Icon (Iowa science fiction convention)

Annual science fiction convention in Iowa

This article is about the convention in Iowa. For other uses, see ICON (science fiction convention).

ICON

Status| Active
Genre| Science fiction
Location(s)| Iowa City, Iowa
Country| United States
Inaugurated| 1975
Attendance| 400-500
Organized by| The Mindbridge Foundation
Website| Iowa ICON home page

ICON is an annual science fiction convention held in the Cedar Rapids/ Iowa City area of Iowa since 1975, usually in late October or early November, under the auspices of the Mindbridge Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation also responsible for AnimeIowa and Gamicon.[1] The organization was a branching off of the Science Fiction League of Iowa Students, which was founded by author Joe Haldeman.[2] It is the oldest and largest science fiction convention in Iowa.[3][4][5]

## History

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1 \- 1975 October 31-November 2 -SkinnyCon \- Iowa City, Iowa

* Roger Zelazny \- author guest of honor
* Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre \- guest of honor

2 \- 1976 November 5–7 -Destructocon \- Coralville, Iowa

* Frank Herbert \- author guest of honor
* Mike Glicksohn \- guest of honor

3 \- 1977 October 28–30 - - Coralville, Iowa

* Joe Haldeman \- author guest of honor and ICON founder
* Gay Haldeman \- guest of honor

4 \- 1979 November 9–11 -DisasterCon \- Coralville, Iowa

* Gene Wolfe \- author guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- guest of honor
* Moebius Theatre - guest of honor

5 \- 1980 November 7–9 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Gordon R. Dickson \- author guest of honor
* Bob and Anne Passavoy - guest of honor

6 \- 1981 October 30-November 1 -first appearance of Trans Iowa Canal Company \- Coralville, Iowa

* Phyllis Eisenstein \- author guest of honor
* Dave Martin - guest of honor

7 \- 1982 November 5–7 - - Coralville, Iowa

* Poul Anderson \- author guest of honor
* Gregory Frost \- author guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- guest of honor
* Mark Moore - guest of honor

8 \- 1983 October 21–23 -L-Con \- Coralville, Iowa

* C. J. Cherryh \- author guest of honor
* Rob Chilson \- author guest of honor

9 \- 1984 October 26–28 - - Coralville, Iowa

* Dean Ing \- author guest of honor
* Robin Bailey \- author guest of honor
* Bob Tucker \- guest of honor

10 \- 1985 October 25–27 -SFLIS Family Reunion \- Coralville, Iowa

* George R. R. Martin \- author guest of honor
* Joe Haldeman \- author guest of honor

11 \- 1986 October 24–26 -Habittrail Con \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Robert Asprin \- author guest of honor
* Phil Foglio \- artist guest of honor

12 \- 1987 October 16–18 -Money-Grubbing Capitalist Con \- Coralville, Iowa

* Glen Cook \- author guest of honor
* Dick Spelman - guest of honor

13 \- 1989 January 20–22 -Beauty and the Beast Con-within-a-Con \- Coralville, Iowa

* Joel Rosenberg \- author guest of honor
* Algis Budrys \- author guest of honor
* Mickey Zucker Reichert \- author guest of honor
* Darlene Coltrain - guest of honor
* Roy Dotrice \- media guest of honor

14 \- 1989 October 13–15 - - Coralville, Iowa

* Frederik Pohl \- author guest of honor
* P. D. Breeding-Black - artist guest of honor
* Lucy Synk - artist guest of honor
* Elizabeth Anne Hull \- guest of honor

15 \- 1990 September 28–30 - - Coralville, Iowa

* Philip José Farmer \- author guest of honor
* Erin McKee - artist guest of honor

16 \- 1991 October 12–14 -GinCon aka BlondeCon \- Coralville, Iowa

* Steven Brust \- author guest of honor
* Bob and Nonie Quinlan - fan guests of honor

17 \- 1992 October 7–9 -Escape the Mundane CruiseCon, StressCon \- Coralville, Iowa

* Mercedes Lackey \- author guest of honor
* Larry Dixon \- artist guest of honor
* Rex Bryant - fan guest of honor

18 \- 1993 October 8–10 -Pirats of Phenzance, BarneyCon \- Coralville, Iowa

* Suzette Haden Elgin \- author guest of honor
* Jody Lee \- artist guest of honor
* Nancy and Martin McClure - fan guest of honor

