Capricon

US science fiction convention

Not to be confused with Capricorn.

Capricon

Status| Active
Genre| Science Fiction
Location(s)| Chicago area
Country| United States
Inaugurated| 1981
Organized by| Phandemonium, Inc
Filing status| Not For Profit
Website| http://www.capricon.org/

Capricon is a science fiction convention held annually in the Chicago area. It is sponsored by Phandemonium and has been held each year since 1981.

This article provides a listing of all Capricons, detailing their dates, locations, chairpersons, guests and (starting in 1999) the themes of each convention.

Except where indicated otherwise, all information is taken from the "History of Capricon" page at Capricon's web site.[1]

Event  | Date  | Location  | Convention chair  | Theme  | Guests

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Capricon 1  | February 20–22, 1981[2] | Holiday Inn, Evanston, Illinois | Chip Bestler  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Carr/Wilson Tucker[2][3]
Fen Guests of Honor: J.R. & Mary Jane Holmes[2]
Capricon 2  | February 1982  | Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois | Leah Bestler  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Gene Wolfe
Fan Guest of Honor: Mike Stein
Capricon 3  | February 1983  | Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois  | Virginia Meisinger  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Stephen R. Donaldson
Fan Guest of Honor: Otlie & Phil Foglio[4]
Capricon 4  | February 1984  | Continental Hotel, Chicago, Illinois  | Marty Coady Fabish  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Paul O. Williams
Fan Guest of Honor: Jeff Duntemann
Capricon 5  | February 1985  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois | Ginny Meisinger  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Frederik Pohl
Artist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. Coltrain
Capricon 6  | February 28 - March 2, 1986  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois  | Ginny Meisinger  |  | Author Guest of Honor: David R. Palmer
Fan Guest of Honor: Tim Allen
Capricon 7  | February 1987  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois  | No chair  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Jerry Oltion
Artist Guest of Honor: Stephen Hickman
Fan Guest of Honor: Joan Hanke-Woods
Capricon 8  | February 1988  | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois | Alice Bentley  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Lawrence Watt-Evans
Artist Guest of Honor: Kay Reynolds
Fan Guest of Honor: Kathleen Meyer
Capricon 9  | February 1989  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois  | Alice Bentley  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Howard Waldrop
Fan Guest of Honor: Ken Fletcher
Capricon 10  | February 1990  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois  | Amy Schaefer  |  | Author Guest of Honor: P.C. Hodgell
Artist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton
Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Higgins
Capricon 11  | February 21–24, 1991  | Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois  | Alice Bentley  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Ellen Kushner
Editor Guest of Honor: Beth Meacham
Fan Guest of Honor: Becky Thomson
Capricon 12  | February 20–23, 1992  | Lincolnshire Resort, Lincolnshire, Illinois | Amy Schaefer  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Bisson
Special Guests of Honor: Kim Stanley Robinson & Paul Park
Fan Guest of Honor: Steve Scherer
Capricon 13  | February 18–21, 1993  | Pheasant Run, St. Charles, Illinois | Amy Schaefer  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Terry Pratchett
Artist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. Coltrain
Fan Guest of Honor: George Laskowski
Capricon 14  | February 1994  | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois | Karen Babich  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Connie Willis
Artist Guest of Honor: Mary Lynn Skirvin
Fan Guest of Honor: David Dyer-Bennet
Capricon 15  | February 16–19, 1995  | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois  | Kathy Nerat  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Nancy Kress
Fan Guest of Honor: Sue Blom
Capricon 16  | February 8–11, 1996  | Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois  | Doug Winkler  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Sean Stewart
Artist Guest of Honor: Scott Gustafson
Media Guest of Honor: Michael Stein
Capricon 17  | February 20–23, 1997  | Oak Brook Hilton, Oak Brook, Illinois | Doug Winkler  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Robert J. Sawyer[5]
Capricon 18  | February 5–8, 1998  | Holiday Inn O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois | Dina Krause  |  | Author Guest of Honor: Josepha Sherman
Editor Guest of Honor: Steve Hockensmith
Capricon 19  | February 11–14, 1999  | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Dave McCarty and Tracy Lunquist  | Villains  | Pro Guest of Honor: David Weber
Artist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton
Fan Guest of Honor: Phoenix
Capricon 20  | January 27–30, 2000  | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Dave McCarty  | Armageddon  | Pro Guest of Honor: Larry Niven
Science Guest of Honor: Chris Luchini
Fan Guest of Honor: Joseph "Uncle Vlad" Stockman
Capricon 21  | February 8–11, 2001  | Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Tracy Lunquist  | Tellurian Exposition  | Pro Guest of Honor: Allen Steele
Fan Guest of Honor: Geri Sullivan
Capricon 22  | February 7–10, 2002  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Deb Kosiba  | Fun & Games  | Fun Guest of Honor: Dr. Demento
Game Guest of Honor: James Ernest
Artist Guest of Honor: Kaja Foglio
Fan Guest of Honor: David Abzug
Capricon 23  | February 6–9, 2003  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Cary Williams & Marnie Gucciard  | Gods & Monsters  | Author Guest of Honor: Tim Powers
Artist Guest of Honor: Amy K. Brown
Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Roper
Capricon 24  | January 29-February 1, 2004  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Dave McCarty  | Sensawondah  | Author Guests of Honor: Spider and Jeanne Robinson
Artist Guest of Honor: Kimberly Reck
NASA Guest of Honor: Bryan Palaszewski
Capricon 25  | February 10–14, 2005  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Deb Kosiba  | Mad Scientists  | Author Guest of Honor: James P. Hogan
Artist Guest of Honor: Shaenon K. Garrity
Fan Guest of Honor: John Morse
Capricon 26  | February 9–13, 2006  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Greg (Guido) Williams  | University of Fandom (UFAN)  | Visiting Guest Faculty: Peter S. Beagle, Bryan Palaszewski from NASA, Kat Eggleston, Michael Longcor, Dr. Mary Crowell, Nick Pollotta, Jody Lynn Nye, Bill Fawcett, and Phyllis Eisenstein
Capricon 27  | February 8–11, 2007  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Gretchen Roper  | A Celebration of High Fantasy  | Author Guest of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold
Artist Guest of Honor: Erin McKee
Fan Guest of Honor: Cat Faber
Other special guests: Peter S. Beagle and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA
Capricon 28  | February 14–17, 2008  | Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois  | Leane Verhulst  | Pirates  | SF Author Guest of Honor: Mike Resnick
Pirate Guests of Honor: John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Artist Guest of Honor: Don Maitz
Other special guests: Michael Longcor, Janny Wurts, Tori Baur ("Mad Sally"), Tom Smith, Bill and Brenda Sutton, and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA
Capricon 29  | February 19–22, 2009  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois | Helen Montgomery  | Camp Among the Stars  | Author: Sharon Shinn
Artist: Gary Lippincott
Fan: Christian McGuire
Filk: Barry and Sally Childs-Helton
NASA: Bryan Palaszewski
Capricon 30  | February 11–14, 2010  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Helen Montgomery  | Celebration!  | Authors: Frederik Pohl, Spider and Jeanne Robinson, and Robert J. Sawyer
Artist: Lucy Synk
Fan: Alice Bentley
Capricon 31  | February 10–13, 2011  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Erik Olson  | Escape  | Author: John Scalzi
Artist: John Picacio
Fans: Stephen Boucher and Janice Gelb
Capricon 32  | February 9–12, 2012  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Sandra de Jong  | Amazing Adventures  | Author: Cory Doctorow
Media: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Artist: Les McClaine
Fan: Steven H Silver[6]
Capricon 33  | February 7–10, 2013  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Mike Cyganiewicz  | Artificial Intelligence  | Author: Daniel H. Wilson
Artist: Karen Ann Hollingsworth
Fan: Helen Montgomery
Capricon 34  | February 6–9, 2014  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Laura Dombrowski  | the 4th Dimension  | Author: S. M. Stirling
Artist: Tom Peters
Fan: Tadao Tomomatsu
Special: Jan Stirling and Sherrilyn Kenyon
Musical: Silent Nightmare
Capricon 35  | February 12–15, 2015  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | John (Shadowcat) Ickes  | R & R  | Author: Matt Forbeck
Filk: Alexander James Adams
Game: Margaret Weis
Artist: John Bivens
Podcaster: John Anealio
Podcaster: Patrick Hester

