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A science fiction convention is a gathering of fans of 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.
BayCon is the San Francisco Bay Area's longest-running fan-run science fiction and fantasy convention. It is held over Memorial Day weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. BayCon draws many attendees from throughout California and also as far away as Oregon, Washington, and Arizona. The most recent BayCon was held from Friday, May 24, through Monday, May 27, 2019, in San Mateo, California. The conventions in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next BayCon is scheduled for July 1–4, 2022.
A gaming convention is a gathering centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three business days long, and often held at either a university or in a convention center hotel.
MarsCon in Virginia Beach, Virginia is a mid-sized regional science fiction convention founded in 1990. The convention provides a relaxed environment for people who enjoy science fiction to meet new friends and talk about their interests. The convention has been described as "the largest and longest-running science fiction/fantasy convention in the Tidewater area."
FenCon is a literary science fiction and fantasy convention with filk held each year on or around the fourth full weekend of September in or around Dallas, Texas. The name is derived from "fen", the fannish plural of "fan", and "con", an abbreviation for "convention".
SoonerCon is a fan-run multi-genre convention held annually in Central Oklahoma, founded in Oklahoma City proper before being held in Midwest City from 2013 until 2018 and then Norman, Oklahoma in June 2019 at the vastly larger Embassy Suites Hotel & Convention Center.
ConDFW was a literary science fiction and fantasy convention held annually in the Dallas, Texas, area from 2002-2019. Attendees mingled with author and artist guests, attended panel discussions and readings led by guests, got books signed, looked at and bought sci-fi and fantasy art from artists around the country, shopped in a dealer's room with books, art, games, clothing, weapons, and other items, donated used books to charity, played games, or just hung out and talked to guests and attendees in the consuite or the hotel bar. ConDFW is a production of the Texas Speculative Fiction Association.
Stellar Occasion was a three-day science fiction convention held in the Dallas, Texas area in the mid to late 1990s. It blended science fiction literary and media guests with space science in an unusual, fan-oriented cross between the traditional science fiction convention and a commercial media event. Stellar Occasion is notable for being an early proponent of the television series Babylon 5 and featuring both writers and actors from the show each year.
Lazy Dragon Con was a three-day relaxacon held in McKinney, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas in both 2007 and 2008. Lazy Dragon Con was sponsored by Lazy Dragon LLC, dealers of blades "From Pocketknives to Broadswords," and was not related to the Atlanta-based Dragon Con in any way.
The Hilton Anatole is a Dallas hotel at 2201 Stemmons Freeway in the Market Center district just north of downtown Dallas, Texas. Featuring 1,606 guest rooms, it is one of the largest hotels in the South and is a major convention and meeting facility. Over 1,000 art objects, including a casting of Riding Into the Sunset and two sections of the Berlin Wall, are located throughout the resort setting. The hotel previously featured the five-star Nana Restaurant, but it closed in May 2012 due to decreased demand for fine dining restaurants and was replaced with a high-energy steak house, SĒR.
Starbase Indy is a science fiction convention. Its mission, revised in 2017, is "Celebrating Star Trek's vision of the future by promoting humanitarianism and STEM education today." Working to promote Gene Roddenberry's vision of a hopeful future, Starbase Indy reorganized as public benefit corporation with the purpose of raising the interest and improving the knowledge and skills of all ages in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through engagement in public discussion, lectures, and hands-on programs during a yearly event in November. The organization also works to eliminate prejudice and discrimination through intentional inclusivity, promotion of diversity, and specifically designed activities.
Fan Expo Chicago, is a comic book convention held during the summer in Rosemont, Illinois, United States, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. It was traditionally a three-day event, but in 2006, it expanded to four days. It was founded in 1972 as Nostalgia '72, Chicago Comic Con and later as the Chicago Comic and Nostalgia Convention by a local dealer named Nancy Warner.
The Wizard World Columbus Comic Con, formerly known as Mid-Ohio Con and then the Wizard World Ohio Comic Con, was a comic book convention held during the fall in Columbus, Ohio, United States, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Initially held in early November, from 1994–2007 the Mid-Ohio Con took place on the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Normally a two-day event, in 2012 it expanded to three days.
The Dallas Fantasy Fair was an annual multi-genre fan convention held between 1982 and 1995 in Dallas, Texas. From 1989 until the show's demise in 1996, it was the home of the Harvey Award ceremonies. During its heyday, the show was one of the largest comics conventions in the country, third in attendance behind the San Diego Comic-Con and the Chicago Comicon.
Houstoncon was an annual multi-genre fan convention which was held between 1967 and 1982 in Houston, Texas. Houstoncon started out as a member of the Southwesterncon series of regional conventions, but eventually became an independent con. The founders of Houstoncon were Roy Bonario and Marc Schooley; Houston area entrepreneur Ed Blair, Jr. was also a key member of the organizing committee.
The Ottawa Comiccon is a fan convention with a focus on comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and games. It is a spin-off of the Montreal Comiccon. It was launched in 2012. The event features comic books, toys, games, science-fiction, horror, anime, non-sport cards, and collectibles. It is held at the EY Centre convention center in Ottawa, taking place in May and lasting three days. The organizers of the Ottawa Comiccon primarily come from the Montreal Comiccon organization.
Magnum Opus Con (MOC) was an annual multigenre convention which generally took place each spring in various cities in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina from 1986 to 2001. Organized by comics retailer Roland Castle, the convention was designed to attract science fiction fans of all stripes. Over its 16-year run, MOC featured hundreds of celebrity guests and ran hundreds of hours of programming for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books, gaming, and other elements of fandom.
A comic book convention or comic con is a fan convention with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels, or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels, with a larger number of attendees participating in cosplay than most other types of fan conventions. Comic book conventions are also used as a vehicle for industry, in which publishers, distributors, and retailers represent their comic-related releases. Comic book conventions may be considered derivatives of science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s.
Southwesterncon was a series of regional multi-genre fan conventions held annually in Texas and Oklahoma between 1966 and 1971. On a rotating basis, conventions were held in Dallas ("D-Con"), Houston ("Houstoncon"), and Oklahoma City ("Multicon"). Southwesterncon is credited with being one of the earliest ongoing comic book conventions in the United States.
References
- ↑ "Convention Listings - November 2000". Locus.
- ↑ Talbot, Bryan (2007). The Naked Artist: Comic Book Legends. Calumet, Illinois: Moonstone. p. 69. ISBN 978-1-933076-25-6.
- ↑ Grisaffi, Joe (2000-12-02). "UncommonCon Convention in Irving TX". Archived from the original on 2008-03-28.
- ↑ "Convention Listings - November 2001". Locus.
- ↑ "Uncommoncon Cancelled! discussion". Comicon.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26.
- ↑ Blum, Dawn (2001-11-14). "ItzaCon3 - With Peter Mayhew". Jedi Council Forums.
- ↑ "UncommonCon Cancels Festival -- Heritage Auction to Proceed on Schedule". 2001-11-13.
- ↑ "Heritage Comics Signature Auction Brings $960,000; Prices Soar". 2001-11-27.