
[Introduction: Towards the end of the 2019 Worldcon, I set about modifying a set of the Dublin 2019 ribbons I had been given, and handed some out, writing an article about it in 2020. That piece went to Banana Wings, but long story short it has not yet appeared in print, and Claire and Mark are happy for me to send it to File 770, so here it is with a recent postscript.]
By Alan Stewart: In the Fan Fund auction at Dublin 2019 Julian Warner bought a set of Dublin ribbons and gave them to me. Though purportedly a “complete set”, comparison with a framed set of the ribbons on display in the Exhibits Hall showed that my gifted set was missing Chair, Chair’s Staff and Worldcon Widow, but I had two versions of Volunteer (also VOLUNTEER). It also included Featured Artist which was not amongst the framed set.
After looking through the set I decided it would be a nice idea to suitably modify them and hand some out to people at the convention. Checking that it was okay with James Bacon, who reiterated the message that they were not to be worn at the convention, which he had anecdotally included while auctioning the set, he also agreed that it would be a very fannish thing to do. So I set out on my rebadging project with the help of some stickers provided via the art show staff.
I distributed ribbons on the last afternoon of the con, with the expectation that they would be added to badges later that day, and also at Titancon in Belfast the next weekend.
The modifications were made based on my knowledge of the recipient, maybe something that had happen at Worldcon, or whim. I believe they were received with good grace. A couple were at the suggestion of Karen Babcock.
The following table details the recipients and the modified text of the ribbon presented to them.
Recipient | Modified ribbon text |
Alan Stewart | Past Worldcon Bid Chair |
Andrew Trembley | Brainstorming Champion |
Ben Yalow | Facilities Free in 2021 |
Brian Nesmitt | Help I’m At Point Square |
Carolina Gomez Lagerlöf | Eurocon Organiser |
Cheryl Morgan | WSFS Business Meeting Widow |
Claire Brialey | Past & Present Fan Fund Hero |
Craig Macbride | Hugo Losers’ Ceremony Guest |
Espana Sheriff | Ribbon Facilitation |
Geri Sullivan | Alan Crashed My Literary Beer |
Geaeme Batho | Spocking Hall Costumer |
Ian McDonald | Great Publications |
James Bacon | Dublin’s Finest Worldcon Chair |
James J Styles | I’d Like Access All Areas |
Lawrence Hogg | Fan Tables Staff Hero |
Lucy Sussex | Fantastical Ireland Explorer |
John Coxon | Ribbon Dealer |
Joseph Meltzer | I Could Be A Rocket Scientist |
Julian Warner | Mr Warner |
Karen Babcock | Editing McEditface |
Kevin Roche | Once More With Houselights Please! |
Lori Meltzer | Svelte Stage Ninja |
Lynelle Howell | I Found the Dragon! In NZ |
Maree Pavletich | I Made CoNZealand Happen |
Mark Plummer | Fan Funds’ Superfriend |
Matthew Pavletich | Project Tahiti Via CoNZealand |
PRK | People Superstar! |
Robin Johnson | Past Worldcon Guest of Honour |
Rose Mitchell | Kaffeeklatsches Are Me |
Simon Litten | I Was A Retro Hugo Acceptor |
Spike | Quiet Please, I Am Analyzing Stuff |
Teddy Harvia | I Found A Site Selection Ballot |
Tom Becker | O’Bleak! |
Tori | Creators Alley Next Year |
Chris Garcia | [Chair] ‘s Friend * |
* Sticker only, given to James Bacon to add to a spare Chair ribbon and then to be forwarded to Chris.
At the time, expecting to see people at CoNZealand, I made this offer:
If you would like to be added to the project please contact me at [email protected]. Feel free to nominate the original Dublin ribbon (if known, and still available) and the final modified text you would like. Otherwise the choice of ribbon and modification will be up to me. As long as ribbons (67) are still available, I’m happy to post them out or prepare them for delivery at CoNZealand at which time I will declare the project closed (last-minute modification and issue at the con may be possible). An extra distribution table could be published later next year.

Speeding ahead to August 2023, of course that 2020 and CoNZealand interaction never happened. So I’d like to conclude the project by the finish of Glasgow 2024 next year. In the meantime if you contact me about receiving a modified ribbon, maybe you recall a Dublin 2019 one in particular you’d like modified, and supply the details, if it is one of the 67 still available I can do that using the white stickers, nail scissors and a pen which did the work the first time around. (Please see the photo above for one example, and others appended to the end of this article.) Snail mail should be able to deliver a modified ribbon in packaging as a standard airmail letter. Best contact is probably via email [email protected].
Next year I’ll take the last ribbons to Glasgow, and the essential scissors and stickers, and set about finalising the project, by request if people catch up with me, and again at my whim. I’ll record details to prepare a sequel to the table above which might also appear in File 770 next year.
Here’s some more photos from 2019, modified ribbons prepared in my hotel room, ready for distribution. [Click for larger image.]

