Minicon Joins List of Cancelled Conventions

Minicon 55, planned for April 10-12 in Minneapolis, has been called off, although “if for any reason it is deemed safe to do so before that date” they will fulfill their agreement with the DoubleTree by holding a relaxacon. If it remains unsafe to hold an event, there will be none.

The chairs issued this statement:

Dear Minicon Community,

On Friday, March 13, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a “State of Emergency” for Minnesota, and his Dept. of Public Health has advised that gatherings of more than 250 people “should not” occur. Minicon 55 was planned for about 500 people, and thus, cannot occur.

The Minicon 55 Chairs and Concom have agreed to postpone Minicon 55 to April 2-4, 2021 at the Saint Louis Park Doubletree. If you already have a membership to Minicon 55, your membership will remain valid. This is a date change to Easter weekend next year. If next year’s date will not work for you, please contact [email protected] to work out an alternate solution.

Though we won’t be able to host Jo Walton and Elise Matthesen this year, we look forward to their attendance as our Guests of Honor next year in 2021. We wish our guests and their families’ safety and good health.

We, the Minicon 55 Chairs and ConCom, have had many discussions over the past few weeks about Covid-19 and its impact on our community. We recognize that much of our membership is 60+, and many of us are especially at-risk due to respiratory ailments and compromised immune systems. The health and well-being of our community is incredibly important to us. We also need to respect the health and well being of the larger Minnesota community, and avoid unnecessary contact. Without all of us, Minicon wouldn’t be the same.

We have an agreement with the DoubleTree Park Place to have a convention on Easter weekend of 2020, and if for any reason it is deemed safe to do so before that date, we will announce a relaxacon-style event tentatively called “Mini-Consolation”, where we will all cheerfully celebrate the safety and camaraderie of our happy community with enthusiasm yet unseen in suburban Minneapolis. If it remains unsafe to do so, we will, of course, hold no event. The Hotel has released a statement to let people know that all rooms reserved before April 30 of this year can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival. If you would like to remain hopeful about a 2020 event, you are welcome to keep your room reservation. We will send a reminder to cancel rooms on about April 4, along with a final update about any events in 2020.

We are all very sad to delay Minicon for an entire year, but we understand it is in the best interests of our entire community at this time. Thank you all for your patience and support. We very much look forward to seeing all of you at future events, and in better times ahead.
Sincerely,
Don & Sharla Stremski, Co-Chairs, Minicon 55

5 thoughts on “Minicon Joins List of Cancelled Conventions

  1. Marcon has been cancelled. I believe that Marcon’s parent organization is also the parent organization of this year’s NASFiC. August is several months away, but I’m keeping on eye on that one too.

  2. John Hertz replies by carrier pigeon:

    Jeopardy, of course.

    As I write, streak not broken yet.

    LASFS (Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, oldest SF club on Earth, founded 1934, meeting every Thursday since) is between clubhouses (sold #3, in search of #4); last weekend’s Board meeting reported our current temporary venue is locking down; we’re looking.

    We’re resilient resourceful types; hope springs eternal, and it is spring, after all (well, almost; jacarandas and other optimists have started).

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