Worldcon, NASFiC and Smofcon Bidder Questionnaires Released

Smofcon 35, the convention for conrunners, taking place December 1-3 in Boston, asked Worldcon, NASFiC and Smofcon bidders, and seated Worldcon committees to answer a questionnaire. The responses have been posted at Smofcon’s website under Fannish Inquisition.

There will also be a Q&A session at the con – publishing these questionnaires in advance helps keep that time from being taken up with basic information. If you want to submit a question, see the information at the end of this post.

Smofcon Bids

Worldcon Bids

Seated Worldcons

NASFiC Bids

Submitting Questions to the Fannish Inquisition

At the Fannish Inquisition, all questions will be asked by the Inquisitors. The Inquisitors welcome your questions. They will ask them (possibly edited and combined), leaving you anonymous. Before the convention, E-mail questions to [email protected]. At the convention, there will be a drop-off point in the con suite.

29 thoughts on “Worldcon, NASFiC and Smofcon Bidder Questionnaires Released

  1. On the one hand I’d welcome the Kiwis getting their shot at bat, but Boston sounds fun.
    Suspect I wouldn’t be able to afford either.

  2. I’ve got concerns with NZ’s venues. They’re very spread out. Maybe they have plans for a shuttle? Maybe there is a city shuttle already?

    I would laugh and laugh if Boston won the bid. Snicker.

  3. @ultragotha. I remember being at NZ Natcon, for their presentation and thinking “that’s awfully spread out in a very hilly city” (Oh lord did I dislike driving in Wellington). I’m conflicted about it and have been ever since that presentation.

  4. I have already been to Wellington, so will skip out on that one. But Dublin, here I come!

  5. Mm-just a few comments re Dublin (confirmed/seated) Worldcon 2019. Scheduled for Thu 15-Mon 19 Aug 2019: it is followed **one week later** (100miles/160Km away) by Eurocon 2019 (Hilton Hotel+adjoining Waterfront Conf Centre, Belfast). Since Aug 1947 (ie long before S/Trek etc) the 8/day each weekday (slightly fewer on Suns) ENTERPRISE (yes it is called that!) express train runs between Dublin Connolly Rail Stn (not far from Dublin’s CCD -Worldcon 2019 venue) and Belfast Central Rail Stn (literally across the road from Hilton/Waterfront). Eurocon 2019 (run by Titancon) 2019 is also arranging (prob on Tue or Wed after Dublin Worldcon) a coach trip to Belfast (which **may** incorporate, on the way, some Game of Thrones locations). Also in addition, tho not officially forming part of either Con, there **may** (organized by me) –be : a pre-Dublin Worldcon but on the way by rail-sea to there — a Portmeirion visit (“The Prisoner” location-N W Wales) and not far from Holyhead ferry port (for Dublin) and/or : post- Belfast Eurocon (via ferry to S W Scotland) visits to locations for “The Wicker Man” (Film: 1973). BTW there is very nice piece elsewhere here on File 770 re the DublinBelfast Enterprise train service. best wishes.

  6. @ULTRAGOTHA & @Paul Weimer: For myself, I’m skeptical I’d go to the MFC for “some panels.” I don’t have mobility issues; I’m just in horrible shape. 😉 I’d go there for the “big tent” events (hopefully at least they’d have shuttles for these items, for those who need them!), but I doubt I’d hike to the MFC much. I bet panels at the MFC would be poorly attended.

    ETA: I meant to say, if they have shuttles, I probably wouldn’t use them. I’d rather leave them for people who really need them (mobility issues, etc.).

    They do say they’re looking into shuttles and they would have scooters for rent.

    While we’ve been to the Wellington area once, a Worldcon would be a great excuse for us to finally see more of the country, the south island, etc.

  7. @ultragotha. MY DUFF trip was their late spring, its a damp, ocean-moderated climate. 50’s in temperature, I think. Wet-ish, raw. Layers are going to be definitely a thing.

  8. Mm- (in Aug 2019) re : pre-Dublin Worldcon, the likely date for a 1-day Portmeirion (Prisoner location) visit would be on Tue 17 Aug (arr that evening in Dublin ferryport from Holyhead via “The Village” and pre-that, with a very early dep by rail, on that same Tue, from London/Birmingham). That would give early arriving fen in Dublin a chance to settle in on that Tue evening and perhaps sightsee on Wed 18 Aug (the day before Worldcon 2019 officially begins) tho such early arrivals could perhaps help the Dublin team with last-minute set up; -re post-Belfast Eurocon, there would be likely to be a Dead Dogs on Mon 26 Aug, thus leaving Tue 27 for fen to Belfast sightsee (or help the Belfast team with strike-down or just recover from both Cons!). Thus any Wicker Man location visits (requiring at least two days by hired mini-coach since they are spread around S W Scotland/Dumfries +Galloway) would be Wed 28+Thu 29 Aug. Return from that would be via rail from Carlilse and London. Hence the pre-Con would start, and the post- Con would end in GB. These pre- and post-Con ideas are in very early development and –again– are NOT officially part of either Con. best.

