ArmadilloCon

ArmadilloCon
StatusActive
GenreScience fiction
VenueAustin Southpark Hotel
Location(s)Austin, Texas
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1979
Attendance400[1]
Organized byFandom Association of Central Texas
Filing status501(c)(3)
Websitearmadillocon.org

ArmadilloCon is a science fiction convention held annually in Austin, Texas, USA, since 1979.[1][2] As the second longest running science fiction convention in Texas, it is sponsored by the Fandom Association of Central Texas and is known for its emphasis on literary science fiction.[3] ArmadilloCon was traditionally held in mid-October during the weekend of the Texas-OU football game, but moved to a late-summer/early-fall weekend in 1998.

Traditions of ArmadilloCon

ArmadilloCon generally focuses on literary science-fiction, with guests of honor typically being up-and-coming writers.[4] Unique programming includes a "Fannish Feud" which has been held regularly since ArmadilloCon 4 in 1982, and has been hosted by Pat Cadigan, Walter Jon Williams, and Professor Griffin. The convention typically includes a large number of readings, and for some years ended with a story reading by Howard Waldrop.[3]

A key element of the convention is the ArmadilloCon Writers' Workshop. The workshop was started in 1998,[5] instigated by Chairs A.T. Campbell III and Lori Wolf. The workshop is held during the day on the Friday of the convention, with a Writers' Track of sessions available during the rest of the weekend.

