How to Convention: Staying Healthy
We’ve all got the mask and vaccination advice for COVID-19 down by now. But as we edge back to in-person gatherings, it’s time to remember that there are plenty of other things that can make us sick when we’re crowded together with a bunch of strangers, trying to have as much fun as possible in two or three days. Con crud does not have to be an essential part of the convention experience, so keep it at bay with these tips.
Follow the 5-2-1 rule: For every day that you’re at a con, get at least 5 hours of sleep, 2 square meals, and 1 bath or shower.
Wash your hands before eating: Noroviruses are a longstanding threat to large gatherings of any kind, and they are highly resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizer. There’s already one convention out there with a norovirus strain named after it; there doesn’t need to be a second.
Stay hydrated: Eight glasses of water a day is a myth, but convention facility air tends to be very dry. Bring your reusable bottle and drink as much as you need.
Eat what gives you energy: Even just walking back and forth around the facility and socializing takes more energy than you think. Give yourself permission to eat what refuels you best.
Don’t forget your other vaccinations: Flu kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year, measles is trying to make a comeback, and there are plenty of other communicable but preventable diseases out there to wreck your convention experience. Keeping your immune system fully updated will help keep your favorite con enjoyable for both you and others.
In Brief
Two bids have emerged for the 2023 Eastercon, the UK national science fiction convention, Conversation 2023 and Persistence 2023. A winner will be chosen at this year’s convention, Reclamation 2022 (April 15-18, London).
Applications for Gen Con Participation Grants, providing memberships and stipends to help gaming enthusiasts from historically underrepresented communities attend Gen Con, will be open April 4-May 15.
Kumoricon (November 15-18, Portland, Oregon, USA) has added Adam McArthur and Momma Sammu as guests.
Indiana Comic Convention (April 15-17, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) has added Chris Sabat and James “Murr” Murray as guests.
Event Calendar
Weekend of April 1-3
CyPhaCon 2022, Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
Roscon-2022, Moscow, Russia
Costume-Con 40: Rogues, Royals, Renegades, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Atlanta Game Fest 37, Alpharetta, Georgia, USA
LeiriaCon (gaming), Leiria, Portugal
LexiCon 2022 (gaming), Lexington, Kentucky, USA
LexiCon-IL (RPGs), Lexington, Illinois, USA
Animarathon (anime), Bowling Green, Ohio, USA
Cape Anime, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA
KokoroCon (anime), Nottingham, UK
Tokyo Alley (anime), Perth, Australia
AniFest 2022 (anime), Torrance, California, USA
FACTS (media), Ghent, Belgium
Angers Geekfest: La Culture Geek Au Féminin (media), Angers, France
Quad Cities Comic Con, Davenport, Iowa, USA
Vaca-Con (media), Vacaville, California, USA
WonderCon 2022 (media), Anaheim, California, USA
Weekend of April 8-10
LuxCon 2022 (Eurocon), Dudelange, Luxembourg
ConStellation, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Jack Williamson Lectureship, Portales, New Mexico, USA
Springmoot (J. R. R. Tolkien), Exeter, UK
221B Con (Sherlock Holmes), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
FK-NO 3 (music), online
CosXpo (costuming), Reading, UK
Golden State Fur Con (anthropomorphic), Los Angeles, California, USA
CODCON XXV: Re-Roll! (gaming), Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA
Adirondacon (gaming), Glens Falls, New York, USA
DaveCon (gaming), Roseville, Illinois, USA
MEPACON (gaming), White Haven, Pennsylvania, USA
Buckeye Game Fest 2022, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo 2022, Garden City, New York, USA
Havoc XXXVI (miniatures gaming), Sutton, Massachusetts, USA
Conpulsion Lite (RPGs), online
Ambercon 2022 (Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game), online (usually Livonia, Michigan, USA)
LAN All Night V: LAN of the Rings (LAN gaming), Grapevine, Texas, USA
CoMo Retro Con (retro video games), Columbia, Missouri, USA
Aselia Con (Tales game series), Irving, Texas, USA
Con Ja Nai XXVI (anime), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Jaycon 11 (anime), Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA
Made in Asia (anime), Brussels, Belgium
Romics XXVIII (comics), Rome, Italy
Sci-Fi Scarborough (media), Scarborough, UK
Rod Con (media), Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA
Wicked Comic Con, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
SC Comicon, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
