Vintage Computer Festival Southeast
Vintage Computer Festival 2026

After a successful, informative, and fun event in 2025, SFGE is proud to once again partner with the Atlanta Historical Computing Society to sponsor and host the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast at SFGE 2026 and we are expanding!

This unique festival is a celebration of computer history and digital nostalgia—giving attendees a hands-on opportunity to explore the technologies, people, and stories that helped shape the computer revolution. From legendary machines to unforgettable moments in tech, it’s a can’t-miss experience for history buffs, tinkerers, and curious minds of all ages. Explore the roots of modern technology with a full lineup of retro computing fun, including:

  • Fascinating speakers sharing firsthand stories from the early days of computing

  • Interactive exhibits showcasing classic machines from the 1960s–90s—ranging from mint-condition originals to creative modern upgrades

  • Hands-on activities where you can channel your inner engineer and build your own electronic device

  • A consignment area to buy, sell, or trade vintage computing gear

  • Vendors, concessions, and more to keep you fueled and inspired

  • Soldering workshops for kids and adults—learn the basics and build a simple electronic kit with help from experienced guides

Best of all, admission is included with your SFGE weekend or day pass, so you can dive into the past while enjoying everything else SFGE has to offer!

For more details and to learn about how to get involved with the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast, please check out their Facebook page or website here.

 

 

2026 Speakers

John Harris

John Harris

Dennis Hayes

Dennis Hayes

Boisy Pitre

Boisy Pitre

Brian Stuart

Brian Stuart

John Harris

John Harris

John Harris (a.k.a. rodneylives, they/them) is the maintainer of Loadstat Compleat, a collection of all 250 issues of Loadstar plus many extras (rodneylives.itch.io/loadstar). They also wrote the roguelike column @Play for GameSetWatch, the book Exploring Roguelike Games for CRC Press, the upcoming book We Love Mystery Dungeon for Limited Run Press, maintains the gaming blog Set Side B (setsideb.com), posts frequently on the venerable community weblog Metafilter, and does other things besides. Their itch.io page is at rodneylive.itch.io; on social media they are @rodneylives@mefi.social on Mastodon and @rodneylives on Bluesky; and on tilde.town they are rodneylives. Whew!

Dennis Hayes

Dennis Hayes

Dennis Hayes is a Spartanburg, South Carolina native best known for inventing the Hayes Smartmodem and developing the AT command set — innovations that became the industry standard for computer communications and helped create the on-ramp to the information superhighway. After founding Hayes Microcomputer Products, he grew the company to over 1,500 employees with business in 45 countries and several billion dollars in revenue over two decades. Today, he leads community-based innovation efforts through SpartansFirst and the American Technology Venture Lab, connecting entrepreneurs and investors to build high-technology ventures in Upstate South Carolina.

Boisy Pitre

Boisy Pitre

Boisy has been a fan of the Tandy Color Computer since his teens. He’s the co-author of “CoCo: The Colorful History of Tandy’s Underdog Computer” and is a regular contributor to the CoCo Crew Podcast.

Brian Stuart

Brian Stuart

Brian L. Stuart teaches Computer Science at Drexel University. He has also taught at Rhodes College and the University of Memphis. His professional experience also includes work in industries ranging from telecommunications to data storage to agriculture to logistics. His current research is primarily focused on the ENIAC.

2026 Programming

Friday 7:00-8:00

Title: The ENIAC Computer is 80 Years Old!
Description: This year marks the 80th anniversary of the unveiling of the ENIAC, a pivotal moment in the history of computing that coincided with the emergence of the field of Computer Science. The presentation explores the development of the ENIAC, its key characteristics, and its influence on subsequent machines. By examining the ENIAC’s role in the broader context of computer history, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the field as a whole. Speaker: Brian Stuart

Saturday: 8:30-9:30

Title: Dennis Hayes and the Legendary Hayes Smartmodem

Description: Join us for an engaging Vintage Computer Festival SE keynote address by Dennis Hayes, a pioneer in the tech world! Dive into the fascinating journey of the Hayes Smartmodem, exploring its revolutionary origins and how it helped shape the modem industry over the past twenty years. Discover the innovative marketing strategies that propelled Hayes Communications into the spotlight and learn how these experiences influenced Dennis’s entrepreneurial philosophy. This session also highlights the founding of the American Technology Venture Lab (ATVL). Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain insights from a true industry leader!

Sunday 10:30-11:30

The History of Loadstar, the 22-year run of the classic Commodore 64 disk magazine
 
Description: Loadstar, a Commodore 64 magazine distributed on computer disks, began in 1985, a product of Softdisk publishing. Over the next 22 years, they provided a regular (later, irregular) stream of articles, games, software, utilities, tutorials and news for both the Commodore 64 and 128 computers. It began shortly after the classic age of arcades, and it ended well into the internet age. Presenter John Harris will present the magazine’s history and demonstrate several issues of the magazine.

Sunday 1:00-2:00

BASIC09: The Structured BASIC That Was Ahead of Its Time
 
Description: BASIC09 was one of the most unusual and forward-looking BASIC dialects of the 1980s. Built for OS-9 on the 6809, it offered structured programming, procedures, typed variables, compiled/intermediate code execution, and distinctive control-flow constructs that feel surprisingly modern today. This session explores BASIC09’s history, its unique syntax and programming model, and compares its ideas with constructs found in modern languages like Swift and Rust. Speaker: Boisy Pitre

Photos from VCFSE at SFGE 2024:

VCFSE 2024
VCFSE 2024
VCFSE 2024
VCFSE 2024