SiliCon

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

SiliCon with Adam Savage
SiliCon with Adam Savage Logo.png
StatusActive
GenreMulti-genre
Venue San Jose Convention Center
Location(s) San Jose, California
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2016 (as Silicon Valley Comic Con)
Most recent2022 [1]
Leader Adam Savage
Website www.siliconsj.com

SiliCon with Adam Savage (formally Silicon Valley Comic Con) was an annual pop culture and technology convention, at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California. The convention was founded by Steve Wozniak, Stan Lee and Rick White. The inaugural event was held March 18–20, 2016 at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center. [2] The convention was rebranded as SiliCon in early 2020 and Adam Savage appointed as the creative director. It was canceled after the 2022 event. [1]

Contents

History

Silicon Valley Comic Con was first announced April 17, 2015 through an online video featuring Steve Wozniak and Stan Lee. [3] The aim was to bring together popular culture touchstones such as comics, movies, genre TV and technology together as one convention. Including panels featuring creative artists, writers, actors, directors, producers, and science communicators. [4]

Silicon Valley Comic Con will be the San Francisco Bay Area's first large multi-genre convention since the departure of WonderCon after that convention's 2011 show. [5] Since WonderCon's departure the largest convention left in the Bay Area had been Big Wow! Comicfest, which is being added to Silicon Valley Comic Con's schedule. [6]

On July 13, 2016, the second annual event was confirmed to be occurring April 21–23, 2017 at the San Jose Convention Center as well as expanding into several additional venues nearby. [7]

On February 20, 2020, the convention was renamed SiliCon, and Adam Savage was named the new creative director. [8] The 2020 event was to have taken place October 16–18 at the San Jose Convention Center, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced officials to move to a virtual show.

The SiliCon 2023 was cancelled and the convention was discontinued, with the organizers alluding to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and funding issues. [9] In 2024, a different comic con, GalaxyCon, debuted at the San Jose Convention Center. [1]

Features and events

The convention aimed to include both popular culture and technology in what Wozniak hopes will be a uniquely Silicon Valley flavor. [10] In that spirit, the convention had typical comic convention staples such as an "artists alley", but it also had an "app alley" featuring new and emerging technology items. Several movie and television studios were represented at the inaugural event including Warner Bros. Pictures, Lionsgate and AMC. [11] Additionally several technology-focused guests were involved as well including astrophysicists and technologists.

Convention locations

DatesLocationAttendanceGuests
March 18–20, 2016San Jose Convention Center
San Jose, California		60,000 [12] Steve Wozniak, Stan Lee, William Shatner, Jeremy Renner, Ray Park, Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Christopher Lloyd, Astro Teller, Jon Heder, Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Tim Miller, Vic Mignogna, Nichelle Nichols [11] [13] [14] [15]
April 21–23, 2017 [7] San Jose Convention Center, City National Civic, The California Theater
San Jose, California		65,000 [16] Steve Wozniak, William Shatner, Grant Gustin, Tom Felton, Billy Boyd, Steven Yeun, John Cusack, Gina Torres, Adam West, Burt Ward, Gary Fisher, Buzz Aldrin, Anjali Bhimani, Kari Byron, Ming Chen, Chad Michael Collins, Denise Crosby, Gigi Edgley, Robert Englund, Jackie Dallas, Jonathan Frakes, Matt Frewer, Pam Grier, Sam J. Jones, Chase Masterson, Gates McFadden, David Newell, Nichelle Nichols,
April 6–8, 2018 [17] San Jose Convention Center
San Jose, California		70,000 [18] David Tennant, Krysten Ritter, Christina Ricci, Mads Mikkelsen, Ian McDiarmid, Freema Agyeman, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, Chris Kattan, Martha Higareda, Katee Sackhoff, Ray Park, Nichelle Nichols, Adam Savage, Stan Lee, Sean Astin, Andy Weir, Jewel Staite, Dean Devlin, Judy Greer, Matthew Lewis, Kevin Eubanks, Mae Jemison, Michio Kaku, Roger Penrose [19]
August 16–18, 2019San Jose Convention Center
San Jose, California		 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Momoa, Chris Hadfield, Will Wright, Jim Cummings, Adam Savage, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Ben McKenzie, Julie Benz, Lou Ferrigno, Andy Weir [20]
August 28–29, 2021San Jose Convention Center
San Jose, California		 Adam Savage, Lou Ferrigno, Andy Weir, Jake Roberts, Mark Sheppard, Catherine Coleman, William Shatner
2022San Jose Convention Center
San Jose, California

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple I</span> First computer model built by Apple