  9. Dave Lally:

    “…post- Belfast Eurocon (via ferry to S W Scotland) visits to locations for “The Wicker Man” (Film: 1973)

    THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

  10. ULTRAGOTHA on November 29, 2017 at 10:40 am said:

    @Kendall – I wonder what the weather in Wellington is like in the middle of winter?

    Page 6 of their document details the weather.

  11. @Ultragotha, @Paul Weimer
    I was at the Fannish Inquisition in Helsinki and also found NZ’s presentation rather vague and evasive with regard to concerns about venues, accessibility and weather. They did have really nice ribbons, though.

    I also have some concerns regarding the 2023 French bid, much as I would love to see more European WorldCons. The bid is for Nice, which is on the Cote d’Azur in Southern France. And since WorldCon traditionally takes place in August, when it’s a) hot and b) prime holiday season in a popular holiday destination, the potential issues are obvious, especially since air conditioning is still less common in Europe.

    However, I’ll definitely be heading to Dublin (already have my membership) and will very likely be doing Eurocon in Belfast as well, unless this whole Brexit nonsense makes visiting the UK too difficult for EU citizens. Portmeirion certainly sounds intriguing, especially since I always wanted to see it. Wicker Man locations sound good, too. Though I’ll have to weigh that against my dislike for ferries (plus the whole Brexit issue).

  12. Of all the reasons to giggle at the Boston in 2020 bid, having Worldcon in December is actually a positive for me. I am not a hot weather person.

    And I’ll add that accessibility is becoming more a concern of mine, the more I read NZ’s information. Even for able bodied people walking 10 – 15 minutes in the raw windy damp cold to and from panels is … suboptimal.

  13. ULTRAGOTHA: Of all the reasons to giggle at the Boston in 2020 bid, having Worldcon in December is actually a positive for me.

    It would certainly be nicer to have Worldcon in NZ at that time of year. We’d be able to enjoy the beaches then, and we wouldn’t have to pack winter coats for transiting between panel venues.

  14. Mm-re the French bid (Nice: Cote d’Azur) for Worldcon 2023, I did ask the French team why oh why not the obvious location (Paris-plenty of air links) which in August (“les vacances”) is 1/2 empty (and I assume therefore hotel rates would be good)! They replied that they had looked into the French capital but found it too expensive! Now being European (and an ex ESFS/Eurocon Chair) of course I support them (+ did so re their –now– confirmed bid for Eurocon 2018/Amiens (in July and home of the Jules Verne Museum)). But re 2024 I did say their Sth of France bid might not be as attractive as one in the capital. best

  15. Dave, I don’t see anything in the WSFS Constitution (warning, .pdf) that says it has to be held in August.

    For USAians with School-age kids, I should think late July would be a better date now-a-days as school resumes after summer break earlier and earlier. I don’t know how that works in Europe but surely putting a Worldcon NOT in the heaviest tourist month would be a good thing?

  16. @Dave Lally
    Paris would have been the obvious choice for a French WorldCon bid, but it’s quite possible that the facilities really are too expensive. And Nice isn’t a bad location in general, but it’s a bad location for a con held in August.

    Coincidentally, when I talked about the French WorldCon bid with another German fan, he suggested Strassbourg as an alternative location, since it is a beautiful city, has the required convention facilities and plenty of hotels. Strassbourg only has a smaller airport, but due to its central location, it can be easily reached via Zurich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Brussels and Paris, all of which have international airports.

    Regarding the NZ bid, at the Fannish Inquisition in Helsinki even my Mom, who was only there, because I wanted to go and she didn’t want to sit around on her own somewhere, noticed that the NZ people were really vague and evasive.

    BTW, what happened to the New Orleans WorldCon bid for 2022 or 2023? They did a presentation at WorldCon 75 and really had their ducks in a row.

  17. Cora: what happened to the New Orleans WorldCon bid for 2022 or 2023?

    It looks as though it may have been abandoned. There’s been nothing posted on their Facebook group since August 25, their website is defunct, and they did not provide a document to the SMOFcon Fannish Inquisition.

  18. Mm-re the possible N/Orleans Worldcon bid I was aware that once outside any air-conditioned mall there (where any Con would itself occur) one –in eg visiting the marvellous French Old Town– would be hit not only by the August heat but also by the humidity (the City is at the base of the mighty River Mississippi). I was not –however– aware that August is mega hurricane time for that area. Perhaps some of these aspects were factors in the current N/O silence. best.

  19. Kevin Standlee: New Orleans is still bidding for 2023. They had a presentation at the Fannish Inquisition at SMOFCon 35

    Did they not provide a document as all the other bids did?

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