ICON is the name of at least five science fiction conventions. In order of seniority, these are:
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or fandom of people interested in science fiction in contact with one another based upon that interest. SF fandom has a life of its own, but not much in the way of formal organization.
Spider Robinson is an American-born Canadian science fiction author and musician. He has won a number of awards for his hard science fiction and humorous stories, including the Hugo Award 1977 and 1983, and another Hugo with his co-author and wife Jeanne Robinson in 1978.
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, Long Island, in the metropolitan area of New York City. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's two flagship institutions.
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of the speculative fiction genre, science fiction. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as films, television, comics, animation, and games. The format can vary but will tend to have a few similar features such as a guest of honour, discussion panels, readings and large special events such as opening/closing ceremonies and some form of party or entertainment. Science fiction conventions started off primarily in the UK and US but have now spread further and several countries have their own individual conventions as well as playing host to rotating international conventions.
WisCon or Wiscon, a Wisconsin science fiction convention, is the oldest, and often called the world's leading, feminist science fiction convention and conference. It was first held in Madison, Wisconsin in February 1977, after a group of fans attending the 1976 34th World Science Fiction Convention in Kansas City was inspired to organize a convention like WorldCon but with feminism as the dominant theme. The convention is held annually in May, during the four-day weekend of Memorial Day. Sponsored by the Society for the Furtherance and Study of Fantasy and Science Fiction, or (SF)³, WisCon gathers together fans, writers, editors, publishers, scholars, and artists to discuss science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on issues of feminism, gender, race, and class.
An icon, from the Greek word for image, is a religious painting in the tradition of Christianity.
Lunacon was an annual science fiction and fantasy convention organized by the New York Science Fiction Society - The Lunarians, Inc. Held from 1957 to 2017, it was the oldest science fiction convention in (usually) New York State, and was generally held on the third weekend of March.
The Staller Center for the Arts is the main arts building at Stony Brook University. It opened in 1978 as the Stony Brook University Fine Arts Center before being renamed in October 1988 after a $1.8 million donation from the Staller family.
I-CON was a (roughly) annual fan convention, held on various college campuses in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. First held in 1982 on the campus of Stony Brook University, I-CON became a very eclectic convention. The programming included things normally found at different types of convention, like speeches by and talks with science fiction authors, extensive gaming, anime fandom, comics fandom, furry fandom, multiple movie showings, and medieval programming, as well as live performances. There was also a science track discussing recent developments in various branches of science and exploring the real science behind science fiction technologies. I-CON was jointly held by ICON Science Fiction, Inc., a tax-exempt educational foundation, and the I-CON Campus Chapter of Stony Brook.
James Raymond Frenkel is an American editor and agent of science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, and other books, formerly for Tom Doherty Associates. He has edited numerous prominent authors such as Vernor Vinge, Joan D. Vinge, Frederik Pohl, Andre Norton, Loren D. Estleman, Dan Simmons, Jack Williamson, Timothy Zahn, Marie Jakober and Greg Bear. His agency clients include John C. Wright and L. Jagi Lamplighter. He and his wife, author Joan D. Vinge lived in Madison, Wisconsin for many years, but have moved to Green Valley, Arizona.
The New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention is a volunteer-run science fiction convention that is scheduled annually, and usually takes place either at Easter or at Queen's Birthday weekend. It is usually abbreviated as NatCon.
Philcon, also known as the "Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference", is an annual three-day science fiction convention held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The convention is run by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS).
ICon Festival is an Israeli science fiction and fantasy fan convention held annually in the Tel Aviv Eshkol Pais during the Sukkot holiday in September–October. Venues in previous years included the adjacent Cinematheque, Eeroni Aleph school and ZOA house. The first ICon was held in autumn 1998. ICon is normally three days long, though in previous years it featured a parallel film festival which lasted longer.
BabelCon was a science fiction and multigenre convention, held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Established in 2006, the convention took place at the Cook Hotel and Lod & Carole Cook Alumni Center on the campus of Louisiana State University. Formerly a project of the non-profit Science & Engineering Education Foundation (SEEF), it was last managed by Babelcon LLC. After a split between the organizers in late 2010, the upcoming convention was postponed then ultimately cancelled.
Hal-Con Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Comic Convention, commonly known as Hal-Con, was founded in the 1970s and revived in the 2010s. It is traditionally an annual weekend event held in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Atlantic Canada during the middle of Fall.
ICON is an annual science fiction convention held in the Cedar Rapids/ Iowa City area of Iowa since 1975, usually in late October or early November, under the auspices of the Mindbridge Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation also responsible for AnimeIowa and Gamicon. The organization was a branching off of the Science Fiction League of Iowa Students, which was founded by author Joe Haldeman. It is the oldest and largest science fiction convention in Iowa.
DemiCon is an annual volunteer-run science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention held in Des Moines, Iowa, in late April/early May. The convention was first held in 1990.
Dexter Gabriel, also known as Phenderson Djèlí Clark or P. Djèlí Clark, is an American speculative fiction writer and historian. His historical fantasy Ring Shout won the British Fantasy, Locus and Nebula Awards in 2021. He publishes his fiction and academic work under separate names, with his African sobriquet "Djèlí" making reference to the griots, traditional Western African storytellers, historians and poets. He has also published under the name A. Phenderson Clark.