This event has passed.

Philip K. Dick Festival

Name: Philip K. Dick Festival
Start: 2019-08-09T10:00:00+00:00
End: 2019-08-11T13:00:00+00:00

August 9 - 10:00 am - August 11 - 1:00 pm

FREE

Event Navigation

The Inaugural Philip K. Dick Festival in Fort Morgan welcomes all!

Join us in Fort Morgan, Co August 9-11 2019.
Fans and experts from around the world will meet again in Fort Morgan, the resting place of critically acclaimed sci-fi author: Philip K. Dick and his sister, to celebrate Philip K. Dick and his work.

Philip K. Dick fans converge to Fort Morgan for the 2nd PKD Festival. Commemorate this great American science fiction writer with lectures, movies, music, and an art show. Tour the author’s headstone at Riverside Cemetery and explore his creative works such as Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall, The Adjustment Bureau, The Man in the High Castle, and many more all available at the Fort Morgan Museum and Library.

The Philip K. Dick Festival runs from the evening of August 8th to the morning of August 11th 2019. Suggested arrival time at Denver International Airport: mid-afternoon August 8th. Departure time: mid-afternoon August 11th. Fort Morgan is an hour’s drive from DIA up I-76. Please record your travel details on the Carpool page here: (Henri add a button link) The Festival hotel is the Best Western/Overland Inn, 1410 Barlow Rd. Just north of I-76. Mention Philip K. Dick Festival to get a discount. A Map of Fort Morgan can be found here: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.2536739,-103.7951393,15z . Festival HQ is the Library/Museum on Main St. To get an idea of what will be happening at the festival, aside from this Event Schedule, please see the latest PKD OTAKU #39 link here: http://www.philipkdickfans.com/resources/journals/pkd-otaku/ Conditions are likely to be hot and dry in Fort Morgan in August. Recommended are light clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Drink lots of water.

More about Philip K. Dick:

Philip K. Dick was an American writer known for his work in science fiction. His work explored philosophical, social, and political themes, with stories dominated by monopolistic corporations, alternative universes, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness. His writing also reflected his interest in metaphysics and theology, and often drew upon his life experiences, addressing the nature of reality, identity, drug abuse, schizophrenia, and transcendental experiences. Dick produced 44 published novels and approximately 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime.

A variety of popular Hollywood films based on Dick’s works have been produced, including Blade Runner (1982), Total Recall (adapted twice: in 1990 and in 2012), Minority Report (2002), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and The Adjustment Bureau (2011). Meanwhile, the novel The Man in the High Castle (1962) was made into a multi-season television series by Amazon, starting in 2015.

In 2005, Time magazine named Ubik (1969) one of the hundred greatest English-language novels published since 1923. In 2007, Dick became the first science fiction writer ever to be included in The Library of America series.

Schedule for 2019: May be subject to change.

THURSDAY AUGUST 8:
Early arrivals settle in to their hotels and meet up at the Acapulco Bay Restaurant and Cable’s Pub& Grill for food and drinks in the
evening. Both of these fine establishments are on Main Street near the Museum and Library.

At the CACE Gallery, 300 Main St., from 4 – 6 pm we’ll have a reception and Philip K. Dick Art exhibit for New Orleans artist Brent Houzenga. Walk on in.

In the evening Fort Morgan holds the last of their summertime Thursday Night Live concerts on the grass next to the Museum. This year the
Juke Joint Cruisers play from 6.30 – 8 pm. Rockabilly!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9th:
8:45 a.m – 9:00 a.m.: Lord Running Clam welcomes the fans @ Morgan Community College, The Founders Room-920 Barlow Road- Down the street from Best Western

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: David Gill, “THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE: Phil’s First Masterpiece” followed by a panel discussion on this novel @ Morgan Community College, The Founders Room at 920 Barlow Road.

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Andrew M. Butler, “The Blood Red Light Experience: Philip L. Dick’s Scream” @ Morgan Community College.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Lunch at local restaurants – recommended: The Mav-1409 Barlow Road, Acapulco Bay- 200 Main Street, El Jacal Mexican Grill – 903 Main Street, or Zazzy’s Cafe- 119 W. Beaver Avenue.

