Chattacon

Chattacon
Chattacon
Status Active
Genre Science fiction
Venue Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel
Location Chattanooga, Tennessee
Country United States
First held 1976
Organizer Chattanooga Speculative Fiction Fans, Inc.
Filing status 501(c)(3)
Attendance 1,000+ (2011)
Official website http://www.chattacon.org/

Chattacon is an annual science fiction convention held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The convention is organized by the nonprofit Chattanooga Speculative Fiction Fans, Inc. First held in 1976, the convention drew more than 1,000 attendees to the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in 2010.

Chattacon was founded by Chattanooga native Irv Koch;[1] the first Chattacon was held in January 1976.[2] Formatted as a "relaxacon", it drew 81 guests, and lost money. By Chattacon III in 1978, it was a more traditional science fiction convention, with A. E. van Vogt as Guest of Honor, and had returned the costs of its original organization to Koch, with enough left over to serve as seed money for Chattacon IV.[3]

The January 21–23, 2011, Chattacon was the 36th Chattacon.[4][5] Guests of honor for Chattacon 36 included writers Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, artist Ruth Thompson, filkers Bill and Brenda Sutton, and Baen Books publisher Toni Weisskopf as toastmaster.[6] Attendance for this event was estimated at over 1,000 members.[4]

Chattacon 37, scheduled for January 2012, is planned to include writers Steve Miller and Sharon Lee, author Laura Ann Gilman, and artist John Picacio, plus "Morganville Vampires" writer Rachel Caine as Special Guest and author Mark Van Name as Toastmaster.

References

  1. ^ "Irvin Koch, spread love of science fiction". Atlanta Journal-Constitution: p. B5. November 22, 2005. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10E0B6BFA830D950&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved January 25, 2011. 
  2. ^ Lynch, Richard and Nicki. "On the Road to Bucconeer." Mimosa 23, p. 3.
  3. ^ Tabor, Nancy. "'Papa' Irvin Helps Chattacon Baby Walk" (excerpted from Chattacon 7 program book) in 1997 Southern Fandom Confederation Handbook & History: PART III: Regional Survey: Tennessee: Chattanooga (Toni K.S. Weisskopf, ed.)
  4. ^ a b Harrison, Kate (January 23, 2011). "Out of this world: Chattacon 36 draws thousands". Chattanooga Times Free Press. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jan/23/out-of-this-world-chattacon-36-crowds/. Retrieved January 25, 2011. 
  5. ^ LaSalle, Renee (January 21, 2011). "Chattacon 36 Hits the Chattanooga Choo Choo". WDEF-TV. http://www.wdef.com/news/chattancon_36_hits_the_chattanooga_choo_choo/01/2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011. 
  6. ^ Phillips, Casey (January 21, 2011). "Chattacon to host renowned horror author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro". Chattanooga Times Free Press. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jan/21/chattacon/. Retrieved January 25, 2011. 

External links

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