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FWA 2016 Con Report
9 years ago
So this was my first con in almost 3 years. I'm significantly older and wiser than I was all those years ago, and possibly a little more bitter and harder to impress.
That being said, I think this was the first con in a while where I consistently had a good time the entire weekend. There wasn't any kind of drama or numbskullery, the hotel staff was wonderful and receptive to our presence, and we managed to get along with a schoolteachers convention happening that same weekend a few doors away.
Were there issues? Of course! It's a con, there's always issues. But it was nice to not have the standard 3 AM fire alarm party or hear there was a block of rooms or a hallway that had sustained substantial damage. Everyone there seemed to keep their heads about them, and any disturbances were kept to a minimum.
I do think, however, part of that was how spread out the convention was. There was no "common area" or singular expanse for people to congregate and mingle. There was a maze of hallways, escalators, and back doors that spanned the four floors of the space, which made it decidedly difficult to find someone and something to do. I understand the choice to host the con at the Marriott Marquis because of the amount of space, but it almost feels like FWA is too big for the other hotels while being a little too small for this one.
During the closing ceremonies, and hopefully in the few weeks and months to come, we brought up the subject of "ghosting", that is, individuals who were there enjoying the festivities without registering. Ghosting takes money out of the pockets of not only the convention (to the tune of $171,000), but the charity we're benefiting ($3600). When we have a 23% growth in hotel room bookings, but only a roughly 5% growth in attendee registration, we need to take stock. The con pays to rent the convention space out, book the room block, as well as pay fees and comps for people like the Guest of Honor. Registration is the main (and for some cons, sole) source of the income necessary to keep the con alive, and by refusing to register while taking advantage of the benefits the con provides, you're not only robbing the organizers and the charity, but the people who come after you of the experiences and fun times you had. This needs to be a two sided conversation, but for your part, please encourage your friends and peers to give back to the community that gives them so much. Please register. It really does make that much of a difference.
I mostly use cons as an opportunity to hang out with people I don't see but once or twice a year, and as a vendor fair. And in that respect, it was a massive success. I saw a lot of the Chicago crew, some old friends from Atlanta and even made a few new friends over the course of the weekend. We had some fun and pretty chill parties upstairs, and it kept me fully entertained without wearing me out completely. I commissioned some art and bought some more from the Dealer's Den, got a few other trinkets here and there, and met a few new artists along the way.
All in all, it was a hell of a show. Great job to the staff, volunteers and attendees for making this year a great one. I'm hopeful for the future of FWA and am excited for next years festivities. See you degenerates in 2016!
That being said, I think this was the first con in a while where I consistently had a good time the entire weekend. There wasn't any kind of drama or numbskullery, the hotel staff was wonderful and receptive to our presence, and we managed to get along with a schoolteachers convention happening that same weekend a few doors away.
Were there issues? Of course! It's a con, there's always issues. But it was nice to not have the standard 3 AM fire alarm party or hear there was a block of rooms or a hallway that had sustained substantial damage. Everyone there seemed to keep their heads about them, and any disturbances were kept to a minimum.
I do think, however, part of that was how spread out the convention was. There was no "common area" or singular expanse for people to congregate and mingle. There was a maze of hallways, escalators, and back doors that spanned the four floors of the space, which made it decidedly difficult to find someone and something to do. I understand the choice to host the con at the Marriott Marquis because of the amount of space, but it almost feels like FWA is too big for the other hotels while being a little too small for this one.
During the closing ceremonies, and hopefully in the few weeks and months to come, we brought up the subject of "ghosting", that is, individuals who were there enjoying the festivities without registering. Ghosting takes money out of the pockets of not only the convention (to the tune of $171,000), but the charity we're benefiting ($3600). When we have a 23% growth in hotel room bookings, but only a roughly 5% growth in attendee registration, we need to take stock. The con pays to rent the convention space out, book the room block, as well as pay fees and comps for people like the Guest of Honor. Registration is the main (and for some cons, sole) source of the income necessary to keep the con alive, and by refusing to register while taking advantage of the benefits the con provides, you're not only robbing the organizers and the charity, but the people who come after you of the experiences and fun times you had. This needs to be a two sided conversation, but for your part, please encourage your friends and peers to give back to the community that gives them so much. Please register. It really does make that much of a difference.
I mostly use cons as an opportunity to hang out with people I don't see but once or twice a year, and as a vendor fair. And in that respect, it was a massive success. I saw a lot of the Chicago crew, some old friends from Atlanta and even made a few new friends over the course of the weekend. We had some fun and pretty chill parties upstairs, and it kept me fully entertained without wearing me out completely. I commissioned some art and bought some more from the Dealer's Den, got a few other trinkets here and there, and met a few new artists along the way.
All in all, it was a hell of a show. Great job to the staff, volunteers and attendees for making this year a great one. I'm hopeful for the future of FWA and am excited for next years festivities. See you degenerates in 2016!
