The 73rd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Sasquan, will be held in Spokane, Washington, USA between 19-23 August 2015.
The special highlights of the convention will be the introduction of Guests of Honour – individuals who contributed to the field of science fiction in a significant way through their literary works, comics, art, criticism, publishing or fandom, and awarding The Hugo Awards - the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy.
As usual, the convention will feature panels, presentations, readings, autograph sessions, kaffeeklatsches and discussion groups, as well as participatory activities including writing, art, and other workshops, costuming and cosplaying, filk and other music, games including role-playing, board, and card games, fanzines, children’s programming, and many other activities, such as art show, dealers room, exhibits on science, publishing, and the history and culture of fandom, and a world-class stage masquerade featuring the best fan costumers.
Spokane is a city in the state of Washington, in the north-western United States, some 90 miles (145 km) south of the Canadian border. Sited on the Spokane River west of the Rocky Mountain Foothills, the city, which is the seat of Spokane County, is situated in the easternmost part of the state of Washington, approximately 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle along Interstate 90. It is the largest city on Interstate 90 highway as well as Amtrak Empire Builder train route between Minneapolis and Seattle. The city and its wider region is served by Spokane International Airport, conveniently located mere 5 miles (8 km) west of downtown Spokane.
Spokane is a vibrant, young (with the median age 35 years), mid-sized city with a population of 210,000, making it the second largest city in the state of Washington (after Seattle).
The Spokane Convention Center is located in the heart of downtown Spokane, along the south bank of the Spokane River, adjacent to the historic Centennial Trail and Riverfront Park, location of the 1974 World’s Fair, Expo '74.
The planning of the programme is in its early stages, but these are some of the highlights of Sasquan, the 73rd Worldcon:
Carl Sagan Medal speech by Guy Consolmagno
Longtime fan and frequent science panellist Guy Consolmagno, the Vatican astronomer, won the Carl Sagan Medal for outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public. Consolmagno plans to give a Carl Sagan Medal speech at Sasquan on Wednesday at 20:00.
Night in the Park
Join us at the Riverfront Park for discussions under the stars (depending on the weather).
Steampunk Night
Here, all fans of the Steampunk sub-genre will have an opportunity to show off their Steampunk-themed costumes and objects.
Masquerade (Cosplay)
One of the highlights of every Worldcon, the Masquerade will feature dozens of costumers presenting their novel creations during short performances judged by a panel of experts.
Super Science Saturday
LaserMotive, a Seattle-based company developing wireless power delivery systems using laser beams to transmit electricity without wires, have committed themselves to demonstrate their game-changing power beaming technology.
The 2015 Hugo Awards Ceremony
This is the event everyone is looking forward to. Hugo Awards are the premier awards in the science fiction field, recognising the best novels, stories, graphic stories, related works, dramatic presentations (i.e. film, television), artists, fanzines, fancasts and fan works for the past year.
Brad Foster is an American illustrator, cartoonist, writer and publisher. He presently holds the record for the most awards in the Best Fan Artist category of the Hugo Awards. Between 1984 - 2014, he has been nominated 26 times, and won 8 times. He has also been Guest of Honour at multiple conventions such as ArmadilloCon 10, Conestoga 9, Archon 35, and NASFiC 2010.
David Gerrold is an American science fiction novelist and screenwriter best known for his script for the Star Trek episode The Trouble With Tribbles, for creating the Sleestak race on the television series Land of the Lost, and for his novelette The Martian Child, which won both Hugo and Nebula Awards, and was adapted into a 2007 film starring John Cusack.
Vonda N. McIntyre is an American science fiction writer. She is best known for her science fiction novel Dreamsnake, which won the Hugo, the Nebula, and the Locus awards and for her historical science fiction novel ‘The Moon and the Sun’ adapted into a 2015 film starring Pierce Brosnan as King Louis XIV and Kaya Scodelario as Marie-Josephe de la Croix.
Tom Smith is an American singer-songwriter, well known in the filk music community. He is a fourteen-time winner of the Pegasus Award for excellence in filking, including awards for his ‘A Boy and His Frog’, ‘307 Ale’, and ‘The Return of the King (Uh-huh)’, and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2005. He performs frequently at conventions across the United States and abroad.
Leslie Turek is an American gardener as well as a highly-active member and major contributor of the fandom. She was a founding member of NESFA, worked on and chaired Boskones, and typed the first issue of Locus. She was also the chairman of the 38th Worldcon (Noreascon Two), but perhaps her greatest contribution was the Hugo-winning fanzine ‘Mad 3 Party’.