek Convention (1974 & 1975 cons).
==More Specific Information on Individual Years==
Information on other years, including art show winners, masquerade contest winners, photos, door decoration contest, con reports, program book covers can be found on each convention subpage by year. 
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==The Mascot==
The con's mascot is a rabbit, a Star Trek: TOS connection due to McCoy's encounter with the white rabbit from Alice and Wonderland in the episode, "Shore Leave."
The rabbit was represented in the program book's column, "Rabbit Tracks." 
Other nods were Howard Weinstein's essay in the 1984 program book called "My Four Years at Hunt Valley; or, Rabbits I Have Known," and the art by Kenneth Morris for the cover of the 1986 program book.
==The Venue ==
The first con was held at Towson State University, 3rd floor of the Student Union Building.
[[Image:huntvalleyinn.jpg|thumb|from the 1990 program book, the Hunt Valley Inn where many of the cons were held; it closed in 2023, seeFarewell to the Hunt Valley Inn; archive link by Bob Greenberger (October 30, 2023) |left]]
The cons between 1980 and 2023 were held at the Hunt Valley Inn in Baltimore, Maryland (except for the 1986 con which was at Omni International Hotel.)
When the Hunt Valley Inn closed in 2023, the con moved to Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
==Thanks for the Moon Rock!==
From the 1988 program book: 
== Some Long-Running Entertainment==
* Boogie Knights
* Cheap Treks
* The Chromatics
* Denebian Slime Devils
* Kobayashi Maru Glee Club
* Mystery Trekkie Theatre 3000
* Omicron Ceti III
==Slash and Explicit Fanworks==
Early on, Shore Leave allowed explicit fanworks to be sold "under the table." They also allowed ads for explicit Kirk/Spock zines in the program books. 
The art show allowed no "pornography" but did allow R-rated "tasteful" nudes. In 2007, two fans reminisced: 
While there wasn't any official slash programming, in later years, many K/S fans gathered there in plenitude, writing long, long con reports about their experiences in their newsletters and letterzines, such as The K/S Press and Come Together. "Cons with actors, like Shore Leave, Farpoint, Visions, Unicon, Anglicon, including professional for-profit cons such as those run by Creation. People may sell slash there, usually 'under the table,' but there (probably) won't be panels about it." -- comments by Sandy Hereld on Virgule-L, quoted with permission (April 23, 1993)
==Heavy Presence of K/S Fans: 1993-Early 2000s==
Beginning in 1993, K/S fans attended in great numbers. For many years, The K/S Press called it "our annual meeting of the clan."
Many of of these fans did not attend any official con programming, and congregated in private rooms and parties. Their gatherings were instead much like a "con within a con." They wrote many exuberant con reports and generally had a fabulous time, but this was more due to their ability to be with each other and away from prying eyes and ears. 
This means that most of the art auction reports, art show, and events discussed in con reports did not happen in public venues, but instead at the annual room parties. These parties and gatherings were described in The LOC Connection, then Come Together, and then The K/S Press. Later on, some K/S fans wrote con reports on Usenet.
In 1995, a guest of honor wandered into their party: Garrett Wang and the "Women of Star Trek".
A fan in 1994 wrote: 
Another 1994 comment: 
From 1995: 
From 1997: 
==Showcase: The Con Skits and Plays==
The "Not Ready for Paramount Players" became Cheap Treks, which was then absorbed in 2005 by "The Usual Subjects."
 
Another collaboration was Mystery Trekkie Theater 3000.
From a 2015 comment: 
From a comment in 1994: 
One highlight for a select group of fans at a 1997 private party was the Dancing Penises.
See List of Shore Leave Skits.
==Some Fan Testimonials==
===1984===
In 1984, fan and frequent guest, Howard Weinstein wrote in the essay in the program book called, "My Four Years at Hunt Valley; or, Rabbits I Have Known" : 
===1988===
In 1988, Weinstein wrote an essay in the program book called "Shore Leaves I Have Loved, or, If This is Shore Leave X, I Must Be a Lot Older Than I Think I Am": 
From Jacqueline Lichtenberg in the 1988 program book: 
From Geraldine Sylvester (original con chair) in the 1988 program book:: 
From Weston Scrimger in the 1988 program book: 
From Kathy Scimger in the 1988 program book: 
===1994===
===2004 ===
From Kristy Bratton for CityofAngel.com: 
==Photos ==
* photos; [ archive link] (mostly 2008 and 2009)
==Further Reading==
* Go for Shore Leave This Summer!; archive link by Donna S. Frelick (November 2023)
==References==
Category:Star Trek Conventions
Category:Multimedia Conventions
Category:1979 Conventions
Category:1980s Conventions
Category:1990s Conventions
Category:2000s Conventions
Category:2010s Conventions
Category:2020s Conventions
Category:Science Fiction Conventions
Category:Conventions in United States