go back to home page
NOTE: This page is currently under construction and liable to change frequently! Last updated 19th December 1995
Please send details of conventions with Internet contact points if available to: magician@cix.compulink.co.uk 
While the paper version of this list is usually kept to British, Irish and Worldcons (to keep it on two sides of a standard sheet of paper) the Web page won't be limited in that way so send details of any convention or other item of interest (stage productions, film/movie release dates, comic marts, medieval fairs, major computer shows, space shuttle launch dates etc.)
Note: All prices in UK pounds unless otherwise stated. New since October: e-mail addresses converted to "mailto:", buttons for navigation, 1995 conventions removed, more conventions added, WWW links activated etc.
- [ 
top of page]
Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Hilton Hotel, Leeds. Contact: Carol Looby, 152 Otley Rd, Headingley, Leeds, LS16 5JX
8th UK Filk Con. Type: FILK. Loc: Forte Crest Hotel, Milton Keynes. GoH: Julia Ecklar, Chris Malme. Att: 25, Sup: 12.50. Contact: 212 Albert Rd, Leyton, London E10. email obliter8@oreos.demon.co.uk
Type: GENERAL. Loc: London. Site: Imperial College Union. Notes: 11am - 11pm. GoH: Rob Holdstock, Chris Priest, Stephen Baxter. Att: 8 (students 4). Contact: Imperial College SF Society,. Imperial College Union, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Rd, London, SW7 2BB. email: icsf@ic.ac.uk WWW: http://www.ph.ic.ac.uk/moontg
One day mini-con from Wolf 359 people. Type: BABYLON 5. Loc: London, Novotel Hammersmith. GoH: Ed Wasser (Morden). Att: 15. Contact: The Landing Party, 141 Warden Road, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 9BE.
Type: WORLDCON POST-MORTEM. Particularly for those who worked on Intersection... Loc: Rutland Hotel, Sheffield. Att: 24 (25 for credit cards). Contact: 379 Myrtle Road, Sheffield, S2 3HQ.
Type: GENERAL. Loc: Exeter. University. Contact: Darrel Manuel, Cornwall House, St German's Road, Exeter EX4 6TG
The Undiscovered Room Key.Type: ADULT STAR TREK/SF/FANTASY. Loc: Grand Hotel, Northampton. All the usual sorts of things but aimed at a grown-up audience (hence no childrens rates) Att: 20. Details: AKFT II, c/o Claire Wilson, 29 Courteenhall Road, Bilsworth, Northants, NN7 3DD, enclose an S.A.E.
Type: INFORMAL/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION. Loc: Merchant's Hotel, Manchester. Theme: Spies and Secret Agents. Att: 15. Details (and explanation of SMERSH) Mike and Dee Davey, SMERSH, 88 Walker Street, Rhodes, Middleton, Manchester, M24 4QE.
Type: RELAXACON for FANZINE FANS. Loc: Clubhouse Inn, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Att: 40 dollars US. Cheques payable to "Lucy Huntzinger". Details: 2305 Bernard Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212, USA. email: huntzinger@phyv02.phy.vanderbilt.edu
Loc: Dusseldorf, Germany. GoH: James White: Theme Religon in SF / SF in religion. DM35 till 28 Feb, then DM 40. Heinrich Sporck, Am Sonnenberg 38,D-44879 Bochum 5, Germany. tel:+49 234461390.
Type: SF TV SERIES and MOVIES. Loc: Comfort Friendly Inn, Hull, Humberside. Att: 25. Cheques "48 Hours in Space". Contact: PO Box 1701, Hull, Humberside UK. include. S.A.E. (No connection with Cult TV group with same box number but in another town)
British National "Eastercon". Type: GENERAL. Loc: Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow London. GoH: Vernor Vinge, Colin Greenland, Bryan Talbot, Dr. Jack Cohen, Maureen Speller, Paul Kincaid. Att: 28. Sup: 16. Contact: 13 Lindfield Gardens, Hampstead, London, NW3 6PX. email: bmh@ee.ic.ac.uk
Type: QUANTUM LEAP. Loc: Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow, London. Contact: 78 Sterry Road, Dagenham, Essex RM10 8NT. email: accelerate@pbayliss.demon.co.uk
Fortean Times Convention. Type: WEIRD, UFO, BIG FOOT, NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES etc. I haven't had confirmed sighting of the details yet, but a scared truck driver swears that an alien appeared to him and muttered "UnConvention 96, Institute of Education, Bedford Square, London, April 20- 21 1996" and then disappeared leaving only this copy of ConNotation. <fx: spooky music>. See the Fortean Times for more details.
41st British Star Trek Con.Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Cardiff International Arena. GoH: Nana Visitor (Kira), Walter Koenig (Chekov), Mark Lenard (Sarek). Att: 35. Contact: David Simons, 69 Merlin Crescent, Edgeware, Middx, HA8 6JB. S.A.E.
