Here are the answers to some of our frequently asked questions!

What is Westercon?

Westercon is an annual sci-fi focused convention that travels around the western part of the US. It was started by the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society in 1948 as a west coast alternative to the east coast based conventions of the time. In 1951, the convention began the tradition of moving cities each year. (See Westercon History for more information.) The convention is traditionally held over 4th of July weekend.

What do you mean, “we won the bid”?

Groups of people bid for the right to host Westercon in their city two years after the vote. Our Denver group formed in mid-2014 and decided to try to host Westercon in Denver in 2018. People at the 2016 convention voted and we won! So over July 4th – 8th, 2018, we are putting on Westercon 71.

Westercon 71? Have there really been that many?

There have! It’s been held annually since 1948! Check out the complete list here: westercon.org/organization/history.

Memberships?

The philosophy of Westercon is that audiences buy tickets to shows, like theater performances or pop culture conventions where the content is created and provided, with little interaction between the event and the attendees. People who come to Westercon, in contrast, are members of a community where everyone participates. One longtime attendee put it this way: it’s a potluck and everyone brings something, but we don’t have a barn big enough for all of us, so we all pitch in and some folks coordinate getting the barn space for everyone.

Will there be a MALCon in 2018?

We will co-host MALCon and Westercon in July. There’s a lot of overlap in programming, especially literary panels, so it will be a great fit. Additionally, there are some great Westercon traditions (like the Ice Cream Social and the Regency Dance) and MALCon traditions (like Tea Dueling and Blanket Forts) that we will get to share with everyone! Westercon and MALCon both also share the feeling of a small community, where you can get to know your fellow attendees. We are looking forward to keeping that feeling of community going, and sharing it between the Westercon and MALCon communities.

Will other local Denver conventions be involved?

Yes! We have a lot of connections and cooperation among many of the conventions in Denver, and we are excited to take the opportunity at Westercon 71 to spotlight some of the cool things you can find at some of our other local events.