| Capricon | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Venue | Westin Chicago North Shore |
| Location | Wheeling, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| First held | 1981 |
| Organizer | Phandemonium, Inc |
| Filing status | Not For Profit |
| Attendance | 900+ |
| Official website | http://www.capricon.org/ |
Capricon is an annual, four-day-long (Thursday through Sunday) science fiction convention in a suburb of Chicago, which draws approximately 900+ people. Capricon attendees share an interest in science [1] [2], science fiction, fantasy, and related genres. The Capricon convention has been held each year since 1981. Capricon is the annual gathering for Phandemonium, a not-for-profit organization, and is entirely volunteer run. The purpose of Phandemonium is to promote Science Fiction as a literary genre and to promote the Chicago area sf community.
While remaining true to its literary roots, Capricon celebrates fantasy and science fiction in all its myriad forms, including art[3], music, games[4], theatrical performance, and film. Participants include gaming enthusiasts, writers of fiction, pilots of spaceships, Pirates and Zombies. Capricon is a gathering of many diverse people who all share a sense of wonder.
Beginning in 1999, Capricon has chosen to focus on a different theme every year. The themes have ranged from "Mad Scientist" to "Fun & Games" to "Pirates!" Read the list below to see all of the themes.
| Event | Date | Location | Convention chair | Theme | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capricon 1 | February 20-22, 1981[5] | Holiday Inn, Evanston, Illinois | Chip Bestler | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Carr/Wilson Tucker[5][6] Fen Guests of Honor: J.R. & Mary Jane Holmes[5] |
|
| Capricon 2 | February 1982 | Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois | Leah Bestler | Author Guest of Honor: Gene Wolfe Fan Guest of Honor: Mike Stein |
|
| Capricon 3 | February 1983 | Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois | Virginia Meisinger | Author Guest of Honor: Stephen R. Donaldson Fan Guest of Honor: Otlie & Phil Foglio[7] |
|
| Capricon 4 | February 1984 | Continental Hotel, Chicago, Illinois | Marty Coady Fabish | Author Guest of Honor: Paul O. Williams Fan Guest of Honor: Jeff Duntemann |
|
| Capricon 5 | February 1985 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Ginny Meisinger | Author Guest of Honor: Frederik Pohl Artist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. Coltrain |
|
| Capricon 6 | February 1986 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Ginny Meisinger | Author Guest of Honor: David R. Palmer Fan Guest of Honor: Tim Allen |
|
| Capricon 7 | February 1987 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | No Chair | Author Guest of Honor: Jerry Oltion Artist Guest of Honor: Stephen Hickman Fan Guest of Honor: Joan Hanke-Woods |
|
| Capricon 8 | February 1988 | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Alice Bentley | Author Guest of Honor: Lawrence Watt-Evans Artist Guest of Honor: Kay Reynolds Fan Guest of Honor: Kathleen Meyer |
|
| Capricon 9 | February 1989 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Alice Bentley | Author Guest of Honor: Howard Waldrop Fan Guest of Honor: Ken Fletcher |
|
| Capricon 10 | February 1990 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Amy Schaefer | Author Guest of Honor: P.C. Hodgell Artist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Higgins |
|
| Capricon 11 | February 21-24, 1991 | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Alice Bentley | Author Guest of Honor: Ellen Kushner Editor Guest of Honor: Beth Meacham Fan Guest of Honor: Becky Thomson |
|
| Capricon 12 | February 20-23, 1992 | Lincolnshire Resort, Lincolnshire, Illinois | Amy Schaefer | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Bisson Special Guests of Honor: Kim Stanley Robinson & Paul Park Fan Guest of Honor: Steve Scherer |
|
| Capricon 13 | February 18-21, 1993 | Pheasant Run, St. Charles, Illinois | Amy Schaefer | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Pratchett Artist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. Coltrain Fan Guest of Honor: George Laskowski |
|
| Capricon 14 | February 1994 | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois | Karen Babich | Author Guest of Honor: Connie Willis Artist Guest of Honor: Mary Lynn Skirvin Fan Guest of Honor: David Dyer-Bennet |
