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How to Convention: Potlucks and Shows
Conventions can be classified according to the genre(s) they serve, but they are also defined along another axis, one which says something about the underlying philosophy and structure of the event.
This is not a series of categories but a spectrum. At one end is the “show”, an event with a firm line between star guests and a passive audience. At the other end, analogies vary, but one of the more common terms is “potluck”. This sort of convention is designed for more active participation, with less emphasis on guests. At the extreme, some potluck-style events have no guests at all, and the majority of attendees may also be serving as volunteers, staff, or program participants.
Most conventions fall somewhere in the middle. Show-style conventions often have costume contests and fan panels. Potluck-style events usually have guests and guest-centered programming such as readings, autograph sessions, and interviews.
Another way to put it is that potluck-style events are built primarily for fan-to-fan connections, while show-style events prioritize for fan-to-celebrity connections.
A third aspect of this spectrum is the economic one. Potluck-style conventions are almost, but not quite, always run by nonprofits. Show-style events are stereotyped as commercial ventures, since that end of the spectrum is dominated by for-profit behemoths, but local shows are a mix of for-profit, nonprofit, and events with no corporate structure behind them at all.
In Brief
The Uncanny Experience (Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 16-17) has added Caspar Van Dien as a guest.
FanX Salt Lake (Salt Lake City, September 21-23) has added Andy Serkis, Charlie Cox, and Debbe Dunning as guests.
Cincinnati Comic Expo (Cincinnati, Ohio, September 22-24) has added Stephane Roux, Uko Smith, Dave Aikins, Andy Bennett, and Sean Anderson as guests.
COSine 2024 (Colorado Springs, Colorado, January 19-21) has named Jim Humble its new Artist Guest of Honor after Theresa Mather had to cancel.
Trek Long Island (Hauppauge, New York, May 31-June 2) has added Derek Tyler Attico, J. K. Woodward, Michael Jan Friedman, Michaelan Sisti, and Robert Greenberger as guests.
Event Calendar
Weekend of September 15-17
Copernicon, Toruń, Poland
P-Con, Irving, Texas, USA
Albacon 2023, Clifton Park, New York, USA
Fantasycon, Birmingham, UK
SWFL SteamCon (steampunk), Cape Coral, Florida, USA
Megaplex: Be Anything, Do Anything! (anthropomorphic), Orlando, Florida, USA
West Aussie Fur Frenzy: Under the Big Top (anthropomorphic), Freemantle, Australia
Furever West (anthropomorphic), Laramie, Wyoming, USA
FursonaCon 2023: Dino Safari (anthropomorphic), Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
ShireCon 5 (gaming), Canaan, Connecticut, USA
Strong Tower Gaming Convention, Brookfield, Wisconsin, USA
Tabletop Central (gaming), Savoy, Illinois, USA
B-Con 2023 (gaming), Northglenn, Colorado, USA
ReUnity Games 2023, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA
Tennessee Game Days Fall 2023, Franklin, Tennessee, USA
Hold the Line (miniatures gaming), Port Clinton, Ohio, USA
Southern Front 2023 (miniatures gaming), Morrisville, North Carolina, USA
Retro Palooza (retro video games), Arlington, Texas, USA
J-Con (anime), Derby, UK
Anime Fargo 2023: Enter the Ninja, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Chizu Con 2023 (anime), Madison, Wisconsin, USA
AncientCityCon (media), St. Augustine, Florida, USA
Granite State Comicon (media), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
Edmonton Expo (media), Edmonton, Alberta, USA
Fandom Kissimmee (media), Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Extremicon (media), St. Robert, Missouri, USA
CaperCon (media), Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Power Comicon, Florence, South Carolina, USA
Flower City Comic Con, Rochester, New York, USA
Cartoon-A-Paloozah, Temecula, California, USA
Comic Con Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
London Comic Con, London, UK
Midgard 2023 (media), Reykjavik, Iceland
Alpha Omega Con (Christian-themed sf media), Whittier, California, USA
The Uncanny Experience (X-Men), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Weekend of September 22-24
Necronomicon 42: Life, the Convention, and Everything, Tampa, Florida, USA
2nd Annual Sturgeon Symposium, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
Dum-Dum 2023 (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Rhinelander, Wisconsin, USA
Furnavia (anthropomorphic), Kristiansand, Norway
PhilliFur 2023: Tails and Fables (anthropomorphic), Quezon City, Philippines
9th Annual Steampunk Fair, Kennebunk, Maine, USA
Anno 1900 (steampunk), Lasauvage, Luxembourg
Council Ganing Con 42, Schenectady, New York, USA
SIBCON XXVII (gaming), Butler, Pennsylvania, USA
Nuke-Con (gaming), Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
Game On Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Big Geek Con (gaming), Saginaw, Michigan, USA
MegaMooseCon (gaming), Richburg, South Carolina, USA
CuseCon 2023 (gaming), Syracuse, New York, USA
Barrage 2023 (miniatures gaming), Havre de Grace, Maryland, USA
Hurricon 2023: Lost Causes (miniatures gaming), Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Recruits (wargaming), Lee’s Summit, Missouri, USA
CEOtaku (anime fighting games), Orlando, Florida, USA
Rappig Crossing (Tales video games), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Made in Asia (anime), Brussels, Belgium
Anime USA, Arlington, Virginia, USA
MidessAnime, Odessa, Texas, USA
Anime Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Microcon II (comics), St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Thessaloniki Comic Convention vol. 8, Thessaloniki, Greece
