Icon (Iowa science fiction convention)

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ICON
StatusActive
GenreScience fiction
Location(s)Cedar Rapids, Iowa
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1975
Attendance400-500
Organized byThe Mindbridge Foundation
WebsiteIowa ICON home page

ICON is an annual science fiction convention held in the Cedar Rapids/ Iowa City area of Iowa since 1975, usually in late October or early November, under the auspices of the Mindbridge Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation also responsible for AnimeIowa and Gamicon.[1] The organization was a branching off of the Science Fiction League of Iowa Students, which was founded by author Joe Haldeman.[2] It is the oldest and largest science fiction convention in Iowa.[3][4][5]

History[edit]

1 - 1975 October 31-November 2 -SkinnyCon - Iowa City, Iowa

2 - 1976 November 5–7 -Destructocon - Coralville, Iowa

3 - 1977 October 28–30 - - Coralville, Iowa

4 - 1979 November 9–11 -DisasterCon - Coralville, Iowa

5 - 1980 November 7–9 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

6 - 1981 October 30-November 1 -first appearance of Trans Iowa Canal Company - Coralville, Iowa

7 - 1982 November 5–7 - - Coralville, Iowa

8 - 1983 October 21–23 -L-Con - Coralville, Iowa

9 - 1984 October 26–28 - - Coralville, Iowa

10 - 1985 October 25–27 -SFLIS Family Reunion - Coralville, Iowa

11 - 1986 October 24–26 -Habittrail Con - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

12 - 1987 October 16–18 -Money-Grubbing Capitalist Con - Coralville, Iowa

  • Glen Cook - author guest of honor
  • Dick Spelman - guest of honor

13 - 1989 January 20–22 -Beauty and the Beast Con-within-a-Con - Coralville, Iowa

14 - 1989 October 13–15 - - Coralville, Iowa

15 - 1990 September 28–30 - - Coralville, Iowa

16 - 1991 October 12–14 -GinCon aka BlondeCon - Coralville, Iowa

  • Steven Brust - author guest of honor
  • Bob and Nonie Quinlan - fan guests of honor

17 - 1992 October 7–9 -Escape the Mundane CruiseCon, StressCon - Coralville, Iowa

18 - 1993 October 8–10 -Pirats of Phenzance, BarneyCon - Coralville, Iowa

19 - 1994 October 14–16 -One Last Teen Fling - Coralville, Iowa

20 - 1995 October 6–8 -ICON Goes Platinum - Coralville, Iowa

21 - 1996 October 11–13 -ICON Comes of Age - Coralville, Iowa

22 - 1997 October 10–12 -Catch 22 - Coralville, Iowa

23 - 1998 October 16–18 -"Working Today For A Better Tomorrow, Fnord" - Coralville, Iowa

24 - 1999 October 29–31 -efiL fO gninaeM ehT, The Return of HabitrailCon, Seat of Our Pants Con - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Peter Beagle - author guest of honor
  • Bill Johnson - guest of honor
  • Charles Piehl - guest of honor
  • Tyler Walpole - artist guest of honor

25 - 2000 October 13–15 -Prodigal Son - Coralville, Iowa

  • Harry Turtledove - author guest of honor
  • "Orange Mike" Lowrey - fan guest of honor

26 - 2001 October 12–14 -Hey, nice hotel! - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • L. E. Modesitt, Jr. - author guest of honor
  • Denise Garner - artist guest of honor
  • Dennis Lynch - fan guest of honor

27 - 2002 October 18–20 -Carrot Juice - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Jennifer Roberson - author guest of honor
  • John Garner - artist guest of honor
  • Les & Jeannette Roth - fan guests of honor

28 - 2003 October 10–12 -Cheesy Poofs - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • David Drake - author guest of honor
  • Lee Seed - artist guest of honor
  • Gregg Parmentier - fan guest of honor

