KansasFest 2019, the 31st annual Apple II convention, is open for registration. Users, programmers, hobbyists, and retrocomputing enthusiasts are invited to Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, July 16, through Sunday, July 21, for six days and five nights of sessions, demos, announcements, contests, and camaraderie.
Register before May 31 to reserve your spot and to guarantee a price of $385 for a double room or $455 for a single, which includes admission to all sessions as well as most meals. After that, prices rise. Official KansasFest shirts are extra and optional and must be ordered by June 14; registration for staying on-site closes July 1. To register, please visit the official registration form.
KansasFest invites any and all Apple II users, fans, and friends to attend the largest and longest running annual Apple II conference. For photos, videos, schedules, and presentations from past year’s events or to sign up for the email list and for inquiries, please visit the event’s Web site.
KansasFest 2019, the 31st annual Apple II convention, is scheduled for July 16 – 21 in Kansas City, Missouri. Mark Pelczarski of Penguin Software, well-known for numerous graphics utilities, books, and games, will join us with a keynote presentation to celebrate the Apple II.
Pelczarski began publishing graphics-related Apple II software in 1978 while in his early 20’s under the brands Penguin Software and Polarware. He is an entrepreneur, author, programmer, consultant, and professional educator. Mark is well known for the Graphics Magician software, a toolkit for creating graphics that includes over 50 major software publishers as customers including Random House, Sierra Online, Spinnaker, and Mattel. He wrote monthly columns for Softalk and the book Graphically Speaking. Besides pioneering computer graphics, Polarware published numerous games including Transylvania, The Coveted Mirror, and Spy’s Demise. After leaving Polarware in 1987, Mark turned his attention to computer music and to online courses. Mark once said “I like to make computers do things,” so he’ll surely fit in at KansasFest.
KansasFest is an annual convention offering Apple II users and retrocomputing enthusiasts the opportunity to engage in beginner and technical sessions, programming contests, exhibition halls, and camaraderie. KansasFest was originally hosted by Resource Central and has been brought to you by the KFest committee since 1995. Any and all Apple II users, fans, and friends are invited to attend this year’s event. Registration details will be announced on the KansasFest Web site, and registration will open on March 31. For photos, videos, and presentations from past KansasFests, please visit the event’s official Website.
Thanks to the generous efforts of multiple volunteers, recordings from KansasFest 2018 are now available. There are over 30 videos, rendered to about 70 Gigabytes of data. That’s almost 24 hours of Apple II related video!
There are a few videos (sorry Quinn and Mark) giving us trouble, and we’re working on those.
To help us celebrate the 30th KansasFest, Roger Wagner is returning with our keynote. Roger, besides being an accomplished Apple II programmer, author, and businessman, is a KansasFest alumnus. He delivered the keynote in 1995 (recording courtesy of Steve Disbrow, EGO Systems).
The KansasFest Planning Committee looks forward to seeing you next week! We’re committed to everybody having an excellent trip, so please let us know if we may help with anything.
Is this your first time at KansasFest? Don’t miss the comprehensive “KansasFest for Newcomers” guide. Consider joining one our “newcomer’s sessions” on Monday (5pm) or Tuesday (3:30pm).
KFest has a few traditions and memes going back several years. Some of our more interesting events are the contests we have during the conference. Participation is optional, but feel free to jump in for the full-on KFest experience! YOU COULD WIN A COOL PRIZE!
HackFest – Starting Wednesday morning and going through Saturday, coders write original programs using specific tools and languages native to the Apple II, then show them off to the conference attendees. A panel of judges reviews and selects the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd place). Please see the Official HackFest Rules and archive of past entries.
Door Sign – a door sign can say a lot about the attendees. Where you’re from, who you are and what your interests are. You can put up a poster, picture or anything clever or fanciful (usually Apple II related) to wow the judges. You’ll need to use tape (no tacks or anything that would leave a hole in the door) to hang your door sign.
Wacky Tie – KFest alum Roger Wagner was known for his colorful taste in ties. We honor his past contributions to KFest by having a wacky tie contest every year. Ties can be wacky, metaphorical, traditional or nostalgic in nature. It comes down to whatever strikes the judge’s fancy. This year is special since Roger is our keynote speaker.
Bite the Bag – a physical game of skill, coordination and nerves of steel! Participants must pick up a paper bag off the floor using only their teeth. The hitch? Only one part of your body can be touching the floor at a time, and as the rounds progress, more and more of the bag is torn away — sometimes until it’s a mere scrap on the floor. If you’re averse to rug burns and potential bruising or full on face plants, this game might not be for you — but if you like watching other people do these things, it’s quite the spectacle.
Did we mention PRIZES? WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE! You’ll have a chance to win something cool and you’ll have a great time too.
KansasFest is more than scheduled sessions. Hallway discussions, late-night hacking, and crazy contests are all normal. One of the traditions is a door sign contest. These aren’t “normal” door signs; KansasFest door signs are often interactive, exhibit unique memorabilia, and involve extensive planning. Besides showing off your creativity, resourcefulness, and interests, the best signs win fabulous prizes. Here are door signs from 2017 for inspiration.
KansasFest is a great opportunity to meet some of the vendors who support our community. You’re able to ask questions, get help, and sometimes get special deals.
Juiced.GS is quarterly print magazine dedicated to all models of the Apple II personal computer. Each issue features news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos, delivered right to your mailbox.
Andrew and Ivan Hogan will be selling the 120 VAC control box and game port interface. The 2018 edition will have the 4 sliders for PDL0..3, and, they still have a couple 2017 edition solder-fest kits.
Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange (A.P.P.L.E.) has been an Apple User Group since 1978, and our members continue to enjoy newly-producedCall-A.P.P.L.E. magazines, and access to older issues and software. As a book publisher, callapple.org/books features over a dozen new books and manuals, like “The WOZPAK”, “All About Applesoft: Enhanced Edition”, and “Tome of Copy Protection.”
Save 10% plus free KansasFest pickup on prepaid orders from Henry Courbis of ReActiveMicro. Use the exclusive attendee-only coupon code KFEST2018 during checkout and choose “KFEST / Local Pickup”.
