Minicon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about a convention. For the fictional race from Transformers, see Mini-Con.

Minicon is a science fiction and fantasy convention in Minneapolis usually held on Easter weekend. Started in 1968 and running approximately annually since then, it is one of the oldest science fiction conventions in the midwest United States. It is run by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, a non-profit organization that is "dedicated to furthering the appreciation of science fiction and fantasy literature".

Minicon has had many guests of honor over the years, including Gordon R. Dickson, Poul Anderson, Clifford D. Simak, Lester del Rey, Frederik Pohl, Octavia E. Butler, Harlan Ellison, Larry Niven, and Terry Pratchett.

The next Minicon (Minicon 42) will be held April 6-8, 2007 at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Guests of honor will be Charles de Lint (author) and Charles Vess (artist). The theme is "And the question was..." (in reference to the number 42).

Contents 1 Features 2 History 2.1 Past Minicons 2.1.1 Minicon 1 2.1.2 Minicon 2 2.1.3 Minicon 3 2.1.4 Minicon 4 2.1.5 Minicon 5 2.1.6 Minicon 6 2.1.7 Minicon 7 2.1.8 Minicon 8 2.1.9 Minicon 9 2.1.10 Minicon 10 2.1.11 Minicon 11 2.1.12 Minicon 12 2.1.13 Minicon 13 2.1.14 Minicon 15 2.1.15 Minicon 16 2.1.16 Minicon 17 2.1.17 Minicon 14 2.1.18 Minicon 19 2.1.19 Minicon 18 2.1.20 Minicon 20 2.1.21 Minicon 21 2.1.22 Minicon 22 2.1.23 Minicon 23 2.1.24 Minicon 24 2.1.25 Minicon 25 2.1.26 Minicon 26 2.1.27 Minicon 27 2.1.28 Minicon 28 2.1.29 Minicon 29 2.1.30 Minicon 30 2.1.31 Minicon 31 2.1.32 Minicon 32 2.1.33 Minicon 33 2.1.34 Minicon 34 2.1.35 Minicon 35 2.1.36 Minicon 36 2.1.37 Minicon 37 2.1.38 Minicon 38 2.1.39 Minicon 39 2.1.40 Minicon 40 2.1.41 Minicon 41 3 External links 4 References

[edit] Features

Staples of modern Minicons are:

• Several tracks of panel discussions
• Readings
• Films
• Gaming, formal and informal
• The Bozo Bus Tribune, convention newsletter
• Art show
• Dealers room
• Kids' programming
• Filk and Folk music
• Consuite
• Parties

[edit] History

The first Minicon was held on 6 January 1968 in Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota and had approximately 60 attendees. In all subsequent years it was held in area hotels. Attendance grew fairly steadily for many years, culminating in a series of conventions that drew over 3000 people and used as many as 4 hotels. However, in 1999, Minicon downscaled dramatically due to a feeling among some organizers that it had strayed too far from its roots and had become unmanageable. Recent Minicons have had between 400 and 700 attendees.

Around the time that Minicon reduced its size, some other conventions sprang up in the area, including CONvergence and MarsCon.

[edit] Past Minicons

Minicons are listed in chronological order (which is not the same as numerical order). Location, dates, and guests of honor are noted when known.

[edit] Minicon 1

• Year: 1968
• Location: Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota
• Guests of Honor: Gordon R. Dickson, Charles De Vet, Clifford Simak

[edit] Minicon 2

• Year: 1969
• Location: Andrews Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guests of Honor: Gordon R. Dickson, Charles De Vet, Clifford Simak

[edit] Minicon 3

• Year: 1970
• Location: Dyckman Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guests of Honor: Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Clifford Simak

[edit] Minicon 4

• Year: 1971
• Location: Curtis Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guest of Honor: Lin Carter

[edit] Minicon 5

• Year: 1971
• Location: Andrews Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guest of Honor: Volsted Gridban

[edit] Minicon 6

• Year: 1972
• Location: Hyatt Lodge; Minneapolis, MN
• Theme: The Stereo-opticon
• Guest of Honor: Ruth Berman

[edit] Minicon 7

• Year: 1973
• Location: Hyatt Lodge; Minneapolis, MN
• Guests of Honor: Larry Niven (pro), Rusty Hevelin (fan)

