Fingers Crossed

[kevin_standlee]

I'm hoping to have some good news to report about Westercon in a few days. I can't say more, however, pending confirmation from the people responsible for it.

Comments

[petrea_mitchell]

Huzzah!

[arlesstra]

If so for promotional purposes--a reminder that this year OryCon will be October 18-20th and for 2025 October 17-19th both at the DoubleTree by Hilton Portland (1000 NE Multnomah Portland, OR 97232).

[kevin_standlee]

So are you saying that OryCon might be interested in hosting a Westercon in 2025 or 2026?

The 2024 Westercon is already scheduled for Independence Day weekend, and nobody has expressed a desire to host the 2025 Westercon on dates other that that weekend.

[arlesstra]

You mentioned possible good Westercon news. As that might have been alluding to post-2024 bids I thought the OryCon dates (as it was elbowed out of its usual November ones) might be useful for planning purposes--fan tables etc.

I do not speak for OSFCI in any way. [And much as I have had a dream slate of Westercon GOHs* for sometime, at this point it would take some form of time travel/alt history for me to chair one.]

*Names available on request since they're past due GOH recognition.

[kevin_standlee]

Oh, I get it. No, the short-term good news will be about Westercon 76 Utah. Regarding the following year (and the one after that), I'm still waiting for people to consider the plans they're making.

Maybe I'm imagining things, but it seems like people's planning horizons keep shortening. I'm used to having to think on the order of a decade ahead for Worldcons, and at least maybe three years for Westercon, but it's feeling to me like people think that planning even one year in advance is impossible these days.

[arlesstra]

Covid and the current state of the US/world has not been good for long-term planning aside from those of us who are taking our health and age into consideration.

[And the person that I know who is thinking about next year's OryCon raised the cogent point that with the Seattle Worldcon 2 months earlier the number of out-of-area SMOFs and/or program participants that a relatively nearby Westercon might attract would be much more limited.]