The Baltimore Science Fiction Society is throwing a free, public party on Saturday, January 12, 2013 to celebrate 50 years of promoting science, science fiction and fantasy throughout Maryland. The party begins at 8 p.m. in the BSFS clubhouse, located at 3310 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21224, will have a free, public party.

Local professional writers and artists will be on hand, such as Dr. Catherine Asaro, Brenda Clough, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Alexis A. Gilliland, Dr. Yoji Kondo (a.k.a. author Eric Kotani), and Steve Stiles.

David Michael Ettlin, a survivor of the founding meeting and former Baltimore Sun reporter, will talk about the early times in BSFS.

BSFS was started on January 5, 1963 by fans returning from a meeting of the Washington Science Fiction Association in the back of a Trailways bus. A FAQ on the club website says they did not meet during a 1968-1974 hiatus after a disastrous election fight. BSFS was restarted in 1974 when it was incorporated in the State of Maryland.

Jack Chalker’s account of the club’s early days can be read in Mimosa #20 and Mimosa #21.

The party is casual wear, and free and open to the public. Children with adult supervision are welcome. For more information, visit www.bsfs.org, or www.facebook.com/groups/BaltimoreSciFi, or follow the club on Twitter @BaltimoreSciFi.