Back from Ad Astra, full of energy and creative ideas! Temporarily I’m also a bit stunned, as usual, by the combined knowledge and creative skill of all fans coming together in one place. I’ll take the opportunity to write a little bit about conventions, what they are and how to find them.

When I talk about conventions, I always mean the fan-run conventions — those arranged by commercial interests don’t count in my book. A science fiction convention (as usual, I include fantasy and horror in my extremely wide definition of science fiction) is a meeting place for fans and pros, planned and run by fans because they like making things like this happen. The main thing is to get people to interact. You don’t “buy a ticket” to a convention, you become a member. This is something experienced fans often like to point out to newcomers, but you might have to attend a couple of conventions before you really get into it.

At a convention you can expect a varied program. The usual ingredients are panels, readings, maybe even lectures or presentations, movies if you want to get away and relax for a while, a masquerade where people show costumes they have made (some of them walk around in them all day), filk singing, workshops, competitions, and perhaps other things I have forgotten at the moment. There is usually also a dealers room, where you can buy books and other things. The con suite is where you go to sit down, have a snack and talk to people. At night there might be parties. Most conventions (at least on this continent) are held at hotels, and some people like to hold room parties. Great fun!

There are invited guests, but many of the participants in the program are fans like you and me who bring their own interests and expertise and share it with others. You will also have the opportunity to volunteer for helping out with something, from an hour or two watching a door or moving chairs, to spending the whole convention serving drinks. This is a great way to get to know people, especially if you are a bit shy and don’t talk to strangers in the con suite.

It’s usually possible to get to talk to the authors and other guests, at least if you are lucky to run into them. At smaller conventions it’s easier to meet the guest of honour and buy him or her a beer, while they might just disappear at a larger convention. At least it’s always possible to see them on a discussion panel or at a reading, and perhaps ask a question or two.

What have I missed? What would you like to know? Use the comment function and leave your questions if you have any.

Some conventions within reasonable distance in space and time:

• Eeriecon, April 18 – 20, Niagara Falls, New York
• Polaris 22, July 11 – 13, Toronto, Ontario
• Con*Cept, October 17-19, Montreal, Québec
• Anticipation SF, August 6th – 10th, 2009 (NB, next year), Montreal, Québec

Eeriecon seems to be a relatively small convention with literary focus (they promise lots of face time with the author guests). I would go there if I could afford it! Polaris is a “media con”, with actor guests (but authors as well) and more focus on tv-series and movies. Con*Cept seems to be a relatively broad convention with good literary program, I don’t know much about it. And Anticipation is The World Science Fiction Convention in 2009, an event you must not miss!

And if you happen to be interested in science fiction folk singing — filk — there is a convention already next weekend: Filk Ontario, Missisauga.