Yes, seriously, there is going to be a convention here in the UK that is almost local to me. And I’m not talking about the Diana Wynne Jones conference, which is an added bonus, this is an ordinary fan-run convention.
Details: the date is Saturday September 26th (that’s the weekend after FantasyCon). It is taking place in the Mercure near Temple Meads Station, which has lovely function space (it was used as part of the Comic Expo). The con will be very small – just four panels, followed by an evening ceilidh. The local fan group has wisely decided to start with something simple and build on that. Then again, it is also cheap: £20. Some of the people running it are Firefly fans, so the dance has a Firefly theme and there will be a separate showing of Serentity on the Friday night (£5). You can register by PayPal here. The convention is being run on a non-profit basis with excess income being donated to Equality Now (which I recall is a favorite charity of Joss Whedon).
I’m apparently on a panel about whether UK SF is better or worse than American SF…
Obviously if you happen to live locally you should plan to come along and show support. If this event works, next year should see something bigger and better. But because the venue is so convenient for Temple Meads (about 10 mins walk) the con is actually very easy to get to from all sorts of places. Authors should note that there’s a largish Forbidden Planet in town as well as a big Waterstones. As the con is afternoon/evening a late morning signing might be a good idea. Con runners might want to come and look at the venue. Mad people thinking of the next UK Worldcon should come and meet the Bristol group.
The Facebook event page is here, and a bunch of you are about to get invitations.
I wonder why another British Worldcon is such a mad thing. Was Interaction that much of a mess?
Tom:
No, Interaction ran very well. But anyone who suggests running a Worldcon in the UK inevitably gets yelled at by other British fans who don’t want that awful foreign convention disturbing their lives.
Does this convention have a name? That Facebook page appears to be locked to outside visitors.
Tom S.:
Anyone wanting to run a Worldcon has to be slightly insane to start with.
On Facebook it is called Bristolcon. You do have to be a member of Facebook to see that page.
Cheryl:
There are people in Baltimore/DC fandom who say that whenever someone dreams of Worldcon coming back. It isn’t only British fans. I think it is a universal thing.