Genre Science fiction Country United States | Location(s) Bloomington, Minnesota Inaugurated 1999 | |
MarsCon is a science fiction convention held in Bloomington, Minnesota. It was first held in February 1999 with the goal of appealing to a diverse audience of fans in Minnesota and the vicinity. It is a mid-sized convention with a wide variety of events including panel discussions, guest of honor presentations, music of many kinds, art show, film room (including anime), science room, dealers room, charity auction, and a masquerade. Past guests have included actors, authors, artists, scientists, musicians, producers, and even the occasional pooka. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune describes MarsCon as "for the sci-fi serious nerds".
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Since 2003, MarsCon Minnesota has also included a strong presence of the "Dementia" (comedy/novelty/filk) music genre, making the convention one of the largest events in the country to showcase such music.
Past
MarsCon 1999: Celebrating 60 Years of Fandom
Where: Radisson South Hotel When: February 26-28, 1999 Guests of Honor: Carl David, Jeff Grubb, Kate NovakMarsCon 2000: Don’t Panic! (Alternate Subversive Theme: M’00)
Where: Radisson South Hotel When: May 12-14, 2000 Guests of Honor: Mark Allen Shepherd, Lisa Getto, Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, Denise Boie, Jack Borkowski, Donald R. Schmitt, Chesley Bonestell (Posthumous)MarsCon 2001: A Space Oddity
Where: Radisson South Hotel When: May 11-13, 2001 Guests of Honor: Jane Yolen, Bill Blair, Carl Talliaferro, Christopher Jones, Michael Liebmann, David Arneson, Stanley Kubrick (Posthumous)MarsCon 2002: The Magic of Fantasy
Where: Airport Hilton When: March 1-3, 2002 Guests of Honor: Lyda Morehouse, Peter Woodward, John Levene, Robin Wood, Harvey (See Harvey (play))MarsCon 2003: No One Here is Exactly What He Appears
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: February 28-March 2, 2003 Guests of Honor: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller (writer), Julie Caitlin Brown, Lev Mailer, John Garner (artist), David Mendez, Douglas Adams (Posthumous)MarsCon 2004: Let’s Play Doctor!
Where: Airport Hilton When: March 5-7, 2004 Guests of Honor: John M. Ford, Richard Biggs, Barry Hansen “Dr. Demento”, Dawn Devine Brown “Davina (costumer)”, Luke Sienkowski “The Great Luke Ski”, David E RommMarsCon 2005: Galactic Pirates and Mercenaries
Where: Airport Marriott When: March 4-6, 2005 Guests of Honor: Richard Herd, Jeremy Bulloch, Stephanie Gannaway-Osborn, Timothy Zahn, Todd Coss, The Great Luke Ski, Ron Ross, Herbert Jefferson, Jr.MarsCon 2006: Things That Go Bump in the Night
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: March 3-5, 2006 Guests of Honor: Gigi Edgley, Dean Haglund, Beth Hansen, Walter H. Hunt, Paul Lawrence (producer), Tom Smith (filker), Hugh GregoryMarsCon 2007
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: March 2-4, 2007 Guests of Honor: Don S. Davis, Patricia Tallman, Todd Lockwood, Eric Larson, Eleanor Arnason, Ookla the MokMarsCon 2008: Press Start To Continue
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: February 29-March 2, 2008 Guests of Honor: Bill Blair, Jeff Easley, Naomi Kritzer, C. Robert Cargill, Hot WafflesMarsCon 2009: Invasion!
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: March 6-8, 2009 Guests of Honor: Musetta Vander, Scott Rosema, Suzanne Hiza-Rezema, Jeanne Cavelos, Wally PleasantMarsCon 2010: Dark Lords and Femme Fatales
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: March 5-7, 2010 Guests of Honor: John Garner, Loretta McKibben, Nick Atoms, Gwynyth WalshMarsCon 2011: Days of Magic!
Where: Holiday Inn Select When: March 4-6, 2011 Guests of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold, Joe Rheault, Megan Rheault, Bjo Trimble, John Trimble, Worm QuartetMarsCon 2012: Rockin' the Apocalypse
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites When: March 9-12, 2012 Guests of Honor: Lukas Effinger, Catherine Asaro, Rob Callahan, Consortium of GeniusMarsCon 2013: Ctrl/Alt/Del... Thriving into the future
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites, 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55425 When: March 1-3, 2013 Guests of Honor: actress Claudia Christian, author Harry Turtledove, science author Gerald Nordley, artist Sarah Clemens, comic artist W.C. Carani, fan/costuming The Thrift Brothers, and music Flat 29.MarsCon 2014: Time is the Key
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, Bloomington-Minneapolis South When: March 7-9, 2014 Guests of Honor: J. G. Hertzler, Esther Friesner, Mickie Erickson, Rae Lundquist, Henry Phillips, Dave Duca, Bridget Landry, and the Klingons of IKV RakeHell.MarsCon 2015: Heroes & Wizerds & Fae OHhh MYyy!!
Where: Airport Hilton When: March 6-8, 2015 Guests of Honor: Spice Williams-Crosby, Antoinette Bower, Robert Odegard, Lyda Morehouse, Richard Tatge, Eric Wile, Rob Paravonian, Dave Duca, and Mike Glielmi.MarsCon 2016: Parallel Dimensions
Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425 When: March 4-6, 2016 Guests of Honor: actor William Morgan Sheppard, artist Christine Mitzuk, author Ruth Berman, filmmaker Christopher R. Mihm, game designer Eric Wile, musician Luke Ski, propmasters Dave Brown, Dave Duca, Michael Glielmi, and Ann Neubauer.Upcoming
MarsCon 2017: Dragons In Space
Where: Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport/Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, MN 55425 When: March 3-5, 2017 Guests of Honor: actor Jeffrey Combs, artist Ralph Ryan, authors Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, comedy and music Judy Tenuta, sciences Benjamin Higginbotham & Cariann Higginbotham