Central Texas Comic Con, Waco, Texas, USA
Bedford Who Charity Con 7 (Doctor Who), Bedford, UK
Star Trek Mission Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Dairycon 2022: The Moo Adventures (Transformers), Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA
Weekend of April 15-17
Reclamation 2022, the 72nd Eastercon (UK national sf convention), London, UK
Minicon 55, Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, USA
Norwescon 44, Seatac, Washington, USA
Fastaval, Hobro, Denmark
HAL-CON 2022, Kawasaki, Japan
Fauntastic 2022: Night of the Yōkai (anthropomorphic), Lyon, France
Fur Squared 2022 (anthropomorphic), Brookfield, Wisconsin, USA
GothCon XLV (gaming), Göteborg, Sweden
Conquest Games Convention (RPGs), Melbourne, Australia
Nashville Tabletop Day (boardgames), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
OzBunnyCon 2022 (boardgames), Glen Waverley, Australia
Kanpai!Con (anime), Omaha, Nebraska, USA
MTAC Score! (anime), Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Mang’Azur (anime), Toulon, France
Polymanga (anime), Montreux, Switzerland
Karoshi-Con (anime), DeKalb, Illinois, USA
Saluki Con (anime), Carbondale, Illinois, USA
SacAnime, Roseville, California, USA
Colorado Anime Fest, Denver, Colorado, USA
Sakura-Con 2022 (anime), Seattle, Washington, USA
Puerto Rico Comic Con, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Indiana Comic Convention, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
BABSCon 2022 (My Little Pony), Burlingame, California, USA
Weekend of April 22-24
No Brand Con XIX, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, USA
Swancon Not-A-Con, Tuart Hill, Australia
OmegaCon (relaxacon), Siren, Wisconsin, USA
JordanCon (fantasy literature), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Ice and Fire Convention (Song of Ice and Fire series), Mt. Sterling, Ohio, USA
Penguicon 2022 (sf/open source), Southfield, Michigan, USA
Malice Domestic 32-33-34 (mysteries), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Farmageddon IX (gaming), Farmer City, Illinois, USA
Cheyenne Gaming Convention, Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA
Rising Phoenix Game Con, Milford, Massachusetts, USA
Jeu au Boute (boardgames), Chertsey, Québec, Canada
Recon (miniatures gaming), Orlando, Florida, USA
PAX East (video games), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Omnicon Revival (anime), Cookeville, Tennessee, USA
Oz-Con (anime), West Plains, Missouri, USA
Kawaii Kon (anime), Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Anime St. Louis, St. Charles, Missouri, USA
ExpOtaku Vitoria-Gasteiz (anime), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Mobile Bay Anime Festival, Daphne, Alabama, USA
Beta Quest 2022 (anime), Kingsland, Georgia, USA
San Diego Comic Fest, San Diego, California, USA
El Paso Comic Con, El Paso, Texas, USA
Yellow City Comic Con, Amarillo, Texas, USA
Fayetteville Comic Con, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
Suncoast Comic-Con, Palmetto, Florida, USA
Comic-Con Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Fanboy Expo Las Vegas (media), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Weekend of April 29-May 1
RavenCon 15, Glen Allen, Virginia, USA
Tulkon, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Glasgow International Fantasy Conversations (symposium), online
Das Frühlingsfest der Filksmusik (music), Hanstedt, Germany
Furry Weekend Holland: Castles and Peacocks!, Baarlo, Netherlands
Chupacabracon VIII (gaming), Round Rock, Texas, USA
TringCon (gaming), Marsworth, UK
San Marino Game Convention, San Marino
Great Plains Game Fest, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Congress of Gamers Spring Session, Rockville, Maryland, USA
2022 Gaming Hoopla, Mundelein, Illinois, USA
LoBsterCon XXII (boardgames), Eastbourne, UK
Jeu au Boute (boardgames), Chertsey, Québec, Canada
Game Jam South (video games), Huntsville, Alabama, USA
Midwest Gaming Classic (video games), Milwaukee, Wisconsin
FnordCon 5 (Steve Jackson Games), Austin, Texas, USA
aniMUC (anime), Fürstenfeld, Germany
Castle Point Anime Convention, Seacaucus, New Jersey, USA
Kameha Con (anime), Allen, Texas, USA
Anime Athens, Athens, Texas, USA
Avalon Expo 8 (media), St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Fangaea (media), San Diego, California, USA
Causeacon (media), Beckley, West Virginia, USA
Fan Expo Cleveland (media), Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Wirral Comic Con, New Brighton, UK
Geek Days Rennes (media), Bruz, France
Visioncon 2022 (media), Springfield, Missouri, USA
MonstahXpo (horror media), Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA
Coda
Scientifically describing the world’s most boring person (Business Insider) (hat tip: Money Stuff)
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