Thread by @worldcon2018

.@bovil posted on Facebook: Someone wanted to know what to do at their first Worldcon. So I wrote this comment (because I write):

Worldcon is a mix of (now) 80 years of tradition and local fanish culture. It's lit-heavy, but not by any means lit-exclusive.

Most of the things you expect from an old-school general science fiction and fantasy convention exist, just scaled up a bit.

There are also things that are unique, either to Worldcon, or in some cases a single Worldcon.

And they're usually pretty accessible. The chubby guy with the big fluffy beard, wearing a Greek sailor's cap with a big stone on it probably isn't someone cosplaying George R.R. Martin, it probably is George R.R. Martin.

Thursday night is often "First Night," an event that tries to focus on the local culture, and will feature the 1942 Retrospective Hugo Awards announcement at the 1943 Worldcon that never was. There's also a performance of Jay Harlove's musical scheduled.

Friday night is "Art and Music Night" and will have an Art Show reception, the Chesley Awards for excellence in science fiction and fantasy art, a concert featuring guests of honor Spider Robinson and Frank Hayes.

Masquerade and Hugo Awards are big, of course.

Masquerade started at the 1940 Worldcon as a costume contest at the dance, it's one of Worldcon's oldest traditions.

Film program is going to be big this year. Christopher J Garcia is screening his Silicon Valley Science Fiction Short Film Festival for us,

and Nat Saenz is running a broader-ranging film festival and program.

There's a serious academic program track, if you want to nerd out with researchers and scholars on fantasy and SF. It's being run with the support of faculty from UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis (I think).

I hear from Christine Doyle that the academic call for papers has drawn some really interesting submissions.

The Kaffeklatsch program is a chance to sign up to sit down with a author, artist, scientist or other interesting person in a small group and have coffee and chat for an hour.

In the evening, that transforms into "Literary Beers" (which don't have to be literary, but do involve beer instead of coffee).

, one of our Guests of Honor, is spearheading an initiative to get more Mexican-American and Mexican fans and professionals to participate in Worldcon. He's engaged some really interesting folks who are going to be real assets for programming.

A large portion of the main hall is dedicated to exhibits about our Guests of Honor, fan history, science, all sorts of things of interest to fans.

The Fairmont will be party central.

/thread