If you're worried about suffering from post-festival depression after the madness that is going to be Oaktopia, fret not. More fun events are on the way. PolaCon, the brand new convention that focuses on instant film photography, will be in downtown Denton on October 1st and 2nd. The event is put on by the Instant Film Society, Denton Camera Exchange, and FilmPhotographic (Jason Lee's co-curated film photography group). Read on to find out more about this festival and how you can take part.

PolaCon is a free event that wants nothing more than to share the love of all things instant film. Instant film is a photographic medium made popular by Polaroid in which images develop on the film directly after shooting without the need for a darkroom.

So whether or not you have an old Polaroid (or new Fuji) instant camera laying around, you'll want to stop by even if it is just to bask in the enthusiasm these folks have for this medium. Although, for folks with even the slightest bit of a ventured interest in photography history, this event is a must.

We talked to organizers Daniel Rodrigue and Armand Kohandani about the event and we're already pumped. Photographers from well beyond the boundaries of Texas plan on coming down to Denton for the weekend and we don't blame them. The planned programming is pretty enticing even for those without an interest in instant film.

Attendees can expect exhibits such as special guest speakers, panel discussions, camera swap meets, demonstrations, workshops, instant photo booths, walks and much more. You can check out the full list of programming here.

PolaCon officially kicks off at 4 p.m. in Deep Ellum on Friday, September 30th with a meet-up followed by the 5th annual PolaWalk at The State Fair of Texas. However, the majority of the event will take place in Denton over the course of Saturday and Sunday (October 1st and 2nd) at both the Evers Building (where the Norman Roscoe pop-up shop is) and the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. Saturday will see all sorts of different events and interactive experience and the weekend concludes on Sunday at the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center with the release of Jason Lee's photobook from Refueled Magazine and some additional talks. You can find out more on the book with our recent interview with Chris Brown, the owner/editor of Refueled Magazine (no, not that Chris Brown).

The Instant Film Society is one of the main organizers of the event. IFS was founded locally in 2012 to increase awareness, accessibility, and understanding of instant film photography which was at one point believed to be on the way out, but has seen a large resurgence in recent years thanks to companies such as Fuji, New55, and Impossible Project.

Saturday and Sunday of PolaCon are free to attend, however, some workshops, how-to demos, and guest speakers will have limited seating and be restricted to RSVP's guests due to venue limitations. Attendees are encouraged to register through Eventbrite to make sure that they have a spot for special events such as workshops and demonstrations.

So dust off your SX-70, head over to Denton Camera Exchange to buy some film for it and hang out geek out with us about instant film next weekend in Denton. Your scanner is gonna get some heavy-duty work afterwards. We're hopeful that this event will be a big stepping stone to Denton having a museum of photography one day.

PolaCon's Denton days are October 1st and 2nd. Events are scheduled from 10am - 6pm for both days. Saturday, however, will also feature a PolaWalk that begins at 8am at West Oak Coffee (we hear there will be discounted coffee for attendees, too). The various events will take place on or near the Denton square including the Evers Building and the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. For more information, follow the Instant Film Society's FB event page.

March 26, 2018

EVEN MORE DENTON WOMEN OF DISTINCTION

Women’s History Month is the perfect time to revisit some of the amazing Denton ladies who have been town saviors, trailblazers, hellraisers, social activists, and pioneers. Heck, over at TWU is the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame and the archives for the WWII WASP Archives, so you know there are stories a’plenty to tell. Here are a few more of our local favorites, including a 1920’s newspaper publisher, a tiny songstress with a big voice, and a political crusader.

It's Time For Taste of North Texas

Once a year in Denton, many of our local restaurants and bars get together for a good cause and make their food and drinks available for roughly the price of a single restaurant meal. This year’s event will feature around 35 participants, including a great mix of established Denton institutions (hi, Beth Marie’s!) and places that are new to Denton.

February 19, 2018

2018 DENTON MINI MAKER FAIRE

What image pops into your head when someone uses the word “maker”?

