Icon (Iowa science fiction convention)

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]

ICON
StatusActive
GenreScience fiction
Location(s)Cedar Rapids, Iowa
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1975
Attendance400-500
Organized byThe Mindbridge Foundation
WebsiteIowa ICON home page

History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

50 - Fall 2025

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.
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