19 \- 1994 October 14–16 -One Last Teen Fling \- Coralville, Iowa

* Gregory Frost \- author guest of honor
* Robert Daniels Jr. - artist guest of honor
* Joe Haldeman \- guest of honor

20 \- 1995 October 6–8 -ICON Goes Platinum \- Coralville, Iowa

* Steven Barnes \- author guest of honor
* Phil Hester \- author/artist guest of honor
* Myrna Logan - fan guest of honor

21 \- 1996 October 11–13 -ICON Comes of Age \- Coralville, Iowa

* Emma Bull \- author guest of honor
* Will Shetterly \- author guest of honor
* Tadao Tomomatsu \- fan guest of honor

22 \- 1997 October 10–12 -Catch 22 \- Coralville, Iowa

* John M. Ford \- author guest of honor
* Kaja Foglio \- artist guest of honor
* William "Bear" Reed - fan guest of honor

23 \- 1998 October 16–18 -"Working Today For A Better Tomorrow, Fnord" \- Coralville, Iowa

* Charles de Lint \- author guest of honor
* Forrest Ackerman \- author guest of honor
* Ed Heil - artist guest of honor

24 \- 1999 October 29–31 -efiL fO gninaeM ehT, The Return of HabitrailCon, Seat of Our Pants Con \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Peter Beagle \- author guest of honor
* Bill Johnson \- guest of honor
* Charles Piehl - guest of honor
* Tyler Walpole - artist guest of honor

25 \- 2000 October 13–15 -Prodigal Son \- Coralville, Iowa

* Harry Turtledove \- author guest of honor
* "Orange Mike" Lowrey - fan guest of honor

26 \- 2001 October 12–14 -Hey, nice hotel! \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* L. E. Modesitt, Jr. \- author guest of honor
* Denise Garner - artist guest of honor
* Dennis Lynch - fan guest of honor

27 \- 2002 October 18–20 -Carrot Juice \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Jennifer Roberson \- author guest of honor
* John Garner - artist guest of honor
* Les & Jeannette Roth - fan guests of honor

28 \- 2003 October 10–12 -Cheesy Poofs \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* David Drake \- author guest of honor
* Lee Seed - artist guest of honor
* Gregg Parmentier - fan guest of honor

29 \- 2004 October 8–10 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Joe Haldeman \- author guest of honor
* Beth Hansen - artist guest of honor
* Gay Haldeman \- guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- toastmaster

30 \- 2005 October 28–30 - - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Sarah Zettel \- author guest of honor
* Jael \- artist guest of honor
* Arlene Martel \- media guest of honor

31 \- 2006 October 13–15 -Gallium: The Other Soft Metal \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* C. S. Friedman \- author guest of honor
* Larry Price - artist guest of honor

32 \- 2007 November 2–4 -Rise of the Phoenix \- Coralville, Iowa

* Jack McDevitt \- author guest of honor
* Ralph J. Ryan - artist guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- toastmaster

33 \- 2008 October 31-November 2 -Horror/Halloween \- Coralville, Iowa

* Tanya Huff \- author guest of honor
* Alan M. Clark \- artist guest of honor
* Richard Klemensen - guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- toastmaster

34 \- 2009 October 23–25 -Adventures in the Secret Kingdom of Fandom \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Jim C. Hines \- author guest of honor
* Heather Bruton - artist guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- toastmaster

35 \- 2010 November 5–7 -A Steam-Powered Convention of the Future \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Cory Doctorow \- author guest of honor
* Daniel Dociu \- artist guest of honor
* Susan Leabhart - guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin \- toastmaster

36 \- 2011 October 28–30 -Genre Fusion: When Worlds Collide \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Jane Yolen \- author guest of honor
* Steve Thomas - artist guest of honor
* Rusty Hevelin (in absentia), Denny Lynch - toastmaster

37 \- 2012 November 2–4 -The Convention at the End of the Universe \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Steven Erikson \- author guest of honor
* Mike Cole - artist guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- co-toastmaster and author
* Dennis Lynch - co-toastmaster

38 \- 2013 November 15–17 -Recalling 1013 - The Year When Nothing Happened \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Nancy Kress \- author guest of honor
* Ellen Datlow \- editor guest of honor
* Jack Skillingstead \- writer guest of honor
* Joe Haldeman \- author/artist guest of honor and ICON founder
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and Mommy of ICON guest of honor
* Gregory Frost \- author and Co-Founder of ICON
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Steven Keith Tait - fan guest of honor

