Hypericon is a speculative fictionconvention held yearly in June in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] Hypericon is presented by Frontiers Nashville, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of the fannish community and their myriad of interests, and partnered with Make Nashville, a local maker space and producer of the Nashville Mini Maker Faire. The event also supports the Nashville Public Library Foundation as a featured charity in 2017.
Some convention activities include a "premium" consuite, luau, cosplay contest with a $500 prize, role-playing games, live action roleplaying, filmmaking panels, a room party competition, art show, dealers' room, artist and exhibit tables, screening room, "old-school" arcade, maker room, and 24-hour gaming room.
Hypericon's new home as of 2017 - the Nashville Marriott Airport.
Hypericon 5 was held June 5–7, 2009, and served as the host to DeepSouthCon 47. Author GoH was Brian Keene, Artist GoH was Steven Gilberts, Fan GoH was Bob Embler, Filk GoH was Kathy mar and Special Guests were Jonathan Mayberry and Glen Cook.
Hypericon 6 was held June 4–6, 2010, and included Ramsey Campbell, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Glen Cook, and The Great Luke Ski among its honored guests.
Hypericon 7 was held June 17–19, 2011, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport, and included author Glen Cook and artist Loren Damewood as guests of honor.
The convention took a hiatus in 2012.
Hypericon 8 was held June 14–16, 2013, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport, and included author Robin Hobb as guest of honor.
Hypericon 9 was held June 13–15, 2014, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport. Guests of honor were writer Jack Ketchum, artist Sam Flegal, author/costumer Sara M. Harvey, author Glen Cook, and author/filmmaker/small press guy Stephen Zimmer. Other guests included H. David Blalock, Jackie Gamber, Maruice Broaddus, Melissa Gay, Jimmy Gillentine, Herika Raymer, Loren Damewood, and Angelia Sparrow.
The Hypericon 11 Cosplay, with runway.
Hypericon 10 was held June 19–21, 2015, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport. Guests included writer Gabriel Bethir, artist Ethan Black, author H. David Blalock, Costume designer and hobbyist Kristen M Collins, Young Adult Novelist D. G. Driver and Author and RPG enthusiast Jonathan French. Other guests include Glen Cook, Dan Gamber, Jackie Gamber, Melissa Gay, Jimmy Gillentine, Eric Jamborsky, Mark Kinney, Brick Marlin, Robert Midgett, Van Allen Plexico, Betsy Phillips, Angelia Sparrow, Dennis R. Upkins, Stephen Zimmer, and others.[6]
Hypericon 11 was held June 17–19, 2016, at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. Guests of honor included author Stephen Zimmer, artist Mitch Foust, actor Santiago Cirilo, cosplayer Gogo Incognito, filmmaker and special-effects makeup artist Rick Prince, steampunk crafter James Neathery, and Master of Ceremonies Big Daddy Cool, Johnny Delarocca. Other guests included Michael Bielaczyc, Elonka Dunin, Melissa Gay, Cosplay, Inc., Infinite Dreams Gaming, D.G. Driver, Glen Cook, Cosplay Collective, Tommy Hancock, Michelle Nickel, Loren Damewood, Louise Herring-Jones, Van Allen Plexico, Conquest Gaming, and Bryan Stancliff
Hypericon 12 was held June 16–18, 2017, at the Marriott Nashville Airport. Guests of Honor will include artist Bob Hepner, game designer Robert Schwalb, and Master of Ceremonies Big Daddy Cool, Johnny Delarocca. Other guests include author Leonardo Ramirez, drag performer Venus Ann Serena, and performance troupe The Bombshell Kittens, with more guests being announced on a regular basis as the event nears.
The "Next-Gen" Era
Beginning with Hypericon 11, organizers engaged in a modernization effort for the convention (internally deemed "Hypericon Next-Gen"), adopting new branding and a larger scope of content, guests, and fandom. Attendance doubled in the single year between 2015 and 2016 and a 2-4x increase is expected in 2017. Upon the cancelation of another local multi-genre convention, Geek Media Expo (GMX), interest in the market has been shifting to Hypericon.
Infinity Membership
In 2017, the convention began offering its take on a lifetime badge - the "Infinity Membership." This membership class, launched at a price of $300, serves as an ongoing and permanent registration for its holder, but is also transferable for a fraction of its original cost, an infinite number of times. The badge is metal and laser-etched, with a leather lanyard, and retained by the registrant for automatic entry into the event each year. The cost will increase over time as the convention grows, and there are multiple VIP benefits associated with the Infinity Membership.
As part of the launch of this higher level of commitment for attendees, a fan investment opportunity was launched - the Infinity League - offering supporters one of six slots in an "elite" group who invest $1000 each for one year in the convention. They receive a complimentary Infinity Membership in return for their generosity, and in lieu of interest.[7]
Social Missions
The event is billed as an opportunity for "enrichment through geekery," promotion of literacy through the "geek arts," supporting local maker culture, connecting creators to those aspiring to their craft, and connecting support for the local library's new media and "geeky" offerings. Another core value of the convention is to offer more substantial food in their consuite than many other events, to help offset attendance costs for fans in the community.[8]
Related Research Articles
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References
1 2 3 Ridley, Jim (2008-06-26). "Conventional Wisdom". Nashville Scene. Archived from the original on 2008-06-28. Retrieved 2008-07-03. If Nashville's homegrown "speculative fiction" (or sci-fi) convention did nothing else but bring Joe R. Lansdale to town, it would qualify as a civic good.
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