Worldcon, Labor Day and Dragon*Con
Sep. 5th, 2012 02:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chris_gerribSo, I had a great time at Chicon 7, the 70th World Science Fiction Convention. Thanks to the persuasion (liquid and otherwise) of the inimitable Dave O'Neill (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
daveon), I'm planning to go to Loncon 3, the 2014 Worldcon in London.
In truth, part of going to London in 2014 is that I get to write off a whole bunch of expenses as "business" while going someplace I want to go. It's also why I'm not planning to go to the 2013 Worldcon in San Antonio. Texas in August does not appeal to me.
I'm also not particularly a fan of SF conventions over Labor Day. Due to the parade, Labor Day weekend has become "old home day" for former natives of Westville, IL. Texas in 2013 is also over Labor Day. As is more importantly Dragon*Con.
Now, one can argue over who claimed Labor Day first, but the bottom line is that Dragon*Con will draw 20,000+ people, while Worldcon will be lucky to break 6,000. More importantly, all of "the kids" (here defined as "don't wear bifocals") go to Dragon*Con. So, going against Dragon*Con means writing off the kids, and forcing artists to decide which venue to attend.
I mention this because there are 2.5 bids for Worldcon in 2015. (I say "2.5" because I hear there's a Finnish bid for 2015 but it's not listed anywhere.) The two bids are Orlando and Spokane. At first blush, neither is particularly appealing. I mean, Orlando in summer? And what's in Spokane?
But here's the thing. First, Orlando is another Labor Day event. Much like Chicago, they had to go with that weekend or get priced out of their venue. So, to Jeff Duntemann's (jeff_duntemann) point, now we get to get our teeth kicked in again by Dragon*Con.
Spokane, on the other hand, does have some advantages. First, Southwest Airlines (and others) do fly in. (Southwest would make me change planes, but they'd get me there.) Second, it's not Labor Day. Third, and personally, Spokane is 5 hours from Glacier National Park and 5 hours (the other way, alas) from Mt. Rainier Park. It's also eight hours from Yellowstone. In short, for me, flying into Spokane and using it as a base to drive to various national parks looks like a viable option. And I get home for Labor Day.
Looks like I should be a Friend of Spokane in 2015!
daveon), I'm planning to go to Loncon 3, the 2014 Worldcon in London.In truth, part of going to London in 2014 is that I get to write off a whole bunch of expenses as "business" while going someplace I want to go. It's also why I'm not planning to go to the 2013 Worldcon in San Antonio. Texas in August does not appeal to me.
I'm also not particularly a fan of SF conventions over Labor Day. Due to the parade, Labor Day weekend has become "old home day" for former natives of Westville, IL. Texas in 2013 is also over Labor Day. As is more importantly Dragon*Con.
Now, one can argue over who claimed Labor Day first, but the bottom line is that Dragon*Con will draw 20,000+ people, while Worldcon will be lucky to break 6,000. More importantly, all of "the kids" (here defined as "don't wear bifocals") go to Dragon*Con. So, going against Dragon*Con means writing off the kids, and forcing artists to decide which venue to attend.
I mention this because there are 2.5 bids for Worldcon in 2015. (I say "2.5" because I hear there's a Finnish bid for 2015 but it's not listed anywhere.) The two bids are Orlando and Spokane. At first blush, neither is particularly appealing. I mean, Orlando in summer? And what's in Spokane?
But here's the thing. First, Orlando is another Labor Day event. Much like Chicago, they had to go with that weekend or get priced out of their venue. So, to Jeff Duntemann's (
jeff_duntemann) point, now we get to get our teeth kicked in again by Dragon*Con.Spokane, on the other hand, does have some advantages. First, Southwest Airlines (and others) do fly in. (Southwest would make me change planes, but they'd get me there.) Second, it's not Labor Day. Third, and personally, Spokane is 5 hours from Glacier National Park and 5 hours (the other way, alas) from Mt. Rainier Park. It's also eight hours from Yellowstone. In short, for me, flying into Spokane and using it as a base to drive to various national parks looks like a viable option. And I get home for Labor Day.
Looks like I should be a Friend of Spokane in 2015!
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Date: 2012-09-05 08:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-05 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-05 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-05 10:02 pm (UTC)But I'm taking next year off the Worldcon. I'd like to go to the Eastercon, but it's too close to a trip I have to make to Europe which might make it impractical.
I'll make sure I do some planning for London though. Most importantly we'll have to set a night out for a trip to Brick Lane for a curry and maybe a drink at the Truman Hanbury Whitbread brewery in the East End where my grandfather was a manager, and then a quick wander around where my father was a beat copper.
Should be fun.