|
| Capricon 15 | February 16-19, 1995 | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois | Kathy Nerat | Author Guest of Honor: Nancy Kress Fan Guest of Honor: Sue Blom |
|
| Capricon 16 | February 1996 | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois | Doug Winkler | Author Guest of Honor: Sean Stewart Artist Guest of Honor: Scott Gustafson Media Guest of Honor: Michael Stein |
|
| Capricon 17 | February 20-23, 1997 | Oak Brook Hilton, Oak Brook, Illinois | Doug Winkler | Author Guest of Honor: Robert J. Sawyer[8] | |
| Capricon 18 | February 5-8, 1998 | Holiday Inn O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois | Dina Krause | Author Guest of Honor: Josepha Sherman Editor Guest of Honor: Steve Hockensmith |
|
| Capricon 19 | February 11-14, 1999 | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Tracy Lunquist and Dave McCarty | Villains | Pro Guest of Honor: David Weber Artist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton Fan Guest of Honor: Phoenix |
| Capricon 20 | January 27-30, 2000 | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Dave McCarty | Armageddon | Pro Guest of Honor: Larry Niven Science Guest of Honor: Chris Luchini Fan Guest of Honor: Joseph "Uncle Vlad" Stockman |
| Capricon 21 | February 8-11, 2001 | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Tracy Lunquist | Tellurian Exposition | Pro Guest of Honor: Allen Steele Fan Guest of Honor: Geri Sullivan |
| Capricon 22 | February 7-10, 2002 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Deb Kosiba | Fun & Games | Fun Guest of Honor: Dr. Demento Game Guest of Honor: James Ernest Artist Guest of Honor: Kaja Foglio Fan Guest of Honor: David Abzug |
| Capricon 23 | February 6-9, 2003 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Cary Williams & Marnie Gucciard | Gods & Monsters | Author Guest of Honor: Tim Powers Artist Guest of Honor: Amy K. Brown Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Roper |
| Capricon 24 | January 29-February 1, 2004 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Dave McCarty | Sensawondah | Author Guests of Honor: Spider and Jeanne Robinson Artist Guest of Honor: Kimberly Reck NASA Guest of Honor: Bryan Palaszewski |
| Capricon 25 | February 10-14, 2005 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Deb Kosiba | Mad Scientists | Author Guest of Honor: James P. Hogan Artist Guest of Honor: Shaenon K. Garrity Fan Guest of Honor: John Morse |
| Capricon 26 | February 9-13, 2006 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Greg (Guido) Williams | University of Fandom (UFAN) | Visiting Guest Faculty: Peter S. Beagle, Bryan Palaszewski from NASA, Kat Eggleston, Michael Longcor, Dr. Mary Crowell, Nick Pollotta, Jody Lynn Nye, Bill Fawcett, and Phyllis Eisenstein |
| Capricon 27 | February 8-11, 2007 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Gretchen Roper | A Celebration of High Fantasy | Author Guest of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold Artist Guest of Honor: Erin McKee Fan Guest of Honor: Cat Faber Other special guests: Peter S. Beagle and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA |
| Capricon 28 | February 14-17, 2008 | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Leane Verhulst | Pirates | SF Author Guest of Honor: Mike Resnick Pirate Guests of Honor: John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day Artist Guest of Honor: Don Maitz Other special guests: Michael Longcor, Janny Wurts, Tori Baur (“Mad Sally”), Tom Smith, Bill and Brenda Sutton, and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA |
| Capricon 29 | February 19-22, 2009 | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois | Helen Montgomery | Camp Among the Stars | Author: Sharon Shinn Artist: Gary Lippincott Fan: Christian McGuire Filk: Barry and Sally Childs-Helton NASA: Bryan Palaszewski |
| Capricon 30 | February 11-14, 2010 | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois | Helen Montgomery | Celebration! | Authors: Frederik Pohl, Spider and Jeanne Robinson, and Robert J. Sawyer Artist: Lucy Synk Fan: Alice Bentley |
| Capricon 31 | February 10-13, 2011 | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois | Erik Olson | Escape | Author: John Scalzi Artist: John Picacio Fans: Stephen Boucher and Janice Gelb |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||