Cover Art: John J. Gabarron, IV
Minicon 33
April 10-12, 1998,
Radisson Hotel South, Minneapolis, MN
brought to you by:
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Minnesota Science
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This page is part of an archive and is available for historical reference only; for information on recent and upcoming Minicons, please visit www.mnstf.org/minicon/ Information on these pages may not reflect current Minicon and Minn-StF policies, functions, contact info, etc. For information about the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, the organization that has been putting on Minicon since 1968, please visit www.mnstf.org. |
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Minicon 33 brought to you by:
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How To Contact Minicon Departments
Minicon is too many months away, is there anything like Minicon happening now?
All right already, I don't live in Minnesota
I'm new here, what's a Minicon?
"A minicon" is a generic term used worldwide for a small convention. A capital M Minicon is anything but small or generic.
Minicon is an annual gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans. The convention is held each year over Easter weekend, and for the last decade the main venue has been the Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, MN. In recent years, Minicon has typically drawn some 3,500 members.
Minicon is sponsored by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, Inc. (a.k.a. Minn-StF, MNstf, and other variants).
I bet you're wondering what we're planning for Minicon 33. Well, that's why we send you progress reports-so you can see where we're at and where we're heading. And, of course, we ask for your help as well. Many departments at Minicon submitted information for inclusion in this progress report (a.k.a. PR 1). Our goal is to get you the information you need, without talking down to you or over your head. This can of course be difficult, when this mailing goes to people who have been to every single Minicon, as well as to people who have never attended a Minicon. Don't be shy: if you think this publication is over your head or too basic, let us know.
| Attending memberships: | Until 27-Nov-97 | Until 1-Mar-98 |
| Drinking badge: | $30 | $35 |
| Non-drinking: | $30 | $35 |
| Child (12 and under): | $15 | $15 |
| And at-the-door is $70 | ||
| Supporting memberships: | $15 | $15 |
(Designate Drinking badge or Non-drinking)
Guests of Honor
Minicon has invited a number of cool people to be guests of
honor at Minicon 33:
Publishing Guest of Honor:
Gardner Dozois
Editor of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, nominee for the 1997 Best Editor Hugo (and winner in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996), editor of 14 years (so far) of The Year's Best Science Fiction, and winner of two Nebulas.
Fan Guest of Honour:
Dave Langford
Britfan Dave Langford has won 14 Hugo awards - 11 as Best Fanwriter and 3 for Ansible as Best Fanzine. And yes, he finds it a bit alarming. What's perhaps even more alarming is that yes, he really is That Good, and has been - consistently - for the past couple of decades running. Not only that, he's as much fun to party with as he is to read. Frightening, but true. For the reading part, check out his Web site at http://www.ansible.demon.co.uk/ (or you can jump to it directly from the Minicon 33 Web page). Then come and party with Dave and our other guests at Minicon.
- Geri Sullivan
(PR#2: David Langford: Filthy Pro)
Toastmaster:
John M. Ford
He has won the Rhysling Award for SF poetry, the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and Best Short Story (this last for a long poem), and the Philip K. Dick award and has twice been a finalist for the Nebula award. He's also done game design, comics, Star Trek novels, and of course Ask Dr. Mike.
Hotel
If you're coming to Minicon, you probably want to stay in
one of the official convention hotels. If you do so, you'll need to deal
with the fine folks in the Hotel Department, who help allocate rooms and
work as liaison between the Minicon Committee and the members of the convention,
and our convention hotels.
Postcards that confirm that "Minicon" has received a room request from you should be out in the mail in a few weeks. They will be followed up fairly closely by confirmation letters from the hotels themselves. If you have received neither a card confirming your request, nor a confirmation letter from the hotel by November 30th, please contact the Minicon Hotel Committee by writing Ishmael Williams at 601 Palace Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102-3620. For a quicker response, contact us via email at hotel@minicon33.mnstf.org. Be sure to address your correspondence to Ishmael directly, or the post office may return it.
