WESTERCON 63: CONFIRMATION
CONCHORD 23
What is Westercon?
Westercon is the West Coast Science Fantasy Conference. It has been held annually since 1948 in the Western half of North America. From Hawaii in the West to El Paso in the East, to Vancouver in the North and San Diego in the South, Westercon has travelled far in the region. It is a general interest science fiction/fantasy convention covering literature, art, science, costuming, gaming, music, television, movies, comics, anime, politics, and any other topic of interest to fans. Westercon is a registered service mark of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc. (LASFS), the world's oldest science fiction/fantasy club, and is used with permission.Please visit Westercon.org for further details, bylaws history, etc.
Why is Westercon held?
It was started many years ago by fans that couldn't travel all the way across the U.S. to attend the annual World Science Fiction Convention, Worldcon. It has evolved to become another event for fans from around North America (and beyond) to travel to different parts of the West, to communicate with different communities and experience the flavor of the region and local fandom, not only regarding sf/f, but also society at large.When is Westercon held?
Westercon is traditionally held over American Independence Day Weekend, or one of the closest weekends, although this is not mandatory. For Westercon 63: Confirmation, it will be held from Thursday, July 1, through Sunday, July 4, 2010.Where is Westercon held?
Westercon has been hosted by many cities, from Calgary, Canada to Tempe, Arizona. In 2010 Westercon 63: Confirmation will be held in Pasadena, California, the city next to Los Angeles that has hosted the annual Rose parade for over 100 years.Who Runs Westercon?
Different non-profit groups run Westercon every year since the event moves from city to city. In 2010, it will be run by volunteers from all parts of North America. This year Westercon is sponsored by The Institute for Specialized Literature, Inc. (ISL), a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.How is the next Westercon chosen?
A group of fans express interest in hosting a Westercon, be it Portland, or Santa Barbara or wherever. They bid for the event starting about 4 years out from the year they wish to play host. This is 2 years out from the vote. If they win, they have two years to organize it. They have to have a site, usually a hotel, a committee or team to run the event; they invite Speakers (professionals and fans) to speak and carry out a dialog with the fans, they plan the program schedule, and promote it. With help from the fannish community it is successful.The original version of the above article was written by Mike Willmoth, chairman of Westercon 62: FiestaCon. All revisions and errors by Christian B. McGuire.