Past conventions

ArmadilloCon 1 program book
  • ArmadilloCon 1 (May 11–13, 1979)
    • Chair: Willie Siros
    • Guest of Honor: John Varley
    • Fan Guest: Jeanne Gomoll
    • Toastmaster: Howard Waldrop
    • Location: Villa Capri
  • ArmadilloCon 2 (October 3–5, 1980)
    • Chair: Willie Siros
    • Guest of Honor: Gardner Dozois
    • Fan Guest: Harry O. Morris
    • Toastmaster: Chad Oliver
  • ArmadilloCon 3 (October 1981)[6]
    • Chair: Willie Siros
    • Guest of Honor: Chad Oliver
    • Fan Guest: Bob Wayne
    • Toastmaster: Ed Bryant
    • Location: Ramada Riverside
  • ArmadilloCon 4 (October 1–3, 1982)
    • Chair: Ed Scarbrough
    • Guests of Honor: George Alec Effinger and George R. R. Martin
    • Fan Guest: Joe Pumilia
    • Toastmaster: Ed Bryant
  • ArmadilloCon 5 (October 7–9, 1983)[7]
    • Chair: Ed Scarborough
    • Guest of Honor: Howard Waldrop
    • Fan Guest: Becky Matthews
    • Toastmaster: Neal Barrett, Jr.
    • Location: Villa Capri Motor Hotel
  • ArmadilloCon 6 (October 5–7, 1984)
    • Chair: Ed Scarborough
    • Guest of Honor: John Sladek
    • Fan Guests: James A. Corrick and Gay Miller Corrick
    • Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale
    • Special Guest: Ellen Datlow
  • ArmadilloCon 7 (1985)
  • ArmadilloCon 8 (October 10–12, 1986)
  • ArmadilloCon 9 (October 9–11, 1987)
  • ArmadilloCon 10 (October 7–9, 1988)
  • ArmadilloCon 11 (October 13–15, 1989)[8]
  • ArmadilloCon 12 (October 12–14, 1990)[9][10]
  • ArmadilloCon 13 (October 11–13, 1991)[11]
    • Chair: Casey Hamilton
    • Guest of Honor: Dan Simmons
    • Artist Guest: Dell Harris
    • Editor Guest: Amy Stout
    • Fan Guest: Pat Mueller (Pat Virzi)
    • Toastmistress: Emma Bull
    • Location: Wyndham Southpark
  • ArmadilloCon 14 (October 9–11, 1992)[12][13]
  • ArmadilloCon 15 (November 5–7, 1993)[14]
    • Chairs: Willie Siros and Lori Wolf
    • Guest of Honor: Gwyneth Jones (novelist)
    • Artist Guest: Harry O. Morris
    • Editor Guest: John Douglas
    • Toastmaster: Michael Bishop (author)
    • Location: Red Lion
  • ArmadilloCon 16 (October 7–9, 1994)[15]
  • ArmadilloCon 17 (October 6–8, 1995)[16]
    • Chairs: Fred Duarte, Jr. and Dan Tolliver
    • Guest of Honor: Alexander Jablokov
    • Artist Guest: Vincent Di Fate
    • Editor Guest: John Silbersack
    • Fan Guests: Dick Smith and Leah Zeldes Smith
    • Toastmaster: Terry Bisson
    • Location: Red Lion
  • ArmadilloCon 18 (October 11–13, 1996)
  • ArmadilloCon 19 (1997)
  • ArmadilloCon 20 (August 28–30, 1998)[17]
  • ArmadilloCon 21 (September 10–12, 1999)[18]
  • ArmadilloCon 22 (August 18–20, 2000)
  • ArmadilloCon 23 (November 16–18, 2001)
  • ArmadilloCon 24 (August 16–18, 2002)
  • ArmadilloCon 25 (August 8–10, 2003)[19][20]
  • ArmadilloCon 26 (August 13–15, 2004)
  • ArmadilloCon 27 (August 19–21, 2005)
    • Chairs: Renee Babcock and John Gibbons
    • Guest of Honor: Charles Stross
    • Fan Guests: Jim Mann & Laurie Mann
    • Toastmaster: Charles de Lint
    • Editor Guest: Jim Minz
    • Artist Guest: Ctein
    • Special Guest: Sean McMullen (sponsored by ALAMO, Inc.)
    • Location: Doubletree Hotel Austin
  • ArmadilloCon 28 (August 11–13, 2006)
    • Chair: Kimm Antell
    • Guest of Honor: Julie E. Czerneda
    • Fan Guest: Grant Kruger
    • Toastmaster: Esther Friesner
    • Editor Guest: Diana Gill
    • Artist Guest: Ellisa Mitchell
    • Special Guest: James P. Hogan
    • Location: Doubletree Hotel Austin
  • ArmadilloCon 29 (August 10–12, 2007)
  • ArmadilloCon 30 (August 15–17, 2008)[1][3]
  • ArmadilloCon 31 (August 14–16, 2009)[21][22]
    • Chair: Kimm Antell
    • Guest of Honor: Scott Lynch
    • Artist Guest: Stephan Martinière (cancelled)
    • Editor Guest: Chris Roberson
    • Fan Guest: Karen Meschke
    • Toastmaster: Scott A. Cupp
    • Special Guest: Joan D. Vinge
    • Location: Doubletree Hotel Austin
  • ArmadilloCon 32 (August 27–29, 2010)[23][24][25][26][27]
    • Chairs: Elizabeth Burton and Dan Tolliver
    • Guest of Honor: Rachel Caine
    • Artist Guest: R. Cat Conrad
    • Editor Guest: Anne Sowards
    • Fan Guest: Elspeth Bloodgood
    • Toastmaster: Nancy Kress
    • Urban Fantasy Special Guest: Ilona Andrews
    • Steampunk Special Guest: Michael Bishop
    • Location: Renaissance Hotel Austin
  • ArmadilloCon 33 (August 26–28, 2011)[28][29]
  • ArmadilloCon 34 (July 27–29, 2012)[30]
  • ArmadilloCon 35 / GlyptoCon 3 (October 25–27, 2013)
  • ArmadilloCon 36 (July 25–27, 2014)
  • ArmadilloCon 37 (July 24–26, 2015)
  • ArmadilloCon 38 (July 29–31, 2016)
    • Chair: Charles Siros
    • Guest of Honor: Wesley Chu
    • Fan Guest: Ken Keller
    • Editor Guest: Joe Monti
    • Artist Guest: Christina Hess
    • Special Guest: Dominick Saponaro
    • Toastmaster: Joe McKinney (author)
    • Location: Omni Southpark Hotel
  • ArmadilloCon 39 (August 4–6, 2017)[31]
  • ArmadilloCon 40 (August 3–5, 2018)
    • Chair: Jennifer Juday
    • Guest of Honor: Deji Bryce Olukotun
    • Special Guest: Holly Black
    • Special Guest: Robert J. Sawyer
    • Artist Guest: Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
    • Fan Guest: Craig W. Chrissinger
    • Toastmaster: Aaron de Orive
    • Location: Omni Southpark Hotel
  • ArmadilloCon 41 (August 2–4, 2019)
  • ArmadilloCon 42 (August 28–30, 2020)
    • Small virtual replacement for in-person event, due to COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2
    • Chair: Jennifer Juday
    • Special Guest: Tobias S. Buckell
    • Featured Writer: Cadwell Turnbull
    • Featured Writer: Libia Brenda
    • Artist Guest: Priscilla Kim
    • Fan Guests: Clif & Margaret Davis
    • Location: Virtual
  • ArmadilloCon 43 (October 15–17, 2021)
  • ArmadilloCon 44 (August 5–7, 2022)
  • ArmadilloCon 45 (August 4-6, 2023)
    • Chair: Jennifer Juday
    • Writer Guest: Sequoia Nagamatsu
    • Special Guest: Cory Doctorow
    • Special Guest: Gabino Iglesias
    • Toastmaster: Tonia Ransom
    • Artist Guest: Gonzalo Alvarez
    • Editor Guest: Rick Klaw
    • Fan Guest: Charles Siros
    • Location: Austin Southpark Hotel