NORCON (media), Norfolk, UK
Lagos Comic Convention, Lagos, Nigeria
Spa-Con (media), Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA
Comic Con Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Fountain City Fandemonium (media), Bryan, Ohio, USA
Cincinnati Comic Expo, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Rose City Comic Con, Portland, Oregon, USA
Alabama Comic Con, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Superstar Comic Con, Savannah, Georgia, USA
FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Mobicon 2023 (media), Mobile, Alabama, USA
Weekend of September 29-October 1
Archon 46, Collinsville, Illinois, USA
Conflux 17: Passages and Portals, Canberra, Australia
Capclave 2023 (books), Rockville, Maryland, USA
Intermezzo (music), Wernigerode, Germany
Furdance Budapest (anthropomorphic), Budapest, Hungary
Furry Takeover: Safari Takeover (anthropomorphic), Fontana Dam, North Carolina, USA
OctoGônes 13 (gaming), Villeurbanne, France
Adirondacon 6 (gaming), Glens Falls, New York, USA
GooseCon (gaming), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Shake, Battle & Roll (gaming), Southampton, UK
Spellenfestival Genk (gaming), Genk, Belgium
QuestCon Orlando / Crucible (gaming), Orlando, Florida, USA
Big Bad Con 2023 (gaming), Burlingame, California, USA
Game Devs of Color Expo, online
Pittsburgh Gaming Expo (video games), Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA
SkålCon 2022 (Pathfinder& Starfinder RPGs), Plymouth, Minnesota, USA
Terra MystiCon (Terra Mystica boardgame), Montréal, Québec, Canada
Tiger Con (anime), Valdosta, Georgia, USA
Ramencon (anime), South Bend, Indiana, USA
Miryokucon (anime), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Anime St. Pete, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Shocker Con (anime), Wichita, Kansas, USA
Tiger Con 2023 (anime), Valdosta, Georgia, USA
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (comics and animation), Columbus, Ohio, USA
Wauke-Con (comics), Waukegan, Illinois, USA
La Mole (media), Mexico City, Mexico
Zurich Pop Con, Zurich, Switzerland
Kadabra Con (media), Portland, Texas, USA
Beer City Comic Con, Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Creation Washington D.C. (media), Arlington, Virginia, USA
Z-Con (media), Weymouth, Massachusetts, USA
SiouxperCon 2023: To Sioux Falls and Beyond! (media), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
King-Con 2023 (media), Kingman, Arizona, USA
Giganticon 2023 (media), Killeen, Texas, USA
MagicCon 6 (fantasy media), Bonn, Germany
Giganticon (superhero media), Killeen, Texas, USA
UK PonyCon 2023 (My Little Pony), Nottingham, UK
Midweek convention: Icon Festival, Tel Aviv, Israel
Weekend of October 6-8
CONFelicity (relaxacon), Bloomington, Minnesota, USA
GeekGirlCon (female geekdom), Seattle, Washington, USA
H-Con the Nineteenth (anthropomorphic), Erbach, Germany
WPAFW 2023 (anthropomorphic), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
TringCon (gaming), Marsworth, UK
Dragon Fall (gaming), Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA
PAX Australia (gaming), Melbourne, Australia
Con on the Cob 2023: Showdown at the Neon Barnyard (gaming), Richfield, Ohio, USA
Southwest Con (miniatures gaming), Tolleson, Arizona, USA
Michigan GT (wargaming), Lansing, Michigan, USA
Spieltage Essen (boardgames), Essen, Germany
Furnace Games Convention XVIII (RPGs), Sheffield, UK
Tsubasacon (anime), Charleston, West Virginia, USA
Animasia (anime), Bordeaux, France
MoTownCon (anime), Mooresville, South Carolina, USA
Anime Senpai: Class of '23!, Collinsville, Illinois, USA
56th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, Sitges, Spain
28th Annual H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival, Portland, Oregon, USA
Comiccon de Québec, Ville de Québec, Québec, Canada
Comic Con Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
Boone Comic-Con, Boone, North Carolina, USA
Weekend of October 13-15
Stranimondi 9 (Italian national sf convention), Milan, Italy
Octocon 2023 (Irish national sf convention), Dublin, Ireland
ICON 48: We Only Work in Outer Space, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
Can*Con 2023 (Canadian sf), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alamo City Furry Invasion: Dr. Virginia's Island Paradise, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Viking-Con 42 (gaming), Copenhagen, Denmark
Atlanta Game Fest 41, Peachtree Corners, Georgia, USA
Congress of Gamers Fall Session, Rockville, Maryland, USA
Icon Gaming, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
Southern Board Game Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Erie Days of Games, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
NEWGameapalooza, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA
Portland Retro Gaming Expo (retro video games), Portland, Oregon, USA
Banzaicon 10 (anime), Larvik, Norway
Iberanime, Matosinhos, Portugal
Charleston Anime-Fest, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Polaris (anime), Hamburg, Germany
WasabiCon (anime), Jacksonville, Florida, USA
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Bowness-on-Windermere, UK
Geek Days Caen (media), Caen, France
Visioncon (media), Springfield, Missouri, USA
ValleyCon 48 (media), Fargo, North Dakota, USA
New York Comic Con, New York City, New York, USA
MondoCon 2023 (media), Budapest, Hungary
56th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival, Sitges, Spain
Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival, New York City, New York, USA
VoltCon 2023 (Voltron), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Coda
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