BSI weekend 2026 summary

Well, the 2026 Baker Street Irregulars 'weekend' in Manhattan has come and gone. It was a wonderful visit, and in this post I'll summarize what I got up to. What I can't capture easily in describing events is the camaraderie and friendship that permeates everything. Whether it's New York, or Ellicott City, or Sydney, people are the reason this is fun. I apologize for all the photos - it will make this a very long post.

Plot-spoiler:

I arrived on WEDNESDAY evening and had a chance to say hello to some wonderful people at the ASH Wednesday dinner. Organized by the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes, the dinner is often the first event for many attendees, and a chance to see old friends.

THURSDAY.

This was my busy day - so busy I missed at least one event I really wanted to be at. 

I started with an early breakfast with the Brothers Two of Bellanger, Ross Davies and Mark Jones for smashed av and a flat white for brekky (gotta start the day as Aussie as possible!), then over the road to the ACD Society Doylean Honors event at the Mysterious Bookshop. 

 

The event is hosted by Ross Davies, and yet again it was a packed house! A highlight was Victoria Woods' spectacular Victorian dress (above, right), and the room was absolutely full (above, left). 

The ACD Society site lists all the awardees - I was particularly thrilled to see Margie Deck receive a literary award for 'Into the Fire', and Watson's Tin Box member Carla Coupe won a 'Visual Arts' award for her 'A. Conan Doyle Egg'. This was followed by the annual Wessex Cup - a model horse race. I again had a horse (named Monash) and lost in the first round. The final round was slo close it required Phil Bergem and Mark Jones to call a dead heat and a re-run. The entire proceedings can be watched on the Youtube video embedded below.

   

Afterwards. I realized I completely mis-timed the day and wasn't going to make a lunch date, so I tagged along to McSorley's where people were gathered for lunch. It was a great chance for a few glasses of dark with Ed Petit of the Rosenbach Library in Philly. McSorley's Old Ale House is a magical place - the walls are covered in pictures, including one of Christopher Morley who founded the BSI, and sawdust on the floor. Also gathered at my table were a great bunch including Anna Behrens, Johana Draper Carlson, asdf 

Next was the Bowery Ruffians - the second year of the scion meeting.This year we met in the back bar of the Swift Hibernian Lounge (suitably literary) - it was a beautiful venue, a good turn-out and plenty of new members were rewarded with a pin. I welcomed attendees from a lectern installed in the bar, Mickey Fromkin read out her toast (which will be read out at the start of every meeting), and a number of toasts to criminals in the canon were read out around the room. Carl Stix probably stole the show, asserting that Watson was a criminal for not writing up more of the cases!! Another successful meeting of the Ruffians is in the bag.

Left: The back bar of the Swift Hibernian loung, and Right: an excellent Guiness was on tap.

Thursday evening kicked on; first, I was lucky enough to attend the Baker Street Journal reception, where the Morley-Montgomery award for best article in the BSJ was awarded to Fabienne Courouge ! Then I had to scoot to the Algonquin Hotel (first time there) to meet with some of the Scourers (those who search for Dancing Men in newspapers) - including Ira Matetsky, Greg Ruby, Victoria Wood, and happily Steven Rothman joined us.

THEN (it's still Thursday at this point folks) I headed over for my very first experience at the SPODE Dinner. SPODE? The Society for the Prevention of Oysters Destroying Earth, inspired by the Holmes statement that "I cannot think why the whole bed of the ocean is not one solid mass of oysters, so prolific the creatures seem. No doubt there are natural enemies which limit the increase of the creatures. You and I, Watson, we have done our part. Shall the world, then, be overrun by oysters?". Steve Doyle's brainchild meets on Thursday evening at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. I had a chance to meet some mid-westerners, and next to Bob Katz who always entertains me. I just wish I could repeat the tales!

When you become a member of SPODE, you can buy the coveted SPODE pin - what a beauty (the pin):

 

Above: the pin and myself. Below: real oysters for comparison with pin, and a view of the oyster bar itself.

FRIDAY.

Friday culminated in the BSI Dinner. So I was in bed early on Thursday night, and went for a run on Friday morning before the Literary Agents meeting (on Zoom). This wonderful meeting celebrates Doyle and Sherlock, and this year Ashley Polasek hosted a discussion of Sherlockian adaptations, moderating a panel discussion of writers Jonathan Barnes (Sherlock Holmes Untold), Jeffrey Hatcher (Holmes and Watson), Ken Ludwig (Baskerville) and Mark Shanahan (A Sherlock Carol).

Sad you missed it? Watch it right here:

After lunch with Mark Jones, we headed up to the Grolier Club. For the last three years, I've headed up to see the exhibition. This year was another stunning exhibition - The Pocket Petrarchs coordinated with one of three curators of an exhibition of 250 years of Jane Austen. There was an amazing display from first editions (without Austen's name) all the way through to modern day. The good news is the the exhibition can be viewed on-line for those unable to visit NY. There is also a delightful catalog.

Left: A first edition of Sense and Sensibility by 'a lady'. Right: Mark Jones and Peter Blau catch up while waiting for the guided tour to begin. Peter is on the right.

