nathanrliuAug 28, 2023
Scalzi

Today is the 20th anniversary of my attending my very first science fiction convention: Torcon 3 in Toronto. Some memories of that convention, and thoughts on how the world of conventions has changed since then, are up on Whatever today:

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2023/08/28/20-years-of-science-fiction-conventions/

20 Years of Science Fiction Conventions

Because I am the sort of nerd who keeps track of these things, I will note that today marks the 20th anniversary of the first time I ever attended a science fiction convention. On August 28, 2003, …

Whatever
Aug 28, 2023 at 4:02pmWeb
Show threadCheryl MorganAug 28, 2023
@scalzi that was some introduction to conventions!
Show threadCharlie StrossAug 28, 2023
@CherylMorgan @scalzi My first convention was a Yorkon in Leeds in '83 or '84. Other folks I bumped into there: Roz Kaveney, @neilhimself , and PTerry—all of us young and incredibly obscure!
Show threadCheryl MorganAug 28, 2023
@cstross @scalzi @neilhimself I was at the ‘84 Eastercon, though I had been to several RPG conventions before then. Met Neil there.
Show threadKevin Standlee 💉x8Aug 28, 2023
@neilhimself @scalzi @cstross @CherylMorgan The 1984 Worldcon in Anaheim was my first — still the largest Worldcon by in person appearance.
Show threadCharlie StrossAug 28, 2023
@KevinStandlee @neilhimself @scalzi @CherylMorgan Glasgow in 2024 membership sales are trending to overtakes London in 2014, if not the Anaheim high water mark.
Show threadNeil GaimanAug 31, 2023
@cstross @CherylMorgan @scalzi babes in the woods...
Show threadPatrick DuffyAug 28, 2023
@scalzi I was at the WorldCon in Berkeley in '68 or '69, but not since... glad they still exist
Show threadBrian NisbetAug 28, 2023
@scalzi That's a lovely piece, thank you. My first con was long before 2003 (1990 as it happens), but my first Worldcon was only in 2005 in Glasgow, and now, soon, we're back there again!
Show threadRai Aren 🖖✨📚🇺🇦Aug 29, 2023
@scalzi 20 years, wow! Time flies!
Show threadMycotropicAug 31, 2023

@scalzi '81 or so in DC was my first, my mom drove me in and asked me how long I wanted to shop. She ended up spending six hours in the National Gallery and I ended up spending more that two hundred bucks that I'd saved up!

The first two hours were easy, the second took some convincing and the last two hiurs took promise and sworn oaths to do chores until (essentially) the end of time.