Minicon

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.^[1] 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.

Features

Staples of modern Minicons are:

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

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.^[2]

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

Minicon should not be confused with MinnCon, a dark fantasy/horror convention founded in 1971 by fans living in St. Paul, Minnesota. MinnCon changed its name to Arcana in 1988 to avoid confusion but many area fans still refer to the convention by its older name.

Latest convention

Minicon 45 was held April 2–4, 2010 at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. The guests of honor scheduled were author Brandon Sanderson and artist Daniel Dos Santos. Additionally, Tor editor Moshe Feder was a special guest.

Minicon 46 was held on Easter Weekend 2011 (April 22–24), and featured guests of honor author John Scalzi (who filled in for Charles Stross, who had to cancel due to a family medical emergency) and folk musician Chas Somdahl.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minicon.

• Minicon website
• Minnesota Science Fiction Society website
• Outline of Midwestern U.S. fan history
• Transcript of 1977 discussion of early Minneapolis SF fan history, part one Part two 3 4