Fan: Elizabeth "Dr. Evil" Huffman

Capricon 36  | February 11–14, 2016  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Marinda Darnell  | Once Upon a Capricon...  | Author: Scott Lynch
Artist: Eric Wilkerson
Fan: Wendy Zdrodowski
Dance: Mae the Bellydancer
Puppet: Stacey Gordon
Special: Mark Oshiro
Capricon 37  | February 16–19, 2017  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Peter Heltzer  | And the Children Shall Lead  | Author: Beth Revis
Artist: Nilah Macgruder
Fan: Meg Frank
Music: Tim Griffin
Capricon 38  | February 15–18, 2018  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Terrence Miltner  | Expanding Universes  | Author: Timothy Zahn
Artist: Sarah Wilkinson
Fan: Dave McCarty
Gaming: Monica Valentinelli
Special: Matt McElroy
Capricon 39  | February 14–17, 2019  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | D'Andre Williams  | Strange Beasts Arise  | Author: Seanan McGuire
Artist: Phil Foglio
Fan: Doug Rice
Music: Carrie Dahlby

Capricon 40  | February 13–16, 2020  | Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois  | Aimee Dundon  | The Tropics of Capricon  | Author: Tobias Buckell
Artist: Trungles
Fan: Lillian Sams
Capricon 41  | February 4–7, 2021  | Virtual  | Tammy Coxen  | Creating the Future we Want  | Aliette de Bodard
Brandon O’Brien
John Jennings
Michi Trota
Dr. Cacophonie Tamayo
Capricon 42  | February 3–6, 2022  | Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, Illinois  | Tori Carnall-Hawkins  | Rockin’ In The Outer Realms  | Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Artist: Gene Ha
Gaming: Tanya DePass
Capricon 43  | February 2–5, 2023  | Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL  | Doug Killings  | AEteriny Awaits  | Author: Steven Brust
Artist: Christine Mitzuk
Fan: Moshe Yudkowsky
Capricon 44  | February 1–4, 2024  | Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL  | Sam Haney Press  | The Endurance of Stars  | Author: K. Tempest Bradford
Artist: Ariela Housman
Literary: Catherine Lundoff
Fan: Victor Jason Raymond, founder of the Carl Brandon Society

## References[edit]

1. ^ "History of Capricon". capricon.org. Phandemonium. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
2. ^ a b c "Conventions". Locus. January 1981. p. 14.
3. ^ Capricon I Program Book, p.2.: Terry Carr was unable to attend and Wilson Tucker attended in his place.
4. ^ Capricon 3 Program Book
5. ^ "Science Fiction Writer Robert J. Sawyer: Sawyer Guest of Honorships". sfwriter.com. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
6. ^ Vitale, Alyssa (December 21, 2011). "Capricon sci-fi convention to feature Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Cory Doctorow". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 28, 2012.[permanent dead link]

## External links[edit]

* Official website
* Phandemonium, Inc.