Bubonicon

Infobox Convention
name = Bubonicon


caption =
status =
genre = Science fiction
venue =
location = Albuquerque, New Mexico
country = United States
first = 1969
last =
organizer = Albuquerque Science Fiction Society
filing =
attendance = 500+/-
website = http://www.bubonicon.com

Bubonicon is an annual multigenre convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, typically held during the last weekend of August. It is the largest general-interest science fiction convention in New Mexico and among the oldest in the Southwest. [Reed Jr., Ollie. [http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/aug/17/visionary-author-is-guest-of-honor-at-sci-fi/ "Visionary author is guest of honor at sci-fi convention"] , The Albuquerque Tribune. August 17, 2006. Accessed July 11, 2007.] [ [http://www.locusmag.com/Conventions.html/ Locus Online: Convention Listings] ]

History

Bubonicon was first held in 1969 as a literary science fiction gathering in Albuquerque. Authors Roy Tackett and Robert E. Vardeman were two of the key figures in establishing and promoting Bubonicon in its early days. From a gathering of 20 in 1969, Bubonicon grew quickly with over one hundred people attending Bubonicon 5 in 1973. 1973 also introduced Bubonicon's mascot, Perry Rhodent. In 1976 one of Bubonicon's longest running traditions, the Green Slime Awards, were started in order to honor the worst in Science Fiction from the previous year. This reflected the growth of the convention over the years from largely a literary gathering to one which now encompassed fiction and fantasy of all media and included science speakers, often from nearby Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico giving lectures on everything from Physics to Microbiology.

In the 1990s, Bubonicon averaged three hundred people in attendance and 2003's gathering marked the first time which over four hundred people from all over the United States were making the trek to attend, as well as international guests. Recent conventions average around 500 people in attendance.

The name Bubonicon, not officially adopted until 1971, is a nod to Albuquerque's long history of bubonic plague outbreaks, with Perry Rhodent a continuation of this theme.

External links

* [http://www.bubonicon.com/ Bubonicon official web site]

References