This year, the hotels will be requesting a credit card number, or a cash deposit of one night, to secure the room past 4:00 p.m. Yes, this is two hours earlier than in previous years. The earlier cut-off time will allow the hotels and Minicon more time to determine when unsecured and unclaimed rooms may be released. Rooms will not be charged to credit cards if the reservation is canceled at least 48 hours prior to check-in.
We are holding to a limit of two (2) rooms per name-household, as we did last year.
Now comes the confusing part have you already submitted a room request? If you have, and you want to hold a party IN that room, do nothing; you're set. If you haven't, and you want to hold a party IN the same room you'll sleep in, then send in one request.
But suppose you want to sleep in one room, and party in another? Then we need two requests, one for each room. This may be different information than you've heard before, even recently. That's okay; what you see here is the most current, up-to-date info available. Listed on page 11 of this PR is the format to use for submitting a party room request.
Please be aware that if you are granted a cabana, it is our expectation that a party will run in it both Friday and Saturday night. If you are unable to run a party both nights, please contact the Suite Ghoddesses for Minicon 33 (Shannon Leslie or Ishmael Williams). Some other group may be in the same situation, in which case a share could be arranged, or the cabana reservations could be "dovetailed" (one checks out so the other can check in). Oh, by the way, parties do not HAVE to be confined to the poolside cabanas. We hear a cry of "They don't?!?" No...your own sleeping rooms CAN be used to host an open party. In fact, this was the norm for many years, and some folks still use their rooms for open parties. We'd like to encourage a return to that, and we hope to group such parties on a couple of floors close to each other, the better to increase traffic to such parties, and maybe create some relatively quiet floors (yeah, right!)
To date, we have received 638 room requests, with 82% of those coming
within two months of the end of Minicon 32. Clearly this means we will have
challenges filling requests, but we will continue to try and satisfy as
many of you as possible. If you have not yet submitted a form, and still
plan to do so, please check with any other members of your family or party
to ensure that no one else has submitted or will submit a form. If a request
has already been submitted, please do not send in another request. This
will help cut down on duplications. Thanks for your time. Please don't hesitate
to write if anything is not clear.
Cabanas are allocated according to the following priority schedule:
When requesting a cabana, here are two important criteria to address:
All departments are staffed by volunteers, people like you. In fact, every department depends on them. No one is paid to work on Minicon. The Volunteers department was created to help recruit volunteers for all Minicon departments, so that people in the individual departments could focus more on their actual work and less on recruiting people.
Minicon 33 needs your help! Many departments are getting organized (or already hard at work) and are looking for fun, energetic people to work with them. One of those people could be you! There's lots to do before the convention: the Parties department is looking for bartenders and mixmeisters; Volunteers needs press gang and recruitment coordinators; many other departments need help too Programming, Convention Services, Operations, and Technical Support are just a few. So, if you'd like to help out before the convention as a member of the convention committee, or to volunteer at the convention itself, please fill out the volunteer information on your Registration Form.
What's Programming? No, not computer programmingwe're talking about scheduled events at Minicon. Stuff like panel discussions, readings, and the like. Just about any scheduled event at Minicon is part of Minicon programming.
Programming for Minicon 33 is already in the planning stages! If you have an idea or three for programming items, let us know. The Powers That
Be (the Minicon Exec, and you, too) say that "Programming Must Not Suck." If we are to meet this ambitious goal, we definitely need your help! You don't even need to be involved beyond giving us the idea though it does help. Also, if you have any unique skills or talents-or even common skills or talents that you're willing to volunteer, tell us! We can always find a use for a few good sentients!
We're planning 150 to 175 formal programming events for Minicon 33. Before you scream in outrage at the small number (it's less than we've had at recent Minicons, but still seems like a lot to me.-ed.), remember that to get 150 interesting, wonderful, absolutely-cannot-miss items on the final schedule, we need at least 1,000 good ideas. This is where all of you come in. Turn on your thinking beanie and help us out by submitting ideas now!
