Official Blog for Capricon and Phandemonium
Posts by Peter Heltzer
Snow Goons!
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
So looking out my window and gauging by the fact that the snow is still coming down… I’m thinking that unless we have a freak heat wave in the next week and a half… there will still be snow on the ground when Capricon starts next week. Which also means theoretically the annual(When the weather cooperates) Snow Goon! panel should be able to happen. If you’re going to be at Cap Friday morning, come out and make snow goons! Here are the details of the panel:
Snow Goons!
Time: Friday – 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Category: Panel-Event
Track: Other
Location: Lobby (No snow goons in the lobby please… just meet there and go outside to make your goons!)
Panelists: Helen Montgomery, Erik V. Olson
Description: Bring your snowpants and gloves and come outside with us to build Snow Goons! What are Snow Goons, you ask? Snowmen, but seriously twisted, a la Calvin and Hobbes. (Weather permitting)
And just in case you’re curious this information and a whole lot more about Capricon’s program schedule are now available on our website. If you’re around the Midwest today… there’s a good chance that you’re stuck inside, so why not take a few minutes to look at what we’ve got planned. Leave a comment and let us know what you’re most looking forward to at Capricon this year.
Pre-Registration Ending Soon!
014 years
Well folks, Capricon 31 is sneaking up on us. Pre-Registration closes tomorrow 1/31. Here is your last chance to register for the $55 rate. After 1/31 your only option for the full weekend will be the at-the door price of $70. We also have various one day rates if you’re only going to be able to make it out for a single day. You can get all the details as well as information on how to register online by visiting the registration page on the Capricon 31 website.
And of course in case you missed the announcement… the full weekend schedule is now available online as well. This schedule shows all of the panels, anime, games and special events that we have planned for the weekend. Check it out and start planning. Of course this schedule is subject to change, because as we all know, nothing is final until 24 hours after the event is over.
See you all soon.
Capricon 31 – Progress Report #2
014 years
As you may or may not know, at Capricon every year we have a daily newsletter called “Goat Droppings” which we use to give you updates on what’s going on for a given day, what already happened at the convention, interviews with the GoH’s etc. Well over the course of the year we also put out e-editions of Goat Droppings, which are more of a progress report on the planning for Capricon as well as an update on other events being planned by Phandemonium. Well it’s that time again for the Winter 2011, e-edition of Goat Droppings. It has a progress report on the convention, which is just two weeks away now, information about the Capricon Book Drive, Phandemonium Events, and the ever popular Out of CON-text notes. So check it out and see what’s going on. Click on the link below to access the .pdf version of Goat Droppings.
Updated: Program Schedule for Cap 31
014 years
The Capricon 31 schedule is live!!! Want to start planning your weekend at Capricon? Well now we can help you. The program schedule is now available for you to review. Come see what we have planed… Start planning now so you know when you can eat and sleep. I’m pointing you to the list sorted by date time, but the information is also available sorted alphabetically. You can also search for panels based on who’s going to be on them, so if you’re a completist and need to go to every panel by “Miss Cool Panelist” you can find out where she’s scheduled to be.
In other words… stop reading my babbling and head on over and check out everything that is in store for you.
Pre-Registration Deadline
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
Just a quick reminder… Pre-Registration for Capricon 31 ends January 31st. If you act now you can still register for $55 for the entire weekend. On Feb 1st the rate goes up to the at-the-door rate of $70 for the weekend, and if you mail it in you’re taking chances that the postal service will actually get the information to us in time for the convention. You can still pre-register online by going to our registration page where you will find links to an online registration form or a printable/mailable form. If you know you’re coming to Capricon save yourself a couple of bucks and register before the price goes up.
Room Rate Extended
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
Good news… There are a lot of you coming to Capricon this year. We’ve had to expand our room block yet again. That being said if you still want to reserve a room at the convention rate, please visit the hotel page on the Capricon website for a link to reserve your room. The Westin has agreed to continue to honor the convention rate until there are no rooms left available in the hotel. So act fast, when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Yes Virginia, There is a Dance…
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
Come get your Geek on. Yes folks, it’s back again, the Capricon Friday Night Dance. But this time we’re reliving our High Schoolglory days, we’re throwing a Retro 80’s Geek Prom. So dust off your VCR’s and fire up Footloose to practice your dance moves. And as you know it’s not a prom unless a King and Queen are crowned. Also an award will be given for the Biggest hair, so stock up on Aqua Net! Judging will take place at 11:30
Hotel Room Block
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
So it looks like a whole bunch of you are planning on coming to Cap this year. So many that we’ve had to go and increase the size of the room block. If you’ve tried to make a reservation in Cap’s room block recently only to be told there were no rooms available. The problem should now be solved, we’ve added rooms to the block.So go visit the Hotel page on our website for all the details on how to get a room.