39 \- 2014 October 31 - November 2 -League of Extraordinary Gentlefen \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Elizabeth Bear \- author guest of honor
* Scott Lynch \- editor guest of honor
* Lar deSouza \- artist guest of honor
* Megan Lara - artist guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author

40 \- 2015 October 16–18 -Con of Futures Past \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* David Gerrold \- author guest of honor
* Sarah Clemens - artist guest of honor
* Ann Leckie \- author guest of honor
* Kalli McCandless - fan guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Joe Haldeman \- author and ICON founder
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and Mommy of ICON

41 \- 2016 October 28–30 -Back to the ICON \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Seanan McGuire \- author guest of honor
* Arden Ellen Nixon - artist guest of honor
* Laura J. Mixon \- special guest of honor
* Steven Gould \- special guest of honor
* Inger Myers - fan guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author

42 \- 2017 September 29 - October 1, 2017 - Hitchhikers Guide to ICON42 \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Wesley Chu \- author guest of honor
* H. Russ Brown - artist guest of honor
* Sheril Harper - fan guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Joe Haldeman \- author and ICON founder
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and Mommy of ICON

43 \- 2018 October 5–7, 2018 - Eruption! \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Mike Mullin - author guest of honor
* Daniel Mohr - artist guest of honor
* Mike Miller - fan guest of honor
* Wolfie B. Bad - actor guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Joe Haldeman \- author and ICON founder
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and Mommy of ICON

44 \- 2019 November 1–3, 2019 - Unpacking Non-Binary Reality \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Pat Murphy \- author guest of honor
* Shawn Palek - Artist guest of honor
* Misty Palek - Artist guest of honor
* Kat Pepmiller - costumer/cosplay artist guest of honor
* Mystie Hollaman - fan guest of honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author

45 \- 2020 October 9–10, 2020 - V-ICON: The Year ICON Went Virtual \- Online only

* Joe Haldeman \- author and founder of ICON
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and founder of ICON
* Catrina Taylor - author
* Alex Penland - author
* Erin Casey - author
* Tambo Jones - author
* Beth Hudson - author

46 \- 2021 October 15–17, 2021 - Seeking Further Horizons \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Eric Flint \- Author Guest of Honor
* Jeff Lee Johnson - Artist Guest of Honor
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Joe Haldeman \- author and founder of ICON
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and founder of ICON
* Beth Hudson - fan guest of honor
* Cheshire Moon - Music guest of honor

47 \- 2022 October 14–16, 2022 - The Prime Universe - Celebrating How Alternate Universes Intersect With Ours \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Nicholas Meyer, author
* Mitch Bentley, artist
* Steve & Jenny Todd, fans
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author

48 \- 2023 October 13-15 - We only work in outer space! \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Lynne M. Thomas
* Michael Damian Thomas
* Chelsea Eldeen
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author
* Joe Haldeman \- author and founder of ICON
* Gay Haldeman \- editor and founder of ICON

49 \- 2024 October 18-20 - New Horizons \- Cedar Rapids, Iowa

* Megan Mackie \- author
* Clara Meath - artist
* Zach Howard - artist
* Jim C. Hines \- Toastmaster and author

49.5 \- 2025 October 10-11 - The Half Season \- Iowa City, Iowa, one day and planning for 50 in 2026

* Darby Harn
* Gay Haldeman
* Joe Haldeman

50 \- Fall 2026, exact dates TBD

## References

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1. ^ "Projects – Mindbridge Foundation". Mindbridge Foundation. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
2. ^ "Michael Swanwick Online: Profile of Gregory Frost". Archived from the original on 2014-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
3. ^ "Science fiction fans plan convention: Novelists, fans to mingle in Coralville" Cedar Rapids Gazette October 6, 1996; p. 30
4. ^ "ICON, one of the nation's oldest, longest-running science fiction conferences is Friday to Sunday at the Clarion Hotel, 525 33rd Ave. S.W. in Cedar Rapids." Iowa City Press-Citizen October 7, 2004; p. D12
5. ^ Scattarelli, Justine (November 5, 2010). "Cedar Rapids hosts Iowa's largest science fiction and fantasy convention". Eastern Iowa Life. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011.

## External links

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* Iowa ICON home page