Then it was back to the hotel to get myself in shape for the Baker Street Irregulars dinner at the Yale club! This was my second year attending the dinner. The dinner is truly a grand affair. First is a cocktail reception hour, which is a great opportunity to connect with people all while mauling your way to the bar - I had a great time chatting with Liza Potts about her work with sherlockian.net. 

Left: With the ever-dapper Mickey Fromkin. The cool thing is Mickey's dinner suit, which originally belonged to Roger Wolfe Kahn. According to Mickey, "Roger was a tiny man, and was a hugely successful jazz bandleader as a teenager.... The suit is probably a 100 years old or so, though I had the silk lapels refaced some years ago". Right: With Red Circle luminary Peter Blau. 

Dinner included two wonderful talks (Mark Jones won with a lot of puns). At my table number 7 were a wonderful group:  Karen Wilson (from WTB) and Alex Katz who together were the musical performers for the evening ; Carl Stix ; Will Walsh (roving photographer) ; Regina Stinson ; Nick Martorelli ; Mike McSwiggin .... and of course me! 

After dinner, the talks, and lots of chatting, the 2026 investitures were announced by Wiggins (Michael Kean) in this order:

Michael Barton - "Baron Von Herling"
Matt Hall - "The Earl of Maynooth"
Linda Hein - "The Hotel National"
Jen Kneeland - "The Haymarket Theatre"
Richard Krisciunas - "William Morris"
Max Magee - "Cyril Morton"
Rusty Mason - "John Mason"
Ashley Mayo - "Capital and Counties Bank"
Madeline Quiñones - "Sir Joshua Reynolds"
George Scheetz - "John Clayton"
P.J. Sullivan - "The Ancient Cornish Language"
Tom Ue - "London University"

What can I say? It's a wonderful group of people to be alongside. An honor. When  the Wiggins announces each investiture, it's a slow reveal. In my case, the Sydney Passengers were mentioned, and the being Gasogene of Watson's Tin Box - someone said "it's Matt". I made an instant mental note to learn more about 'The Earl of Maynooth'. I then stood up front while the remaining ten BSI's were announced and it was a lot of fun to watch their faces as they realized what was happening. What's really wonderful is that I knew so many of my fellow inductees really well.

Along with these, there were two really exciting announcements: 'Two Shilling' awards for above-and-beyond

Evelyn Herzog - The Two Shilling Award
Denny Dobry - The Two Shilling Award

With Tamar Zeffren BSI and WTB colleague Jacquelynn Bost Morris BSI at the BSI dinner.

After dinner it was down to the Yale Club bar for a couple of beers with Mark Jones. I particularly like this photo I took for some eminent Sherlockians. I'm not a photographer, but I love this pic :

SATURDAY.

My last full day of activities this BSI weekend. I visited the salesroom in the morning, exercising great restraint, and really restricting myself to new books. I was excited to purchase:

- Sherlock Holmes Review (Wessex Press) - I have an article in it on the Baker Street File.

- Annotated Brigadier Girard (Wessex Press)

- On the Shoulders of Giants (Wessex Press) - I have a chapter in it on the John Bennett Shaw

- Irregular Chronicles of the Early ‘Fifties (BSI Press) 

Then off to the BSI Luncheon at the Yale Club - a refined affair, and a wonderful afternoon. At each luncheon, there is an auction of items to benefit the Watson Fund, the helps people attend the BSI Weekend. Peter Blau has hosted the auction.... forever? This year I contributed something for the auction - a complete set of Donald Girard Jewell's 'Sherlock Holmes Natural History Series' books, nine in total. I was amazed to see them see for over $2,000 !

 

After the auction, Peter revealed that he was stepping down as auctioneer, and handed over his gavel to Scott Monty. He also handed over his powder blue blazer. It was a very touching moment.

There was also a raffle to raise funds, featuring an AMAZING model of the Bruce-Partington submarine, created by Danna Mancini. I wanted to win it - so so much!. I did not. It is a beauty though:

After lunch, I had a chance to relax, then met my close friend Kyle for our now-traditional 'Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians', organized and hosted by the amazing Kegley's. We started off with a cocktail and oysters in the Grand Central Station Brasserie with an amazing 'back bar'.

 

Then it was off to a new venue for the event -  Rosie Dunn's. It was yet another wonderful night of raffles draws, food, and friendship. More conversations with friends, everyone wins an amazing prize - had time to chat with Debbie Clark, Karen Wilson, Carl Stix, Brian Bellanger, and of course Jerry Kegley. So much fun.

I gave a toast to Doyle, and we announced a special pin for the 'Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians' , which Kyle designed. Jerry wanted something with a magnifying glass showing the NY skyline - Kyle delivered that.... and then A LOT MORE because when you rotate the pin it reveals.... Sherlock and his pipe. It really is the coolest design. We're sending everyone who attended a pin as soon as they arrive from the manufaturer in the next week or two.

And with that.....

....a walk back to the hotel through a cold and misty evening, and an end to a wonderful few days of camaraderie, laughs, and literary discussion.