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Art Show and discussion with Artist Brent Houzenga on his Exhibit at the CACE Gallery @ 300 Main Street.

1:30 p.m. – 2.30 p.m.:Musical interlude with Musicologist Sean Nye on “The Music of Philip K. Dick” via Skype @ Fort Morgan Library/Museum at 414 Main Street. .

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Frank Hollander, “Early PKD Show and Tell” @ Fort Morgan Library/Museum at 414 Main Street.

3:30 – 5:00 p.m.: Art Exhibit “The Fool’s Journey of Philip K. Dick”. Commentary and discussion with Christopher Wilkey (Artist) and Ted Hand (PKD and Religion blog) @ Fort Morgan Library/Museum at 414 Main Street.

5:15 – 7:15 pm: PKD Fan Fair- Books! Buttons! T-shirts! Art! Nic-nacs! @ Morgan Community College, Founders Room -920 Barlow Road.

7:30 p.m.: A visit to Phil and Jane’s gravesite: encomiums, reminiscences and group photos @ Riverside Cemetery at 601 W. 8th Avenue in Fort Morgan.

Evening: Gather at Acapulco Bay and Cable’s Bar & Grill for more merrymaking and minglement.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH:
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Doug Mackey, “The Contemporaries of PKD and their Infuence on his Writing” @ Fort Morgan Museum at 414 Main Street.

10:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m.: Nick Buchanan, “Philip K. Dick and The Craft of Writing” @ Fort Morgan Museum at 414 Main Street.

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.: Tessa Dick, “Q & A on her life with Phil” @ Fort Morgan Museum at 414 Main Street.

11:45 a.m.: Showing of Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone at noon @ the Cover 4 Theater at 314 Main Street.

2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Explore the town of Fort Morgan and beautiful Morgan County.

6:00 p.m.:Diverse Buffet Selection, Full Bar. Take the PKD Quiz Show while you dine and win prizes! @ Country Steak Out Bar & Grill at 19592 E. 8th Avenue in Fort Morgan.

7:00 p.m.: Lord Running Clam and Cameron Mitchell present “A Philip K. Dick Mystery Play” @ Country Steak Out at 19592 E. 8th Avenue.

8:00 p.m.: Music from Dan Allen – Denver fan whose travels in the Southwest underlie his punk-influenced folk noir tunes with such bands as Dogbite, Chappy’s Band and The Chuppers. Here’s Dan and the Chuppers playing “Thompson Blues”

***NOTE: There will be a $30 Cover Charge for Dinner and Entertainment at the Country Steak Out, payable in cash at the door. All other events are free.***

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH:
For those who can stay a little longer before they go home we have scheduled:

9:30 a.m.: Panel: Philip K. Dick in the Future – Planning the next PKD Festival in Fort Morgan @ Acapulco Bay Restaurant at 200 Main Street.

10:30 a.m.:Farewell Address by Lord Running Clam @ Acapulco Bay at 200 Main Street

11:00 a.m.: End of Festival

Plan your return trip by offering or signing up for a ride from Fort Morgan to the airport or another destination on our carpool page.

ON-GOING EVENTS (ALL WEEKEND):

‘The Fool’s Journey of Philip K. Dick’ Art Exhibit by Christopher Wilkey
The Science Fiction Art of Brent Houzenga
Static display of Precious Artifacts – rare books and PKD-related oddments – at the Library

ITEMS OF NOTE:

Goody bags donated by Morgan County Tourism and the people and businesses of Fort Morgan
The Festival novel is THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE. We will have talks and a panel to discuss this famous Hugo Award-winning novel. Read it and join the conversation.
Wide Books will launch the third edition of their Philip K. Dick bibliographies: PRECIOUS ARTIFACTS 3: The French Editions
Prints and sets from ‘The Fool’s Journey of Philip K. Dick’ and the art of Brent Houzenga will be available at the Fan Fair
We shall have rare and obscure PKD books and artifacts on display
We are planning on producing some festival t-shirts and buttons. These we will make available online and for sale at the festival. Watch this space for updates. Events subject to change.