The Sequel. Loc: The Coach House, Cultural Centre, The Abbey, Geraardsburgen, Abbeyroad 10, Belgium. GOH (Not listed) $28 till 30 Nov 95, $31 till 31 Mar 96, after $35. Contact: Peter Motte, Abdijstraat 33, B-9500 Geraarddsergen, Belgium
Type: FAIR (dealers and displays). Loc: The Cresset Exhibition Centre, Bretton, Peterborough. Att: 1 (yes, one pound), free parking. Times: 10:30am until 4pm. Sponsored by Peterborough Science Fiction Club, who can probably be contacted at the same address as INTERVENTION below.
Type: SF/FANTASY HUMOUR. Loc: Scotch Corner Hotel, Darlington ("it's not scotch, and it isn't on a corner"). Att: 22 until Easter 96, 27 after. Cheques to "Inconsistent". Contact: Flat 1, 31 Saxon Road, South Norwood, London SE25 5EQ. Please mark envelopes "Cries of 'Behind you!' and bum gags", and they will explain...
Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Pontins, Southport. Contact: 14 Norwood Ave, Southport, PR9 8D. (yes I know the postcode is incomplete, but that's what it says on the page I'm copying it from)
Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Birmingham. Contact: Tim Smith, 159 Metchley Lane, Harborne, Birmingham.
Type: STAR TREK/BABYLON 5. Loc: Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool. GoH: JMS (B5 creator), Bruce Boxleitner (Sheridan), Michael O'Hare (Sinclair), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Foundation Imaging (B5 SFX), Rene Auberjonois (Odo from DS9) (whew! Plus I believe someone named Patrick Carter will also be there). Att: 40 (2day 30, 1day 20). Contact: Wolf 359 - The Encounter, 37 Branksome Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 4HG. email: 100551.1656@compuserve.com
Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, Bristol. GoH: Ethan Phillips, Tim Gaskill, Steve Parkinson + more. Att: 35. Contact: Nexus 96, 26 Milner Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 9PQ.
Type: DISCWORLD/PRATCHETT. Loc: Manchester. GoH: Terry Pratchett. Contact: The Discworld Convention, PO Box 3086, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 6LD.
49th Westercon. Type: GENERAL. Loc: Camino Real Paso del Norte & El Paso Convention Centre, Texas, USA. GOH Howard Waldrop, James P Blaylock, Brad W Foster. Att: 50 dollars US, Sup: 20 dollars until 31 Dec 95. Contact: Westercon 49, PO Box 3177, El Paso TX 79923 USA. email: 71573.2724@compuserve.com
Type: ACADEMIC CONFERENCE. Loc: Liverpool. Att: 130 (yes, one hundred and thirty pounds, but it does include the hotel!) Run by University of Liverpool. Contact: Andy Sawyer, SF Foundation, Sydney Jones Library, PO Box 123 Liverpool, L69 3DA.
Type: RELAXACON. Loc: St Enoch Hotel, Glasgow. Att: 10. Cheques to "Faircon". Contact: Faircon '96, c/o 3/2 226 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LN. include an S.A.E. email: faircon@psyche.dircon.co.uk
Sixth Annual Scottish Star Trek Convention. Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Hospitality Inn, Glasgow. Contact: Contagion, PO Box 867, Rutherglen, Glasgow G73 4HR. email: contagion@awayteam.demon.co.uk
Type: GENERAL. Loc: Central Hotel, Glasgow. Contact: 10 Atlas Road, Springburn, Glasgow, G21 4TE.
19th Annual Six of One/Prisoner convention. Type: The PRISONER. Loc: Portmeirion ("The Village") N.W.Wales. Outdoor events are FREE to all, indoor events are Six of One members only. Entry toll to Portmeirion non-residents (it is a holiday village after all!). Details: (USA/Canada) Six of One, 871 Clover Drive, North Wales, PA 19454, USA. UK & everywhere else: Six of One, PO Box 66, Ipswich, UK. BCNU.
British Roleplaying Convention. Type: GAMING. Loc: Northampton Moat House. GoH Steve Jackson. Att: 25 until Easter 1996. Contact: ConTraptions, 12 Cartersmead Close, Horley, Surrey RH6 9LG. email: contraptions@vger.demon.co.uk WWW: http://www2.augusta.co.uk/~lrm/contraps.htm (They're very nice people, they've put a link back to this list!)
42nd British STAR TREK Con + BABYLON 5. Loc:Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow. GoH: Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander) + "a full B5 programme". Att: 33 until 30/4/96, 35 after. Contact: 138 Crosslands, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes, MK14 6DF. Send a SAE. email: 100425,664@compuserve.com
54th World SF Convention. Type: WORLDCON. Loc: Anaheim Convention Center, California. GoH: James White, Roger Corman, Takumi Shibano, Sachiko Shibano, Elsie Wollheim, TM Connie Willis. Att: 110 Dollars until end 12/95. Sup: 30 dollars. Contact: L.A.Con III, c/o SCIFI, PO Box 8442, Van Nuys, CA 91409 USA. email: lacon3-info@netcom.com
Type: BABYLON 5. Loc: Northern England. Theme: B5 as SF. Convention to discuss B5 in context of Science Fiction, but unfortunately JMS is unable to be there :-(. Contact: ShadowCon c/o Andrew Adams, 45 Fife Park, St Andrews KY16 9UE. email: aaa@dcs.st-and.ac.uk WWW: http://www-theory.dcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/~aaa/Shadowcon.html
Type: STAR TREK. Loc: Holiday Inn, Leicester. Details: Terry Elson, 8 Ennerdale Close, Oadby, Leics LE2 4TN.