And just as a reminder… if you’re having problems… we don’t know about it unless you tell us:
Having a problem getting a hotel room, email hotel@capricon.org
Having a problem registering, email registration@capricon.org
Need a question answered and don’t know where to turn? email info@capricon.org
When all else fails email chair@capricon.org. If he can’t facilitate getting things fixed we’re in more trouble than we know.
Science Fiction Outreach Initiative
014 years
by Peter Heltzer
in Capricon 31
Capricon is joining other fan organizations in supporting a new initiative to introduce comics and media fans to science fiction fandom, especially Worldcons. The calling card? Books!
A team of science fiction fans is planning to go to WonderCon, April 1-3, 2011, and give away six pallets of FREE BOOKS!
WonderCon, held annually in San Francisco, attracts 34,000 people to a celebration of comics and fantasy media. A group of fans affiliated with the World Science Fiction Convention intend to establish an outpost at WonderCon, and reach out to the potential science fiction and fantasy readers who pass through the exhibit hall. Along with a free book, these readers will be given information about the amazing things going on in the “fannish” community, including Worldcons and regional conventions.
The theory behind the initiative is simple. “As a book reader and comic reader, if I saw free sf/f books, would I be attracted to that booth, and perhaps listen to the folks giving them away? Of course I would,” says James Bacon who is coordinating the initiative.
Experience from similar events in London has shown that book fans do attend these comics events. Bacon says, “At London Film and Comic Con and Collectormania, we have given away books and seen the returns in convention memberships. We want the book readers. We want the potential fans that like books and want to talk about them, and will appreciate meeting like minded folks. We have found a way to attract and talk to the book readers: giving away science fiction and fantasy books.”
Flyers and brochures about conventions and other fan-sponsored events will be distributed in the booth. Renovation, Chicon 7 and Worldcons in general will be a focus. Each book will contain a bookmark listing upcoming Worldcons and other conventions. Volunteers from Renovation will be on hand to answer questions about the 69th World Science Fiction Convention and sell memberships.
“We have been pleased with the response from the staff of WonderCon, and we have booked two booths for the event. Our hope now is to reach out to the incredible fannish community and ask for help in making this a successful event” said Helen Montgomery, another member of the team organizing the initiative.
How You Can Help
Many fans have often contemplated a trimming of their book collections. Don’t just recycle your books — donate them to this project so they can be the lure for new fans! The team will be carrying out book drives at area conventions, beginning with Loscon in late November. Check this page — and check back often — to find out about which conventions will be hosting a book drive. If you are a sf/f publisher and are willing to donate new books to our cause, please contact us.
Folks putting together this initiative would like to hear from fans who can provide temporary storage or transportation of books to the Bay Area, Volunteers are sought to help out at WonderCon — meet new fans, match them with a book they will love and welcome them to the community. This is just the beginning. Please get in touch if you think you can help.
Thanks to SFSFC, RCFI, Chicon 7, the London in 2014 Worldcon bid, CanSMOF Inc. and a very generous private donor, the Science Fiction Outreach Initiative is under way. We need additional funding and volunteers! Please contact us at reno-sfoutreach@renovationsf.org.
Where We’ll Be
Bring your books to us, the SF Outreach Initiative, at these upcoming conventions:
- Capricon 31, February 10-13th 2011, Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling
And if you don’t make it to Capricon… here are additional places to donate books:
- Gallifrey, February 18-20th 2011, L.A. Airport Marriott Hotel
- Condor, February 25-27th 2011, Town & Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego,
- Potlatch 20, March 4-6th 2011, The Domain in Sunnyvale
Registration Rates going up!
014 years
Hey everyone… just a quick reminder that tomorrow (12/31/10) is the last day to pre-register for Capricon at the $50 for the full weekend rate. Starting January 1st the rate goes up to $55. Just think what you could do with that $5, you could buy a good beer, or two bad beers, get half a cup of coffee at Starbucks, a comic book, a 10 piece chicken nugget meal at McDonalds, if you get some friends together you could partake of the $5/person rule when ordering pizza, give it to your annoying nephew so that he’ll stop singing “I’m a little tea cup”. The options are endless. Seriously though, if you’re planning to attend Capricon anyway (You know you want to.) and you’ve got the money available. Now would be a good time to register.
Registering early helps us plan the convention. Knowing ahead of time how many people to expect we know how much food and drink to have in the consuite, if we need bigger spaces for certain events, it lets us warn the hotel how many people will be onsite, etc. It’s a win-win, you save some money and help us plan a better convention.
So go the Capricon Registration site for information on how to get yourself registered. So you have until the end of Friday to register for $50, after that it becomes $55 until the end of January. After January you have to pay the at the door price of $70 for the entire weekend.