MarsCon (Williamsburg, Virginia)

Not to be confused with MarsCon (Bloomington, Minnesota).

MarsCon
MarsCon logo
Status	Active
Genre	Science fiction
Location	Williamsburg, Virginia
Country	United States
First held	1992
Official website	marscon.net

MarsCon in Williamsburg, Virginia is a mid-sized regional science fiction convention founded in 1992. The convention provides a relaxed environment for people who enjoy science fiction to meet new friends and talk about their interests. The convention has been described as "the largest and longest-running science fiction/fantasy convention in the Tidewater area."^[1]

History

The history of MarsCon begins with an earlier convention known as Sci-Con, a well established, general science fiction convention in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In 1990 the people who worked every year to bring Sci-Con together held a low key relaxicon or "relaxing convention" for its members.^[2] After the first year, this new convention was re-christened MarsCon in honor of a long-standing fake bid to host the World Science Fiction Convention on the planet Mars in 2095.

With a focus on relaxation and camaraderie, MarsCon hosts a variety of convention activities including panel discussions and workshop activities, gaming (including role-playing games, and card games), a video room with anime, a dealers room, and an art show.^[2]

Conventions

Past

• MarsCon 2009 was held January 16-18, 2009, at the at the Holiday Inn Patriot in Williamsburg. The convention's theme was "steampunk" and author John Ringo was the guest of honor.^[1] Other notable guests included writer and publisher Toni Weisskopf, artist and author Ron Miller, game designer Steve Long, and members of the 501st Legion.^[1][3]
• MarsCon 2010 was held January 15-17, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Patriot in Williamsburg. The convention was the focus of the January 19, 2010, edition of The Adventures of Cynical Woman webcomic.^[4]
• MarsCon 2011 was held January 14-16, 2011, at the Holiday Inn Patriot in Williamsburg. Notable guests included author Jim Butcher, author Shannon Butcher, artist Ursula Vernon, cartoonist Rob Balder, writer Keith R. A. DeCandido, and author Andrew Fox.^[2][5] Convention attendance was estimated at 983 members with at least $2500 raised for the Heritage Humane Society, the event's designated charity.^[5]

Upcoming

• MarsCon 2012 is scheduled to be held January 13-16, 2012, at the Holiday Inn Patriot in Williamsburg. The convention's theme is "It's the end of the MarsCon as we know it", playing off both the "Mayan apocalypse" predicted by some for 2012 and the R.E.M. song "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Fans - Not Geeks - Here for MarsCon 2009". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. January 15, 2009. http://www.wydaily.com/local-news/1388-fans-not-geeks-here-for-marscon-2009.html. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Khandelwal, Michael Jon (January 2011). "Sci-Fi Fantasy: In Williamsburg, the attendees of MarsCon 2011 come together to bring imagination to life.". Hampton Roads Magazine. http://www.hamptonroadsmagazine.com/issues/0111/upfront.php. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
3. ^ "W.Y.D.: What You'll Do, Jan. 16-18". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. January 14, 2009. http://www.wydaily.com/blogs/wyd-what-youll-do/1387-wyd-what-youll-do-jan-16-18.html. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
4. ^ Madden, Helen E.H. (January 19, 2010). "ACW Episode 52 – My very adult weekend". The Adventures of Cynical Woman. http://www.cynicalwoman.com/2010/01/19/acw-episode-52-my-very-adult-weekend/. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "2011 Convention Information". MarsCon. http://www.marscon.net/Home/2011-Info. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 

External links

• MarsCon official website