MarsCon (Bloomington, Minnesota)

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Not to be confused with MarsCon (Williamsburg, Virginia).
MarsCon
GenreScience fiction
Location(s)Bloomington, Minnesota
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1999
Websitemarscon.org

MarsCon is a science fiction convention held in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. It was first held in February 1999 with the goal of appealing to a diverse audience of fans in Minnesota and the vicinity. It is a mid-sized convention with a wide variety of events including panel discussions, guest of honor presentations, music of many kinds, art show, film room (including anime), science room, dealers room, charity auction, and a masquerade.[1] Past guests have included actors, authors, artists, scientists, musicians, producers, and even the occasional pooka. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune describes MarsCon as "for the sci-fi serious nerds".[2]

Since 2003, MarsCon Minnesota has also included a strong presence of the "Dementia" (comedy/novelty/filk) music genre, making the convention one of the largest events in the country to showcase such music.

Conventions[]

Past[]

MarsCon 1999: Celebrating 60 Years of Fandom

Where: Radisson South Hotel
When: February 26-28, 1999
Guests of Honor: Carl David, Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak

MarsCon 2000: Don’t Panic! (Alternate Subversive Theme: M’00)

Where: Radisson South Hotel
When: May 12-14, 2000
Guests of Honor: Mark Allen Shepherd, , Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, , , , Chesley Bonestell (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2001: A Space Oddity

Where: Radisson South Hotel
When: May 11-13, 2001
Guests of Honor: Jane Yolen, Bill Blair, , Christopher Jones, , David Arneson, Stanley Kubrick (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2002: The Magic of Fantasy

Where: Airport Hilton
When: March 1-3, 2002
Guests of Honor: Lyda Morehouse, Peter Woodward, John Levene, Robin Wood, Harvey (See Harvey (play))

MarsCon 2003: No One Here is Exactly What He Appears

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: February 28-March 2, 2003
Guests of Honor: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller (science fiction writer), Julie Caitlin Brown, , , , Douglas Adams (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2004: Let’s Play Doctor!

Where: Airport Hilton
When: March 5-7, 2004
Guests of Honor: John M. Ford, Richard Biggs, Barry Hansen “Dr. Demento”, Dawn Devine Brown “”, Luke Sienkowski “The Great Luke Ski”,

MarsCon 2005: Galactic Pirates and Mercenaries

Where: Airport Marriott
When: March 4-6, 2005
Guests of Honor: Richard Herd, Jeremy Bulloch, , Timothy Zahn, , The Great Luke Ski, , Herbert Jefferson, Jr.

MarsCon 2006: Things That Go Bump in the Night

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: March 3-5, 2006
Guests of Honor: Gigi Edgley, Dean Haglund, , Walter H. Hunt, , Tom Smith (filker),

MarsCon 2007

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: March 2-4, 2007
Guests of Honor: Don S. Davis, Patricia Tallman, Todd Lockwood, Eric Larson, Eleanor Arnason, Ookla the Mok

MarsCon 2008: Press Start To Continue

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: February 29-March 2, 2008
Guests of Honor: Bill Blair, Jeff Easley, Naomi Kritzer, C. Robert Cargill,

MarsCon 2009: Invasion!

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: March 6-8, 2009[2]
Guests of Honor: Musetta Vander, , , Jeanne Cavelos, Wally Pleasant[3]

MarsCon 2010: Dark Lords and Femme Fatales

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: March 5-7, 2010[1]
Guests of Honor: , , , Gwynyth Walsh

MarsCon 2011: Days of Magic!

Where: Holiday Inn Select
When: March 4-6, 2011[4]
Guests of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold, , , Bjo Trimble, , Worm Quartet

MarsCon 2012: Rockin' the Apocalypse

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites
When: March 9-12, 2012
Guests of Honor: , Catherine Asaro, ,

MarsCon 2013: Ctrl/Alt/Del... Thriving into the future

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites, 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55425
When: March 1-3, 2013
Guests of Honor: actress Claudia Christian, author Harry Turtledove, science author , artist , comic artist , fan/costuming , and music .

MarsCon 2014: Time is the Key

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, Bloomington-Minneapolis South
When: March 7-9, 2014
Guests of Honor: J. G. Hertzler, Esther Friesner, , , Henry Phillips, , , and the Klingons of .

MarsCon 2015: Heroes & Wizerds & Fae OHhh MYyy!!

Where: Airport Hilton
When: March 6-8, 2015
Guests of Honor: Spice Williams-Crosby, Antoinette Bower, Robert Odegard, Lyda Morehouse, , , , , and .

MarsCon 2016: Parallel Dimensions

Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425
When: March 4-6, 2016
Guests of Honor: actor William Morgan Sheppard, artist , author Ruth Berman, filmmaker , game designer , musician Luke Ski, propmasters Dave Brown, , , and .


MarsCon 2017: Dragons In Space

Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425
When: March 3-5, 2017
Guests of Honor: actor Jeffrey Combs, artist , authors Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, comedy and music Judy Tenuta, sciences &


MarsCon 2018: Robots, Rayguns, & Rockets: The 3 R's of Sci-Fi

Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425
When: March 2-4, 2018
Guests of Honor: actor Roger Cross, artist Steve Thomas, author MaryJanice Davidson, musician Brent brentalfloss Black, planetary scientist

Upcoming[]

MarsCon 2019 “Legends In Our Own Mind”

Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425
When: March 1-3, 2019
Guests of Honor: actors & J. G. Hertzler, author A. Merc Rustad, artist Luke Ski

References[]

  1. ^ a b Peloquin, Jahna (March 4, 2010). "Weekend events: MarsCon 2010 and Oscar parties". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Events". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. November 5, 2009.
  3. ^ "MarsCon in Bloomington, Minneasota Feb 29-Mar 2" (Press release). Isthmus. January 7, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  4. ^ "Item World". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. May 11, 2001.

External links[]

Coordinates: 44°51′33″N 93°15′9″W / 44.85917°N 93.25250°W / 44.85917; -93.25250

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