[edit] Minicon 8

• Year: 1974
• Location: Dyckman Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guests of Honor: Kelly Freas (pro), Bob Tucker (fan)

[edit] Minicon 9

• Year: 1974
• Location: Dyckman Hotel; Minneapolis, MN
• Guests of Honor: Judy-Lynn del Rey and Lester del Rey

[edit] Minicon 10

• Year: 1975
• Location: Holiday Inn
• Guests of Honor: Poul Anderson (pro), Gordon Dickson (fan), Lester del Rey (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 11

• Year: 1976
• Location: Leamington Hotel
• Guests of Honor: Edmond Hamilton (pro), Leigh Brackett (pro), Leigh and Norb Couch (fans), Jackie Franke and Rusty Hevelin (toastmasters)

[edit] Minicon 12

• Year: 1977
• Location: Leamington Hotel
• Guests of Honor: Ben Bova (pro), Buck Coulson and Juanita Coulson (fans), Joe Haldeman (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 13

• Year: 1978
• Location: Leamington Hotel
• Theme: Nothing is as it seems.
• Guests of Honor: Samuel R. Delany (pro), Spider Robinson (fan), Bob Tucker (artist), Krissy (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 15

• Year: 1979
• Location: Minneapolis Radisson
• Guests of Honor: Theodore Sturgeon (pro), Tom Digby (fan), Rick Sternbach (artist), Robert E. Vardeman (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 16

• Year: 1980
• Location: Minneapolis Radisson
• Guests of Honor: C.J. Cherryh (pro), Jon Singer (fan), Ken Fletcher (artist), Nate Bucklin (musician), Bob Tucker (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 17

• Year: 1981
• Location: Minneapolis Radisson
• Guests of Honor: Jack Vance (pro), Jerry Boyajian (fan), Reed Waller (musician), Kathy Marschall (artist)

[edit] Minicon 14

• Year: 1982
• Location: Saint Paul Radisson
• Theme: Forward, Into the Past
• Guests of Honor: John Varley (pro), Clifford D. Simak (fan), Spider Robinson (musician)

[edit] Minicon 19

• Year: 1983
• Location: Saint Paul Radisson
• Theme: Backward, Into the Future
• Guests of Honor: Larry Niven (pro), Pamela Dean and David Dyer-Bennet (fans), Dave Sim (artist), Spider John Koerner (music), Steven Brust (toastmaster), Nostradamus (proxy)

[edit] Minicon 18

• Year: 1984
• Location: Leamington Hotel
• Theme: We know what we're doing and you don't. Trust us.
• Guests of Honor: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (pro), Dave Wixon (fan), Stephen Hickman (artist), S.P. Somtow (musician), Rusty Hevelin (toastmaster), Bob Tucker ("smooth")

[edit] Minicon 20

• Year: 1985
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Guests of Honor: James P. Hogan (pro), The Permanent Floating Riot Club (fan group), The White Women (musicians), Stu Shiffman (artist), Jerry Stearns and Kara Dalkey (toastmasters)

[edit] Minicon 21

• Year: 1986
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Now we're just immoral and fattening
• Guests of Honor: Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm (pro), Denny Lien (fan), Ken Fletcher (artist), Anne Passovoy (musician), Diane Duane (toastmaster)
• Honored guests: Phyllis Eisenstein, Terri Windling, John M. Ford, P. C. Hodgell

[edit] Minicon 22

• Year: 1987
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Still Crazy After All These Years
• Guests of Honor: David Brin (pro), Fred Haskell (fan), Erin McKee (artist), Jerry Stearns (music), Robert Bloch (toastmaster)
• Honored guests: Diane Duane, Jane Yolen, Ellen Kushner

[edit] Minicon 23

• Year: 1988
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Spring Forward, Fall Over
• Guests of Honor: Eleanor Arnason (author), Eric Heideman (fan), Frederick Pohl (editor), Crystal Marvig (artist), Richard Feynman (science, posthumous)
• Honored guests: Jane Yolen, David Hartwell, Algis Budrys

[edit] Minicon 24

• Year: 1989
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Zen and the Art of Fan Maintenance
• Guests of Honor: Harry Harrison, George "Lan" Laskowski, Fritz Leiber, Barry B. Longyear
• Honored guests: Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, P. C. Hodgell, Larry Niven, John Sladek