The Apple Computer 1 (Apple-1), later known predominantly as the Apple I, is an 8-bit motherboard-only personal computer designed by Steve Wozniak and released by the Apple Computer Company in 1976. The company was initially formed to sell the Apple I – its first product – and would later become the world's largest technology company. The idea of starting a company and selling the computer came from Wozniak's friend and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. A differentiator of the Apple I was that it included video display terminal circuitry on its circuit board, allowing it to connect to a low-cost composite video monitor or television, whereas others avoided this and used more expensive monitors because business was used to more characters per displayed/typewritten line. It and the Sol-20 were some of the first home computers to have this capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Wozniak</span> American electrical engineer and programmer (born 1950)

Stephen Gary Wozniak, also known by his nickname Woz, is an American technology entrepreneur, electrical engineer, computer programmer, philanthropist, and inventor. In 1976, he co-founded Apple Computer with his early business partner Steve Jobs. Through his work at Apple in the 1970s and 1980s, he is widely recognized as one of the most prominent pioneers of the personal computer revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Draper</span> American computer programmer and former phone phreak

John Thomas Draper, also known as Captain Crunch, Crunch, or Crunchman, is an American computer programmer and former phone phreak. He is a widely known figure within the computer programming world and the hacker and security community, and generally lives a nomadic lifestyle.

<i>Pirates of Silicon Valley</i> 1999 American biographical television film

Pirates of Silicon Valley is a 1999 American biographical drama television film directed by Martyn Burke and starring Noah Wyle as Steve Jobs and Anthony Michael Hall as Bill Gates. Spanning the years 1971–1997 and based on Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine's 1984 book Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer, it explores the impact that the rivalry between Jobs and Gates (Microsoft) had on the development of the personal computer. The film premiered on TNT on June 20, 1999.

Further Confusion, or Furcon, is an annual furry convention held in San Jose, California, each January, celebrating the anthropomorphics genre or furry fandom, including charitable benefits, educational seminars, art shows, panels and general social activities. It was the first event sponsored by Anthropomorphic Arts and Education and continues to be its largest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Savage</span> American television host and special effects artist

Adam Whitney Savage is an American special effects designer and fabricator, actor, educator, television personality, and producer, best known as the former co-host, with Jamie Hyneman, of the Discovery Channel television series MythBusters and Unchained Reaction. His model work has appeared in major films, including Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and The Matrix Reloaded. He hosts the TV program Savage Builds, which premiered on the Science Channel on June 14, 2019. He is most active on the platform Adam Savage's Tested, which includes a website and a YouTube channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FanimeCon</span> Anime convention in San Jose, California

FanimeCon is an annual four-day anime convention held during May at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, over Memorial Day weekend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WonderCon</span> Annual convention

WonderCon is an annual comic book, science fiction, and film convention held in the San Francisco Bay Area (1987–2011), then—under the name WonderCon Anaheim—in Anaheim, California, and WonderCon Los Angeles in 2016. The convention returned to the Anaheim Convention Center in 2017 after a one-year stint in Los Angeles due to construction at the Anaheim Convention Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Discovery Museum station</span> VTA light rail station in San Jose, California

Children's Discovery Museum station is an at-grade light rail station on the Blue Line of the VTA light rail system. The station platform runs along Woz Way and serves the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, after which the station is named. Just south of this station, the Blue Line enters the median of California State Route 87.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Segway polo</span> Team sport played on Segways

Segway polo is a team sport which started to gain some measure of popularity after being played by members of the Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group in 2004. The Bay Area SEG was not the first to play polo on a Segway HT; a team sponsored by Mobile Entertainment played in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome at a Minnesota Vikings halftime show in 2003 although the Bay Area SEG members were not aware of this match at the time they first played the sport. Segway polo was developed as it is played today by the members of the Bay Area SEG and other groups and teams that have joined subsequently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose</span>

Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose(CDM) is a cultural institution serving children, families, and schools in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area. A member of the Association of Children's Museums and the Association of Science-Technology Centers, Children's Discovery Museum is located in downtown San Jose, California on Woz Way. The street is named after Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer whose nickname is "Woz." Wozniak was the single largest private donor during the original capital campaign that funded the museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Convention Center</span> Convention center in Downtown San Jose, California, United States

The San Jose McEnery Convention Center is a convention center in Downtown San Jose, California. The 550,000-square-foot (51,000 m2) facility is the largest convention center in Silicon Valley. It is known for hosting high-profile technology conferences and events like the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference and Facebook F8, as well as non-tech events like FanimeCon and Silicon Valley Comic Con.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L.A. Comic Con</span> Annual Los Angeles multi-genre convention

L.A. Comic Con is a three-day multi-genre convention held annually in downtown Los Angeles, California. L.A. Comic Con is one of the largest independent conventions in the United States and encompasses several categories, including comic, horror, sci-fi, anime, gaming, and pop culture, with a particular focus on the local Los Angeles community.

