SMOF News, volume 1, issue 43
One convention is saved, another is in peril, and news in brief.
Westercon Will Continue
As previously reported, the West Coast Science Fantasy Conference or Westercon, one of the oldest fan conventions in existence, was facing the possibility that no further cons would be held after Westercon 74 this year (Tonopah, Nevada, USA, July 1-4). But at the last minute, someone stepped forward to run Westercon 75:
Westercon 75 will be held in Anaheim, California at the Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort over the weekend of June 30-July 3, 2023. The convention’s Fantasy Writer Guest of Honor will be Gail Carriger, with additional guests to be announced later. The convention will be co-chaired by Arlene Busby and Michelle Weisblat-Dane, and the Treasurer will be Timothy Cassidy Curtis.
Westercon 76 in 2024 is an open question. The deadline for official bids was April 15, but a write-in bid could be announced any time up until Westercon 74. If none appears, the decision about how to proceed goes to the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, which ultimately owns Westercon.
Tekko Might Not Continue
Tekko is a long-running anime convention in Pittsburgh, and is in immediate danger:
Over the last few weeks we have worked tirelessly to come to an agreement with the organizations and convention center that worked on Tekko 2021. Negotiations recently ended early this June, and now we turn to the community for help in raising $100,000.
While these organizations and the convention center have graciously agreed to reduce the cost we must now pay upfront, we still need $60,000 before the show starts in July 2022. This is more than we have needed to pre-pay in the past. Without this, there will be no Tekko in July.
The additional $40,000 is needed to cover outstanding bills from Tekko’s 2021 event.
Tekko’s fundraising announcement lays out the same reasons that other conventions have needed to raise extra funds lately: fixed yearly costs regardless of a 2020 cancellation, lower attendance in 2021, the challenges of holding the 2021 event at a different time of year than usual. And now there’s inflation:
Prices have gone up everywhere, from food to gas to hotel rooms. Labor, supplies, swag, everything that we purchase to make Tekko happen has gone up in price.
Tekko’s GoFundMe currently stands at $56,618 raised. A “Tekkothon” live event to make a final push for donations is scheduled for July 9th at noon (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-5). More details about it are to be announced soon.
In Brief
Chicon 8, the 80th Worldcon (Chicago, Illinois, USA, September 1-5), has added Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due as Guests of Honor. Chicon’s previous Author GoH, Charles de Lint, had to step down in April.
Event Calendar
Weekend of June 24-26
SoonerCon 30, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
PortConMaine, Portland, Maine, USA
Cosplay America, Cary, North Carolina, USA
RAGECON 7 (gaming), Sparks, Nevada, USA
Magic City Con (gaming), Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Neo Anime Oasis:01, Boise, Idaho, USA
ExpOtaku Zaragoza (anime), Zaragoza, Spain
SunnyCon Anime Expo, St. James Park, UK
Anime Festival Wichita, Wichita, Kansas, USA
Kyokai Con (anime), Harlingen, Texas, USA
OMG!con 2022 (anime), Owensboro, Kentucky, USA
Anime Festival Orlando 2022, Orlando, Florida, USA
JAFAX 2022: Let the Games Begin (anime), Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Heroes Convention (comics), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Forest City Comicon, London, Ontario, Canada
Sci-Fi on the Rock (media), St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Mississippi Comic Convention, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
Comic Con Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
Rail City Fan Fest (media), Saint Albans, Vermont, USA
TrekFest 37 (Star Trek), Riverside, Iowa, USA
My Little Pony Fair, Tampa, Florida, USA
LeakyCon (Harry Potter), Orlando, Florida, USA
Mid-week event: SFRA 2022: Futures From the Margins (symposium), Oslo, Norway
Weekend of July 1-3
Westercon 74, Tonopah, Nevada, USA
InConJunction 41: The Next Chapter, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
XXXIV Semana Negra, Gijón, Spain
Festival Fantazie, Chotěboř, Czech Republic
BayCon 2022, San Mateo, California, USA
Anthrocon 2022: Aesop's Fables (anthropomorphic), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Paris est Ludique 2022 (gaming), Paris, France