29 - 2004 October 8–10 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

30 - 2005 October 28–30 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

31 - 2006 October 13–15 -Gallium: The Other Soft Metal - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • C. S. Friedman - author guest of honor
  • Larry Price - artist guest of honor

32 - 2007 November 2–4 -Rise of the Phoenix - Coralville, Iowa

33 - 2008 October 31-November 2 -Horror/Halloween - Coralville, Iowa

34 - 2009 October 23–25 -Adventures in the Secret Kingdom of Fandom - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

35 - 2010 November 5–7 -A Steam-Powered Convention of the Future - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

36 - 2011 October 28–30 -Genre Fusion: When Worlds Collide - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Jane Yolen - author guest of honor
  • Steve Thomas - artist guest of honor
  • Rusty Hevelin (in absentia), Denny Lynch - toastmaster

37 - 2012 November 2–4 -The Convention at the End of the Universe - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Steven Erikson - author guest of honor
  • Mike Cole - artist guest of honor
  • Jim C. Hines - co-toastmaster and author
  • Dennis Lynch - co-toastmaster

38 - 2013 November 15–17 -Recalling 1013 - The Year When Nothing Happened - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

39 - 2014 October 31 - November 2 -League of Extraordinary Gentlefen - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

40 - 2015 October 16–18 -Con of Futures Past - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

41 - 2016 October 28–30 -Back to the ICON - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

42 - 2017 September 29 - October 1, 2017 - Hitchhikers Guide to ICON42 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

43 - 2018 October 5–7, 2018 - Eruption! - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Mike Mullin - author guest of honor
  • Daniel Mohr - artist guest of honor
  • Mike Miller - fan guest of honor
  • Wolfie B. Bad - actor guest of honor
  • Jim C. Hines - Toastmaster and author
  • Joe Haldeman - author and ICON founder
  • Gay Haldeman - editor and Mommy of ICON

44 - 2019 November 1–3, 2019 - Unpacking Non-Binary Reality - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Pat Murphy - author guest of honor
  • Shawn Palek - Artist guest of honor
  • Misty Palek - Artist guest of honor
  • Kat Pepmiller - costumer/cosplay artist guest of honor
  • Mystie Hollaman - fan guest of honor
  • Jim C. Hines - Toastmaster and author

45 - 2020 October 9–10, 2020 - V-ICON: The Year ICON Went Virtual - Online only

  • Joe Haldeman - author and founder of ICON
  • Gay Haldeman - editor and founder of ICON
  • Catrina Taylor - author
  • Alex Penland - author
  • Erin Casey - author
  • Tambo Jones - author
  • Beth Hudson - author

46 - 2021 October 15–17, 2021 - Seeking Further Horizons - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • Eric Flint - Author Guest of Honor
  • Jeff Lee Johnson - Artist Guest of Honor
  • Jim C. Hines - Toastmaster and author
  • Joe Haldeman - author and founder of ICON
  • Gay Haldeman - editor and founder of ICON
  • Beth Hudson - fan guest of honor
  • Cheshire Moon - Music guest of honor

47 - 2022 October 14–16, 2022 - The Prime Universe - Celebrating How Alternate Universes Intersect With Ours - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

48 - 2023 October 13-15 - We only work in outer space! - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

49 - 2024 October 18-20 - New Horizons - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Projects – Mindbridge Foundation". Mindbridge Foundation. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  2. ^ "Michael Swanwick Online: Profile of Gregory Frost". Archived from the original on 2014-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  3. ^ "Science fiction fans plan convention: Novelists, fans to mingle in Coralville" Cedar Rapids Gazette October 6, 1996; p. 30
  4. ^ "ICON, one of the nation's oldest, longest-running science fiction conferences is Friday to Sunday at the Clarion Hotel, 525 33rd Ave. S.W. in Cedar Rapids." Iowa City Press-Citizen October 7, 2004; p. D12
  5. ^ Scattarelli, Justine (November 5, 2010). "Cedar Rapids hosts Iowa's largest science fiction and fantasy convention". Eastern Iowa Life. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.

External links[edit]