PRESS RELEASE #1 -
World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Glasgow in 2005
INTERACTION, THE 63rd WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION
379 Myrtle Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S2 3HQ, UK, or
PO Box 58009, Louisville, Kentucky KY 40268-0009, USA
http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/
For immediate release: Sunday 1 September 2002
World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Glasgow in 2005
A UK-led team has successfully bid to host the World Science Fiction
Convention ("Worldcon"), the premier international science fiction event.
Members of the current Worldcon, (in this case
ConJosé, held in San José,
California this weekend,) select the site of the Worldcon 3 years away by
democratic vote. The Glasgow bid received around 90% of the votes cast.
Interaction, the 2005 Worldcon will be held at the Scottish Exhibition and
Conference Centre in Glasgow over the weekend of 4-8 August 2005, along with
many local hotels. Around 5,000 members are expected to attend the event,
around 3,000 of them from overseas. Guests of honour will be award-winning
authors Christopher Priest, Robert Sheckley and Jane Yolen, critic and fanzine
editor Greg Pickersgill and veteran Scandinavian fan Lars-Olov Strandberg.
Over 300 other professionals (writers, editors, publishers, artists and
critics) are expected to attend, and the convention will feature over 600 hours
of programme activity across more than 15 parallel streams.
The World Science Fiction Convention first took place in New York in 1939
and has been held every year since then, apart from a brief break during the
Second World War. More often than not it is held in the U.S., but there have
been several in Europe and Australia, and there is a Japanese bid for 2007. The
Worldcon was last held in Glasgow in 1995. Typically the Worldcon attracts
around 5,000 - 6,000 attendees from around the world. The focus is primarily on
SF literature.
In addition to book signings by authors, the programme will include panel
discussions, games, film and video showings, an exhibition of SF art both
amateur and professional, and a sales room in which specialist dealers sell SF
books and other related merchandise. The Hugo Awards, selected by vote of the
convention members, will be presented on the Saturday evening.
Numerous other events will take place throughout the weekend at the
convention, which is the principal annual gathering of international SF fandom.
Food and drink will be available throughout the site for the weekend, and real
ale is available on tap. Local restaurants and other businesses can expect a
busy weekend too. The Glasgow Bid has been strongly supported by the City of
Glasgow authorities throughout the three year long bidding process.
Membership for the weekend costs £75 or $115 until Easter 2003: write to
Interaction at
UK: 379 Myrtle Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S2 3HQ
USA: PO Box 58009, Louisville, Kentucky 40268-0009
email info@interaction.worldcon.org.uk
or see our website at
http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/
for further details.
ENDS
Contacts
General: info@interaction.worldcon.org.uk
Press/Media: Paul Treadaway - press@interaction.worldcon.org.uk
The 2005 World Science Fiction Convention, known as Interaction, will take
place in Glasgow, UK from 4-8 August 2005. More information about Interaction,
including current membership rates, is available from its web site
(http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/) or by writing to
info@interaction.worldcon.org.uk.
Specific press contacts, or requests to be removed from the Interaction press
release mailing list should be directed to press@interaction.worldcon.org.uk.
"WSFS", "Worldcon", "World Science Fiction Convention" and "Hugo Award" are
registered service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an
unincorporated literary society.
Release Date 1st September 2002
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