The images that tend to appear in the mind—not to mention Google’s image search—involve wires and circuit boards. As important as those skills and the people who enjoy them are, they only represent one type of maker. Many skills can fall under the maker umbrella, whether it’s programming robots to make pancakes or turning a bicycle wheel into a musical instrument. Artists, scientists, crafters, and engineers can all be considered makers. If you can take a set of materials and transform them into something cool, you are welcome in the maker community!

December 1, 2017

DO THE DENTON HOLIDAY LIGHTING FESTIVAL LIKE A PRO

One of our favorite holiday traditions, the Holiday Lighting Festival, is this weekend. The annual free event features music, food, performances, a toy drive, and various other holiday activities. Happening simultaneously to the Holiday Lighting Festival is Wassail Weekend. Dozens of local shops extend their hours and welcome patrons to sample their wassail, a hot cider-like beverage. Wassail Weekend On Friday evening the Downtown Denton square will be shut down to traffic to make way for wassail-guzzling pedestrians to walk around and enjoy all of the festivities. You'll find us circled 'round the tree like the Whos down in Whoville, holding hands and singing with joy. We're not sure who the Grinch is in this situation, though.

If you plan on coming out to sample the wassail and find the joy of the holiday in your cold, black heart, here are our tips and tricks to making sure you get to squeeze as much holiday cheer out of the event as possible.

November 9, 2017

THE MANY FACES OF DENTON'S FINE ARTS THEATER

There’s been a lot of buzz around the recent arrival of the oft-rumored Fine Arts Theater hitting the real estate market, with a hefty pricetag in the ballpark of $1.5 million. Owned by the McBride family since 1983 with high hopes of renovation, there were overtures in 2014 and then renewed interest in 2016 but alas… it has never come to pass. A recent episode of the Politically Denton podcast explored some of the backstory and future possibilities, but I figured it would be a hoot to have a look back at the history of this iconic spot from back in the day.

November 7, 2017

THE BEST THANKSGIVING WE EVER HAD

Ever been to a pop-up dinner? More over, ever heard of a pop-up dinner? The events are normally one-offs in which facilities become restaurants for one night only and feature special food prepared by up and coming chefs. Pop-up dinners are gaining in popularity across the country and you have a chance to check one out in Denton this week! On November 9th at Denton County Brewing Company there will be a pop-up dinner featuring the food of Chef Chad Kelley from Barley and Board that will be paired with beers selected by Seth Morgan of Denton County Brewing Company. Read on to find out more info on this great Denton dining opportunity.

November 1, 2017

DENTON STARTUP WEEKEND 2017

Entrepreneur. It’s kind of a dumb word if you think about it, and to most people (especially students) it carries some buzzwords with it that seem very business-y. When I first heard “entrepreneur," I thought to myself, “That’s for people in the college of business.” It never really struck me as, “I’m an entrepreneur,” even though looking back on my life, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a kid. Everything from trading Pokémon cards, making beaded bracelets and necklaces, and burning CDs for friends before we learned we probably shouldn’t were all entrepreneurial endeavors that were abundant in my youth (as they probably were in yours).

That’s the thing, though. Being an entrepreneur isn’t about putting on a suit jacket or making apps. It’s about making a living doing something you love, while making sure other people love it too (that’s what we call customer validation). And this is one of the things I learned going through Startup Weekend.

Click through to read more about the upcoming Startup Weekend taking place in Denton, TX.

October 31, 2017

STOKE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Since opening in August of 2016, Stoke, Denton’s entrepreneur center and co-working space, has provided space for local businesses, entrepreneurs, freelance workers, and remote workers. The center has also hosted a variety of educational, professional networking, and social events. There has been formal and informal mentoring for new entrepreneurs and collaboration between several of the businesses located at Stoke. All of these things have provided great benefit to Denton’s tech and business communities, allowing them to contribute more to the Denton community and economy.

INSTANT FILM PHOTOGRAPHY CONVENTION IN DENTON

SPONSORS:

RECENT POSTS:

WDDI FAVORITES: