Minicon 50 is over. These pages remain as a historical reference. Please see the main Minicon page for information about the current Minicon.

Minicon 50

April 2nd - 5th, Easter weekend, 2015

About Minicon

Minicon is a volunteer run, general science fiction convention held every year on Easter weekend in or near Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minicon is run by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society, or MNStF. Attendees of Minicon can expect to find a full slate of programming (panel discussions, readings, signings, etc), costuming, films, gaming (open and organized), a teen lounge, an art show, dealers, kids' programming, a science room, filk and folk music, a consuite and bar, room parties, and various special events.

Please take a look around and see our progress reports for detailed information about all our departments and activities.

Guests of Honor

Jane Yolen - Author Jane Yolen has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. She is the author of more than two hundred books for children and young adults and twenty-five for adults, as well as poetry, criticism, and books on the art of writing and the genre of fantasy. She is particularly well known for the Pit Dragon series of young adult fantasy novels and her Commander Toad series for beginning readers. Read more. Larry Niven - Author Larry Niven is an American novelist who is a Robert A. Heinlein, Nebula and multiple Hugo Award winner. Much of the science fiction that Mr. Niven has written over his 50+ year career as an author has had an emphasis on hard science. Of his hundreds of published works, Mr. Niven is perhaps best known for his 1970 novel Ringworld, which won numerous awards and spawned multiple sequels and prequels as well as a tabletop role playing game. Read more. Brandon Sanderson - Author "Dreadful" — What was Brandon's own criticism of his first effort at writing a book in his teens. He had then recently discovered science fiction and fantasy novels, devouring them voraciously. His enthusiasm led him to try to create his own fantastic worlds outside his life in his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, but his imagination outran his skills and he settled for readership for a while. Read more. Tom Doherty - Publisher As the publisher of Tor (science fiction/fantasy), Forge (other great fiction and nonfiction), Orb (reprints of classics), Starscape (middle grade SFF) and Tor Teen (young adult SFF) titles, Tom Doherty has always been on the cutting edge of speculative fiction publishing. He's a genre publisher who offers eBook titles DRM-free, has created imprints for middle grade readers and young adults, and pays homage to genre classics by bringing them back into print. Read more. Michael Whelan - Artist Michael Whelan is one of the finest and most important science fiction and fantasy artists, and the only living artist inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. For over 30 years, his art has been on the covers of countless books and record albums, and his style is credited as the driving force that moved popular science fiction and fantasy art toward realism after the surrealist period of the 1950s and 1960s. Read more. Adam Stemple - Musician Long-time Minnesotan Adam Stemple is a modern Renaissance man, arguably best known to Minicon alums as a musician and author. As a musician, he has been a producer, songwriter and solo performer, along with work in well-known Minneapolis bands Cats Laughing, Boiled in Lead, and The Tim Malloys. As an author, Mr. Stemple has published novels, poems, short and mid-length fiction. Read more.

News

Programming Schedule

We have finalized and released our programming schedule for the weekend. You can find a PDF copy of it here. And here is a PDF of the pocket program.

Hotel Room Block Closed

The hotel room block for Minicon 50 has closed. You can still get a room, but you will no longer be able to get our group rate. Please check the hotel page for details on reserving a room today.

Pre-registration Closed

Pre-registration for Minicon 50 has closed. You will still be able to register at the door. See the registration page for rates and details. Our room block is still open until March 15th, so make sure to reserve your room if you haven't yet.

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