per/Simmons

BYOCon II: The Redundancy Effect

It’s almost time for the second fannish get-together in Hutchinson, Kansas. We call it “Bring Your Own Convention: or “BYOCon” and to characterize it as a “relaxacon” is to under-emphasize the designation “relax” and over-emphasize the concept of “convention.”

Charlie McCue and I cooked this up last year as an opportunity to host a little get-together for fans and friends as a bright spot in the dark winter doldrums. The weekend we chose just happened to fall on my birthday. Roger Tener threw the resources of The Dawn Patrol behind it and helped get the word out.

The concept is very simple. After years of attending panels and workshops and all manner of SF Convention programming, we’ve come to realize that we mainly attend these events to see old friends, meet new ones, and just hang-out, enjoying the company of like-minded people (or even those with differing points of view who we find stimulating). Unfortunately, we end up paying for a weekend of activities that we tend to blow off (been to that panel umpteen times/done the rubber chicken banquet…) just so we can hang in the lobby, the hotel bar, caravan to a local eatery in order to spend unstructured quality time with people we would not ordinarily see for another year if ever.

So we said: we’re getting together on this particular weekend. We’re calling it BYOCon and there’s no registration, fees, or badges. Well, we’ll provide the cheepo, “Hello, my name is” peel-and-stick kind for easing the newbies in. But your only costs are transportation, food, and lodging (see my website for details). And any free-will contribution you may or may not wish to make to the “consuite.”

Even though I was as sick as dog when the weekend rolled around, I think everyone had a good time and so we’re doing it again. Just not on my birthday this time. It’s March 5-7 this year and—I don’t know about Charlie—but I’m working that day so I’ll be there between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m.

We have a suite. That’s it. Last year it served as the consuite, programming room, film room, filk space, and dealers room. It was on the second floor of the Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center last year. This year it is on the first floor: a vast improvement as it opens out onto the Atrium and there are no elevators.

The general guidelines are the same.

Behave responsibly: don’t do anything that would get you (or anyone else) in trouble.

You want SF movies or TV episodes? Bring ‘em. And something to play ‘em on.

You got books (or stuff) to hawk? You’re responsible for ‘em.

You want to engage in some sort of organized activity? It’s up to you to organize it (and find willing participants).

As we charge no fees or dues, the consuite is not stocked with food beyond what anyone volunteers to bring or contribute. A jar for any freewill contributions will be available for helping to defray the cost of the room, ice, and any snackage that might make an appearance. We certainly wouldn’t mind any food or beverage contributions (homemade or commercial).

Bring Your Own Con is just that. The weekend is what you bring to it, what you make of it. Kick back and enjoy the company with little demand and low expectations.

Last year we had between 20 and 30 folks show up. Obviously we don’t have registration records and keeping track of fen is like herding cats so just a guesstimation. Since this year is less of an “event” and we haven’t pushed it so much, and given the state of the economy, we may just have 5 to 10 this year. Suits us just fine: we like intimate. If 50 show up, it could be dangerous. Hmmm, dangerous could be fun, too!

The point of all of this was to have an informal, weekend get-together when schedules are a little less hectic and folks might be looking for something to do (but nothing too expensive or demanding).

So, five days from now we’re gonna hang again. If you’d like to hang with us, come on down. Or up. Or over. Details (if you can call them that) at my website at: http://www.wmsimmons.com/BYOC.htm