When submitting your ideas, please keep in mind the following considerations:
Priority Deadline for Programming ideas: November 1, 1997. This will give us the best chance to find other participants for your programming item, should we need to. Final Deadline for Programming ideas: January 1, 1997. We reserve the right to accept ideas submitted after January 1, but don't bank on it. Confirmations will be mailed on or about February 15, 1998. Lockdown of all programming items will take place on February 28, 1998. In case of emergency, LAST MINUTE CHANGES will be accepted until March 31, 1998.
Please contact Shannon, Polly, or Katie at the addresses listed on page 8 with any Programming questions, suggestions, ideas or thoughts. Programming Idea suggestion sheets and Participant Information sheets are available to help you give us the info we need. They are available on the Minicon Web Page at: http://www.mnstf.org/minicon33/programming/ or via U.S. mail.
We want to know what you like and what you don't like about Minicon Programming. We've created a programming survey to give you a chance to let us know what your interests are. The more of these we get back, the more we can tailor programming to the likes and dislikes of our attendees-this means you! The survey is available on the web at http://www.mnstf.org/minicon33/programming/, or you can request one by writing to the Programming Department.
No, no one is performing surgery at Minicon, really. I know it may seem like a lot is going on-but so far as we know, there have been no surgeries performed at a Minicon. People in the Operations Department (a.k.a. Ops) help when anything goes wrong at Minicon to see that it is quickly and cleanly taken care of; they help facilitate communications between departments and the rest of the world during the course of the convention. They coordinate the Life Support Department. They talk to each other on radios. They do a lot of neat, behind-the-scenes stuff.
The Operations Department is looking for volunteers to work with us during Minicon 33. There are many positions available. We plan to fill all of our positions and time slots well in advance of the actual convention. If you volunteer early, we'll have more time to get any training needed done before the convention is upon us.
If you are interested in working for Operations please contact Linda A. Paul, Head of Operations.
We have art shows at Minicon that showcase nifty art by fans and professionals, often dealing with fantasy and science fiction themes. We have an art auction and art show awards. Art is sold at the auction, and through minimum bids, and in the print shop.
The Art show will be in Plaza 5 & 6, as it was last year. It will be open during "the usual times," (which will be announced in a future PR). The mailing with complete information for those exhibiting art will go out around January 10, 1998. You do not have to reserve art show space in advance (but it's nice if you can).
If you haven't received an art show mailing in the last two years, please mail a request for art show information to us.
This is the department which runs the Consuite, provides the drinks, the chips, and yards of plastic floor covering. The following is a personal message from the Parties Department.
It happens every year. Sunday night rolls around, and the deep-fried head of Parties walks, unsuspecting into the supply room. In nearby corridors his dying wail can be heard: "Aaugh! Why are there fifty-five cases of potato chips left? And what am I going to DO with them?!?"
Please, don't let tragedy strike again. Volunteer to help out in the Parties Department, and your hard work will be rewarded. At the very least, we'll call you a Suite Thang.
No experience necessary, we will train for all positions.
Our Thanks to all the Volunteers who helped make Minicon 32's Consuite a success!
For Dealers Room information contact Kelly O'Donoghue at 4156 27th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406.
We will be providing childcare this year. Details will be in PR2, but in the meantime, please include a note with your registration telling if you have children who will be using childcare.
We are currently seeking T-shirt art submissions, both front and back panels. Please send them to us by Feb 15th.
Well, you could try a medium or perhaps a note in a bottle, but we suggest either via the World Wide Webor the Postal Service. Heck, you can even contact us via telephone, but that just goes to a central voicemail.
Artshow: artshow@minicon33.mnstf.org
Cuddlesquad: cuddlesquad@minicon33.mnstf.org
Sorry, no email for Dealers Department. See the Dealers Deparment report
for their specific mailing address.
