main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Calgary Enclosed is the Westercon Press Release

Discussion in 'Canada Discussion Boards' started by SithatHeart, Jun 9, 2005.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. SithatHeart

    SithatHeart Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I highly recommend everyone add this to their calendars!



    Canada West Science Fiction Association
    Presents
    Westercon 58 ? ?Due North?
    Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention
    July 1-4, 2005

    Host to
    Canvention 2005, Con-Version 21.5
    and Locus magazine?s annual awards

    Westin Hotel, Calgary, Alberta
    320 - 4th Avenue S.W.
    www.calgaryin2005.org

    Immediate Press Release / Public Service Announcement

    Our Feature Guests are:

    Author: S.M. Stirling
    Canadian Author: Dave Duncan
    Publisher: Tom Doherty (TOR Books)
    Editor: David G. Hartwell (TOR Books)
    Artist: Mark Ferrari
    Science Guest: Dr. Phil Currie (Royal Tyrrell Museum)
    Fan Guests: Cliff Samuels and Eileen Capes


    Announcing Westercon 58, the largest ever Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention ever to take place in Alberta. Westercon 58, a four day convention, will be held on the weekend of July 1-4, 2005 at the Westin Hotel, 320-4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta.

    Guests include S.M. Stirling, Author; Dave Duncan, Canadian Author; Tom Doherty, Publisher; David G. Hartwell, Editor; Dr. Phil Currie, Science; and Mark Ferrari, Artist.
    Cliff Samuels and Eileen Capes, Fans.

    Westercon's primary focus is Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature. Our guests are popular and critically acclaimed authors, artists, editors, publishers and scientists. Complete biographies for our guests can be found at www.calgaryin2005.org along with full details on all the weekend?s activities.

    Background: Westercon is a traveling Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, hosted by a different Western North American city each year. Calgary won the bid to host Westercon 58 at Westercon 56 in Seattle, in 2003. The convention always takes place over the USA?s July 4th long weekend. The original Westercon was held in Los Angeles in 1948, and Westercon is governed by the world?s oldest continuously-active science fiction and fantasy club, the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. Canada has hosted two previous Westercons, both in Vancouver: Westercon 30, in 1977 and Westercon 44, in 1991. Westercon 58 is the first time the convention will be held in Alberta and it promises to be the largest Science Fiction and Fantasy convention in Alberta to date, with close to 1000 attendees expected.

    Westercon 58 is host to the Canadian National Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, Canvention 2005. Canvention is the home of the Aurora Awards, which honours Canadian Achievements in speculative fiction, media and art annually. This year?s Aurora Awards will be presented on the evening of Friday, July 1st at Westercon 58.

    Westercon 58 will also be hosting the Locus Awards, one of Science Fiction and Fantasy?s most prestigious awards. Locus Magazine's annual reader poll was established in the early 1970s specifically to provide recommendations and suggestions to the Hugo Award voters. The Locus Awards often draw more voters than the Hugo and Nebula Awards combined. Author Connie Willis will be the toastmaster for this year?s awards.

    Calgary?s annual Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, Con-Version, will be represented at Westercon, with Con-Version 21.5, Mini-Con. Robert J. Sawyer, and Karen Sim are the Con-Version Guests of Honor.

    The Imaginative Fiction Writer?s Association (IFWA), a Calgary based writing group, sponsors an annual writing workshop. This year?s workshop leader is Ontario author, Edo van Belkom. IFWA also organizes the Robyn Herrington Memorial Short Fiction Contest. The contest is judged on the Saturday of the convention.

    In addition to the listed guests, there will be over 100 other genre-related individuals participating in the presentations, panels and events. There are twelve streams of programming: General Interest, Literature, Media, Science, Art, Costuming, Comics, Anime, Readings, Filk, Business of Writing, and SF in Education.

    Programming begins on the evening of Thursday, June 30 at 7 PM, and ends four days later, on Monday, July 4, at 5 PM. Friday through Sunday, the programming begins at 10 AM and ends at 11 P
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.