Upcoming conventions

  • ArmadilloCon 46 (September 6-8, 2024)
    • Chair:
    • Writer Guest:
    • Special Guest:
    • Special Guest:
    • Toastmaster:
    • Artist Guest:
    • Editor Guest:
    • Fan Guest:
    • Location: Austin Southpark Hotel


References

  1. ^ a b c George, Patrick (August 17, 2008). "ArmadilloCon Still Has Read on Sci-Fi 30 Years In". Austin American Statesman.
  2. ^ Nawotka, Edward (April 24, 2008). "Nebula Awards puts Austin and Texas writers at center of science fiction world". Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c Whittaker, Richard (August 15, 2008). "Going Home to the Armadillo: After 30 years, the song remains the same at ArmadilloCon, Texas' favorite sci-fi convention". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  4. ^ "Official ArmadilloCon Website". Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  5. ^ "Links to Writers' Workshops - SFWA". SFWA. 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  6. ^ Warren, Gary L. (October 5, 1981). "ArmadilloCon Brings Science Fiction to Austin". The Daily Texan.
  7. ^ Brandt, Beverly L. (September–October 1983). "Upcoming Cons". WSFA Journal. Vol. 7, no. 4. Washington Science Fiction Association. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  8. ^ "Bookmarks". Austin American-Statesman. October 8, 1989. p. D4. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  9. ^ "Bookmarks". Austin American-Statesman. October 7, 1990. p. E6. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  10. ^ McDaniel, Niki Frances (October 12, 1990). "More than 100 science fiction authors, artists, editors and agents". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  11. ^ Point, Michael (October 11, 1991). "Best bets: Space is the place". Austin American-Statesman. p. A14. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  12. ^ Aiken, Wayne (September 1992). "Upcoming Conventions". Holy Temple of Mass Consumption. No. 10.
  13. ^ Point, Michael (October 9, 1992). "Best bets". Austin American-Statesman. p. A16. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  14. ^ "Places to go, people to see". Austin American-Statesman. October 29, 1993. p. C3. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  15. ^ Kelly, Carolyn (October 7, 1994). "Best bets: Mixed bag". Austin American-Statesman. p. B12. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  16. ^ "The Latest Word". Austin American-Statesman. October 1, 1995. p. G6. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  17. ^ Shea, Mike (July 31, 1998). "The Waiting Is the Hardest Part; How Mr. Denton Spent His Summer Vacation". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  18. ^ Morris, Anne (August 15, 1999). "Sci-fi fans gear up for convention". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  19. ^ Vane, Sharyn Wizda (July 6, 2003). "If you dig aliens and alternate realities, then ArmadilloCon is your event". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  20. ^ "The fantasy is alive at sci-fi convention". Your News Now. August 10, 2003. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  21. ^ "ArmadilloCon 2009". UpcomingCons.com. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  22. ^ Jones, Kimberley (August 14, 2009). "News/Print". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 14, 2009.
  23. ^ Gross, Joe (August 21, 2010). "Keeping Lone Star literature weird: What makes Texas science fiction and fantasy different? Think Robert E. Howard's genre-busting work, and start where he left off". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  24. ^ Whittaker, Richard (August 27, 2010). "Dark Forces Gathering". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  25. ^ Cupp, Scott A. (August 18, 2010). "More Guests Than You Can Swing an Armadillo At". Missions Unknown. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  26. ^ Sterling, Bruce (August 20, 2010). "Dead Media Beat: sci-fi mag prints on clay tablets". Wired. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  27. ^ DeNardo, John (August 29, 2010). "EVENT REPORT: ArmadilloCon 32". SF Signal. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  28. ^ Whittaker, Richard (August 26, 2011). "Steam Versus Cyber at ArmadilloCon". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  29. ^ "ArmadilloCon becomes official sponsor of the 2011 World Horror Convention". World Horror Convention 2011. July 12, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  30. ^ "Sci-fi lovers converge on 34th annual Armadillocon". Austin, TX: Your News Now. July 30, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  31. ^ "Writing Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror in Austin". Retrieved 2018-06-06.

External links

  • ArmadilloCon official site
  • Fandom Association of Central Texas
  • Houston SF Ritual Breakfast main page
  • v
  • t
  • e
TraditionalComics/mediaAnimeHorrorNASFiC/WorldconDefunct
See also Anime conventions in North America