Tested.com is a website and YouTube channel that focuses on maker culture and technology. The company was started by Will Smith and Norman Chan in 2010, with MythBusters hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman joining the company in 2012. The channel has since been rebranded to Adam Savage's Tested, with Hyneman and Smith both no longer involved.

FanX Salt Lake is an annual multi-genre pop culture expo held in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is produced by Dan Farr and Bryan Brandenburg under Dan Farr Productions and is Utah's most attended convention according to the Governor's Office of Economic Development. The first convention took place at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The second event, Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience, was inaugurated in April 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C2SV</span>

Creative Convergence Silicon Valley, or C2SV, was an annual multi-day music festival and technology conference held each fall in San Jose, California, United States from 2012 to 2016. It was founded in 2012 as the Silicon Valley Sound eXperience (SVSX), a one-day event, 3 p.m. to midnight on September 22 at various downtown San Jose venues, founded by Dan Pulcrano, the CEO of Metro Newspapers.

Alamo City Comic Con (ACCC) is a pop culture convention that is annually held in downtown San Antonio, Texas, taking up the majority of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. ACCC brings top tier celebrities from the world of pop culture movies, TV, comics, video games and cosplay and is currently the largest convention in San Antonio as well as one of the largest events of its kind in the state of Texas. It is also one of the fastest-growing conventions in the United States, with approximately 73,000 attendees in 2014 and just over 78,000 in 2015. In 2014 director and producer Alejandro Cabrera followed and documented The Alamo City Comic Con and the surrounding community for his 2015 documentary, Syfytonians. The film was complete success locally and has credited for reinvigorating the company 2015 show turnover.

Fan Expo Boston, formerly Boston Comic Con, is a multigenre convention held annually in Boston, Massachusetts. Primarily focused on comic books, the convention later featured media guests from film and television, cosplayers, an art auction, a tabletop/CCG/RPG gaming room, and an annual costume contest. After its acquisition by Informa as part of their Fan Expo line, the 2017 edition retired the Comic Con name and was therefore renamed Fan Expo Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Smith</span> American technology/science journalist

Gina Smith is an American entrepreneur, author, and journalist who co-wrote Steve Wozniak's 2006 autobiography iWoz. In 2001, Smith was named one of the 100 most influential people in technology by Upside magazine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pizarro, Sal (August 13, 2024). "GalaxyCon bringing fandom stars to San Jose this weekend". The Mercury News . San Jose, California. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con WOZ Welcome Address, published on YouTube". YouTube . Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con 2016, published on YouTube". YouTube . Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  4. ↑ "SVCC ABOUT/FAQ".
  5. ↑ "Steve Wozniak and Stan Lee are bringing Silicon Valley its own comic con – GamesBeat – Games – by Mike Minotti". VentureBeat. April 17, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con Announced in Dorky Video With Stan Lee And Woz". SFist. Archived from the original on April 21, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  7. 1 2 Ross, Martha (July 28, 2016). "Woz's 2017 Silicon Valley Comic Con: Got $250? VIP tickets on sale today – The Mercury News". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Adam Savage is the new Creative Director of Silicon Valley Comic Con". 8Bit/Digi. February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  9. ↑ Pizarro, Sal (May 8, 2023). "SiliCon, Silicon Valley's pop culture and maker fest, canceled for 2023". The Mercury News.
  10. ↑ "Steve Wozniak Teams With Stan Lee for New Silicon Valley Comic Con". NBC Bay Area. April 17, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Karen Gillan, Jeremy Renner, Stan Lee, William Shatner Coming To Silicon Valley Comic-Con". Cosmic Book News. January 15, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  12. ↑ Wangberg, David (March 27, 2016). "Recapping the inaugural Silicon Valley Comic Con". AXS. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Boldly Going Where No One Has Gone Before: William Shatner to Host 'Star Trek' 50th Anniversary Celebration at Inaugural Silicon Valley Comic Con". Benzinga. September 21, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con Reveals Celebrity Guest List". Comicbookresources.com. November 5, 2015. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  15. ↑ Franich, Darren (February 3, 2016). "Back to the Future stars will reunite at the Silicon Valley Comic Con – exclusive". Ew.com. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con 2017 was a Success and will Return in 2018". 8bitdigi.com. April 28, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Silicon Valley Comic Con: What worked and what didn't". April 23, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Third annual silicon valley comic con draws largest crowd to-date" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2018.
  19. ↑ "First Batch of Silicon Valley Comic Con 2018 Guest Revealed". 8Bit/Digi. November 24, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Momoa and more booked for Silicon Valley Comic Con 2019".

37°19′43″N121°53′20″W / 37.32861°N 121.88889°W / 37.32861; -121.88889

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.