Gem State Gaming Convention, Boise, Idaho, USA
Anime Midwest, Rosemont, Illinois, USA
BA-CON (anime), Alvin, Texas, USA
Anime Expo 2022, Los Angeles, California, USA
AnimeSHOW 2022, Bratislava, Slovakia
Fan Expo Denver (media), Denver, Colorado, USA
Eternal Con (media), Hampstead, New York, USA
Lewisburg Comic-Con, Lewisburg, Ohio, USA
Weekend of July 8-10
Finncon 2022 (Finnish national sf convention), Espoo, Finland
Festival Fantazie, Chotěboř, Czech Republic
Play On Con, Columbiana, Alabama, USA
Blerdcon (Black geekdom), Arlington, Virginia, USA
South Afrifur: Cyberpunk (anthropomorphic), Lanseria, South Africa
East Coast Gaming Expo, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA
Dice Tower East (gaming), Orlando, Florida, USA
Bold Matsuri (anime), Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Rocket City Anime Convention, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
Anime Friends 2022, São Paulo, Brazil
Comiccon de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
London Film & Comic Con, London, UK
Fan Expo Chicago (media), Rosemont, Illinois, USA
Greater Austin Comic Convention, Cedar Hills, Texas, USA
Mahoning Valley Comicon, Warren, Ohio, USA
TFcon Toronto (Transformers), Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Weekend of July 15-17
Estcon 2022 (Estonian national sf convention), Udu, Estonia
OzCon International (Oz series), Pomona, California, USA
Once and Future Fantasies (symposium), Glasgow, UK
Fur-Eh!: Mardi Paws (anthropomorphic), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Anthro Weekend Utah: The Curse of Awubis, Layton, Utah, USA
Brazil FurFest 2022: A Fantástica Fábrica de Doces (anthropomorphic), Santos, Brazil
Furway 2022 (anthropomorphic), Brandbu, Norway
Furry Siesta 2022: The Truth Is Out There! (anthropomorphic), Dallas, Texas, USA
Festival Ludique International de Parthenay (gaming), Parthenay, France
ConQuest Fresno (gaming), Clovis, California, USA
FlaMinGoCon (gaming), Delray Beach, Florida, USA
Phoenix Con (gaming), Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
Final Boss Con (gaming), Rio Grande, Ohio, USA
Breakout 2022 (gaming), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CharCon 2022 (gaming), Charleston, West Virginia, USA
Lavecon 2022 (gaming), Milton Keynes, UK
Ettin Con 2022 (gaming), online
Berlin Con 2022 (gaming), Berlin, Germany
GeeklyCon 2022 (gaming), Rochester, New York, USA
Southern-Fried Gaming Expo (video games), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Anime North, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dokidokon (anime), Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
Dream Con (anime), Arlington, Texas, USA
Atsusacon: Ninja vs Samurai (anime), Ghent, Belgium
Sydney Manga & Anime Show, Sydney, Australia
Shore Leave 42 (media), Hunt Valley, Maryland, USA
ConnectiCon XIX (media), Hartford, CT
Hershey Comic Con, Grantville, Pennsylvania, USA
Metrocon (media), Tampa, Florida, USA
Saggeek (media), Saguenay, Québec, Canada
Utopia 2022 (Doctor Who), Wyboston, UK
TrotCon (My Little Pony), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Weekend of July 22-24
ConGregate 8, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
Celsius 232, Avilés, Spain
Aurawra (anthropomorphic), Sydney, Australia
Festival Ludique International de Parthenay (gaming), Parthenay, France
Open Gaming Convention 2022, Westford, Massachusetts, USA
Twisted Lords Con 2022 (gaming), Midwest City, Oklahoma, USA
World Boardgaming Championships, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, USA
Historicon 2022: World in Conflict: Italy (miniatures gaming), Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
Zolocon Game On (video games), Warminster, Pennsylvania, USA
Classic Game Fest (retro video games), Austin, Texas, USA
AkaiCon: Aces and 8’s (anime), Lebanon, Tennsesse, USA
Metrocon (anime), Tampa, Florida, USA
AnimeIowa: The Spectrum of Heroes!, Coralville, Iowa, USA
Kitsune Kon (anime), Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
ExpOtaku Tarragona (anime), Tarragona, Spain
Tekko 2022 (anime), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Ai-Kon 2022 (anime), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Chibi-Con 2022 (anime), Winterthur, Switzerland
Kogan Con 2022: The Summer Festival Episode (anime), Grand Haven, Michigan, USA
Comic-Con International, San Diego, California, USA
Coda
Try to build a solar system without losing any planets (Astronomy Picture of the Day)
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