Exec: exec@minicon33.mnstf.org
Fanfair: fanfaire@minicon33.mnstf.org
Guests: guests@minicon33.mnstf.org
Hotel: hotel@minicon33.mnstf.org
Liaison: liaison@minicon33.mnstf.org
Operations: operations@minicon33.mnstf.org
Parties: parties@minicon33.mnstf.org
Programming: programming@minicon33.mnstf.org
Publications: publications@minicon33.mnstf.org
Registration: registration@minicon33.mnstf.org
Secretary: secretary@minicon33.mnstf.org
Web: web@minicon33.mnstf.org
Request: request@minicon33.mnstf.org
This is special, it goes to the exec secretary for manual routing.
Info: info@minicon33.mnstf.org
This is the general address for requesting information.
Minicon Web Page: http://www.mnstf.org/minicon33
Voicemail: +1-612-333-7533
U.S. Mail:
Minicon 33
(department)
P.O. Box 8297
Lake Street Station
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Minicon is too many months away, is there anything like Minicon happening now?
Of course there's nothing just like Minicon, but the entire year is full of fannish activities. Which conventions did you attend this summer? We hear Wiscon was a blast! I bet you know at least a couple of people who survived Gencon. Lots of us went to Baggiecon this year. Locals had fun at Diversicon. Some lucky fans made it to the Worldcon in San Antonio.
What are your favorites? You do know there are other conventions, don't you? If not, you don't know what you're missing. Want to know more? Ask some fans for recommendations. Check listings in magazines and online. There's a convention somewhere on any given weekend.
Folks here in Minnesota also attend MNstf meetings, Minicon meetings, and probably far more meetings than most think healthy. But what some people may not realize is that these so-called meetings are actually parties. It explains a lot, doesn't it? Okay, we actually do work at Minicon meetings, but the work is fun and we generally congregate before or after for ice cream or whatever else strikes our fancy. If the meetings stop being fun, we'll stop having Minicon (I'm not just saying that to inspire you to bring food and toys to our next Minicon meeting).
Want to join the parties? You're all invited. Minnesota Science Fiction Society (MNstf) meetings are held, usually, on the first and third Saturdays of the month, at a member's home. They usually start around 3 p.m. and go until late. Come in the afternoon, join a group of people for a dinner expedition to an area restaurant, then return to the meeting for post-dinner analysis, music, games, or general silliness. If you're shy, that's okay, it's kosher to sit in the corner and read. Honest. For details, visit the MNstf website at <http://www.mnstf.org/> and check out the latest issue of Einblatt it's MNstf's monthly mailing which lists events (and other stuff) of interest. Or call the MNstf hotline at 612-824-5559 to hear a recorded message with the latest information on area events.
You didn't think Minicon just magically appeared in April, did you? Honest, it's not something the Easter Bunny brings. Some people work on, and think about, Minicon year-round. Minicon meetings are open to anyone who cares about Minicon. Show up at a meeting and you're magically part of the illustrious convention committee (no other indoctrination required). Bring some ideas, ask questions, or sit quietly and observe fans doing silly (and constructive) things. Meetings are held at the Painter Park Building (34th and Lyndale in south Minneapolis); they start at 2 p.m. and go until around 4 p.m. (it's okay if you leave early or arrive late). The next meetings are November 9 and December 14.
All right already, I don't live in Minnesota
If you're visiting the Twin Cities, it's a good idea to call the hotline (612-824-5559) and see if there are any meetings (parties), conventions, concerts, readings, or other stfnal things going on. If you would like to help make Minicon happen, you can still volunteer to work at the convention. If you arrive at the hotel before the convention starts on Friday evening or stay after closing ceremonies on Sunday, we can always use help setting up or tearing down the convention (we know, we hate tearing it down, too). And we can always use your ideas. Heck, you're a science fiction fan, of course you know better than to be limited by mere geography.