What the heck is it, anyway?

Necon is a small annual convention that draws authors and editors, artists and fans from around the country and is widely regarded as the best convention around (in fact, many of the authors who attend go to no other cons but this one!). Past guests include such luminaries as Neil Gaiman, Charles Grant, Craig Shaw Gardner, Alan Ryan, Les Daniels, Nancy Holder, John Coyne, Doug Winter, Steven Spruill, Tom Monteleone, Joe Lansdale, Ginjer Buchanan and Yvonne Navarro. The art show annually draws the top artists from around the country, such as Bernie Wrightson, Cortney Skinner, Pat Morrissey, Matt Costello, Jill Bauman, Bob Eggleton, Alan Clark, and many more. The dealers' room boasts items ranging from $.25 paperbacks to expensive first editions.

But why Necon, you ask? What makes it so darned special? Well, it's not only the world renowned attendees that make it so popular, it's the family-like atmosphere. Necon events include the one-of-a-kinders listed below, plus whatever nifty tours to local areas of strangeness we can arrange.

Here's a few reasons to attend:

Cost of the weekend always includes room and board. This means a place to plop your weary body for the weekend, a weenie roast on Thursday night, donuts on Friday morning, all meals (that three-square a day thing) afterward, ending with the farewell picnic at lunchtime on Sunday. So your registration fee covers almost everything -- no hotel charges, no bloated Visa bills from trying to feed your face all weekend! You get lots of choices at every meal, and the newly constructed suite-style dorms are gorgeous.

Membership is limited to 200 and the atmosphere is informal, which gives you a chance to actually chat with some of the pros who attend year after year. Everyone feels at home here. And God knows, people act like it. But we're not telling. Nuh-uh. No way.

The Necon Program Book (occasionally known to be famous), which includes up close and personal bios, stories and art by the GOHs, and the infamous Necon one-liners. Every word is true. We swear it. By the way, people with, uh, informed "facts" are welcome to contribute the low-down on their chums.

The Friday night Meet The Authors signing.

Weird and twisted movies in the Student Union both Friday and Saturday nights.

Most years you'll get a chance to attend another fine Necon tradition: That Damned Game Show!, usurped only occasionally by the stunning Necon Talent Show. Now c'mon, do you think you get this kind of stuff at World Fantasy?!

The newly created Necon Olympics. General info on those can be found on the Campers 2000 page.

Panels, GOH readings and interviews, regularly scheduled food cooked for you, the yearly softball game, and ohmigod the all-night parties that go on! And on! And on some more!

The fabled Necon Roast, where some poor schmuck... er, person is chosen and, shall we say, lavished with loving attention. 1998's victim was comic book icon Steve Bissette.

And that final great occasion: The Sunday BBQ, held outside (weather permitting) amid what basically amounts to farewells that last about two hours.

The people -- everyone is always friendly, always approachable, and always a world of fun!

Memberships go fast and attendance is limited to 200. There aren't a whole bunch of rules other than we are not a costume convention, and no children under 12 are admitted (we've found they make quite tasty little snacks).

A couple of things we must bring up, though, because of some crankiness by our college host: We traditionally host the Meet The Authors party and the start of the Saturday night festivities (after midnight we move outside to the quad area by the dorms) in the lower level of the Student Union, which has has its own bar. We absolutely must not, can not, or we will have our fingers chopped off if we bring outside beverages into the student union during these parties. The college is ADAMANT about this, so please-- don't do it! What's the big deal? Well, remember the Army? And boot camp? If you bring in a beer and get caught, then we all have to drop and do the big 100 push-ups -- they WILL close the bar for the ENTIRE weekend. Believe it, because it darned near happened in 1998. And while we're at it, the same goes for bringing alcoholic beverages into the Auditorium where we hold ours panels, interviews, game shows and what not. No No No! We'd hate to have to interview our GOHs outside in the heat, so don't do it! But don't despair: You can indulge outside the Student Union anytime, and we promise you, there will be plenty of opportunities to do so. After all, the parties are one of the things that have made us famous.

What-- you're still not convinced? Then be sure to go back to the main page and check out the visuals from previous years. Here's where we can make all this claims to fame.

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