[edit] Minicon 25

• Year: 1990
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: The Silver Edition
• Guests of Honor: Jane Yolen, Kim Stanley Robinson (author), Patrick Price ("arthur"), David Thayer a.k.a. Teddy Harvia (artist), DavE Romm (fan), Earl Joseph (science)
• Honored guests: Dave Clement, P. C. Hodgell, Dr. Joseph Romm, Art Widner

[edit] Minicon 26

• Year: 1991
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Think of it as Evolution in Action
• Guests of Honor: George Alec Effinger (author), David Cherry (artist), Al Kuhfeld, Ph.D. (science), Suzanne V. Tompkins and Jerry Kaufman (fans), Jon Singer (lunch)

[edit] Minicon 27

• Year: 1992
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Don't Ever Be A Dodo
• Guests of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold (author), Ctein (artist), Dave Van Ronk (music)

[edit] Minicon 28

• Year: 1993
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Suite, Savage Minicon
• Guests of Honor: Susan Allison (editor), Diane Duane (author), Peter Morwood (author), Kathy Mar (music), Don Fitch (bless his sweet heart), John M. Ford (interesting person)

[edit] Minicon 29

• Year: 1994
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: It seemed like a good idea at the time
• Guests of Honor: Tom Doherty (publisher), Jack Williamson (author), Rusty Hevelin (fan), Phil Foglio (artist)

[edit] Minicon 30

• Year: 1995
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Would you like fries with that?
• Guests of Honor: Vernor Vinge (author), Robert L. Forward (science), Jody Lee (artist), The Bhigg House (fan group)
• Honored guest: Glen Cook

[edit] Minicon 31

• Date: April 5-7, 1996
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Coming Soon to a Galaxy Near You!
• Guests of Honor: Suzette Haden Elgin (author), Ed Emshwiller (artist, posthumous), Joe Siclari & Edie Stern (fans), David Ossman (audio)

[edit] Minicon 32

• Date: March 28-30, 1997
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Guests of Honor: Algis Budrys (author), C.J. Cherryh (author), Tom Doherty (publisher), Tom Lopez (audio), Patrick Nielsen Hayden (fan), Teresa Nielsen Hayden (fan), Michael Swanwick

[edit] Minicon 33

• Date: April 10-12, 1998
• Location: Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Heisenberg Probably Slept Here
• Guests of Honor: Gardner Dozois (publishing), David Langford (fan), John M. Ford (toastmaster)

[edit] Minicon 34

• Date: April 2-4, 1999
• Location: Minneapolis Hilton & Towers Hotel
• Guests of Honor: Octavia E. Butler (author), Mark & Priscilla Olson (fans), David Nee (bookseller)

[edit] Minicon 35

• Date: April 21 - 23, 2000
• Location: Hilton Minneapolis & Towers
• Guests of Honor: Maureen F. McHugh (author), John Berkey (artist), Lenny Bailes (fan)

[edit] Minicon 36

• Date: April 13 - 15, 2001
• Location: Hilton Minneapolis & Towers
• Guests of Honor: Ken MacLeod (author), Jo Walton (fan), Leslie Fish (musician)

[edit] Minicon 37

• Date: March 29-31, 2002
• Location: Hilton Minneapolis
• Guests of Honor: Emma Bull (author), Will Shetterly (author), Arthur Hlavaty (fan), Rick Berry (artist)

[edit] Minicon 38

• Date: April 18-20, 2003
• Location: Millennium Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Guests of Honor: Robert J. Sawyer (author), Carolyn Clink (poet), Sue Mason (fan), Steve Macdonald (musician)

[edit] Minicon 39

• Date: April 9-11, 2004
• Location: Millennium Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Guests of Honor: Walter Jon Williams (author), Sharyn November (editor), Deb Geisler (fan)

[edit] Minicon 40

• Date: March 25-27, 2005
• Location: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Theme: Minicon Fortean
• Guests of Honor: Terry Pratchett (author), Fastner & Larson (artists), James Young (fan)

[edit] Minicon 41

• Date: April 14-16, 2006
• Location: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota.
• Guests of Honor: Harlan Ellison (author), John Picacio (artist), Doug Friauf (fan)

[edit] External links

• Minicon website
• Minnesota Science Fiction Society website

[edit] References