Type: IRISH NATIONAL. Loc: Dublin. Details: 211 Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 11, Ireland. Please note this address is temporary so please double check before printing it anywhere permanent. Temp email: mmmchugh@tcd.ie or temp WWW: http://arrogant.itc.ici.ie/OctoCon.html
Type: COSTUME/MASQUERADE. Loc: T.B.C. (probably West Brom.) No further details at this time.
Type: DR.WHO/BLAKES 7. Loc: Ashford International Hotel, Ashford, Kent. Att: 40 until 30/4/1996 then 45. Sup: 20. Contact: 10 Fillebrook Hall, Fillebrook Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1AG. email: lexin@cix.compulink.co.uk
Type: GENERAL/LITERATURE. Loc: Hotel Ibis, Birmingham. Att: 25. GoH: David Gemmell. Contact: 14 Park St, Lye, Stourbridge, West Midlands, BY9 8SS.
Type: MEDIA, STAR TREK/B5/RED DWARF etc. Loc: Norbrek Castle Hotel, Blackpool. Att: 35 until 31/7/1996, 40 thereafter. Details: DEF CON '96, 47 Marsham, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, PE2 5RN.
Type: CHRISTMAS RELAXACON. Loc: Grand Hotel, Northampton. "For people who want to get away for Christmas". Att: 20, hotel 23pppn. Details: Yulecon, c/o Lorraine Pritchard, 56 York Road, TORPOINT, Cornwall, PL11 2LG. please enclose 3 S.A.E.s. Tel: 01752 812698.
-
[ top of page]
Type: FANZINE/LITERATURE. "Born of the fanzine" it says here, meaning the fanzine Attitude came first, and now they're running a convention... Loc: Abbey Hotel, Gt.Malvern. Att: 23. Contact: First Floor Flat, 14 Prittlewell Square, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1DW.
48th British National SF Convention. Type: GENERAL. Loc: Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. Theme: Communication (in all possible forms). Att: 25. GoH: Brian Aldiss, Jon Bing, Octavia Butler, David Langford. (and not Robert Silverberg, it says here...) Contact: 12 Crowsbury Close, Emsworth, Hants, PO10 7TS. email: intervention@pompey.demon.co.uk
Type: MEDIA and GENERAL SF, including Star Trek, B5, X-files, The Avengers and much more. Loc: Harrogate International Conference Centre. GoH: Bob Shaw, Harry Harrison, William Campbell, Dave Prowse, Jeremy Bulloch, Kenny Baker, Warwick Davis, Lisa Tuttle, Ramsey Campbell, David Gemmell etc. etc! Write for rates and details to: 38 Planetree Ave., Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9TH, include an S.A.E. email: mlr95@aber.ac.uk or WWW: http://www.aber.ac.uk/~mlr95/
55th World Science Fiction Convention. Type: WORLDCON. Loc: San Antonio, Texas. GoH: Algis Budrys, Michael Moorcock, Don Maitz, Roy Tackett. TM Neal Barrett Jr. Att: probably at least 90 dollars. PO Box 27277, Austin, TX 78755-2277 USA. Who is UK agent?
Type: 8th IRISH NATIONAL + EUROCON. Loc: Dublin. Details: Euro-Octocon 97, c/o 211 Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 11, Ireland. Please note this address is temporary so please double check before printing it anywhere permanent. Temp email: mmmchugh@tcd.ie or temp WWW: http://arrogant.itc.ici.ie/OctoCon.html
100th Anniversary of B.Stoker's Dracula. Type: FANTASY. Loc: Britannia International, London Docklands. Att: 30 pounds now, undisclosed amount to be paid later. Contact: PO Box 31, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4YL.
-
[ top of page]
56th World SF Convention. Type: WORLDCON. Loc: Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Note that this is during the school holidays so teachers can attend! Att: 71 until 30/9/96, Sup: 22. Dozens of different conversion rates depending on voting, letters of marque etc. from UK agent John Dallman, 18 Kimberley Rd, Cambridge CB4 1HH. PR1 is due Feb '96, issue 0.1 of the 'Broadside' newsheet is currently being distributed. Make cheques payable to "Bucconeer". UK email: jgd@cix.compulink.co.uk Non-UK people Bucconeer, PO Box 314, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 USA. US email: baltimore98@access.digex.net
-
[ top of page]
Celebrate the end of the century (early). Type: GENERAL. Loc: Northern Europe. Site: Benelux or UK. GoH: tba. Note: NEW ADDRESS! Att: 3 per year. Amount paid will be deducted from final cost. Contact: Malcolm Reid. 186 Casewick Road, W.Norwood, London, SE27 0SZ.
-
[ top of page]
Celebrate the end of the century on the correct date! Pedantfest will be worldwide (well, at various locations in different countries...) and PEDANTCON will be held somewhere in the British Isles. For details, and to express support for exactitude, write to me at the ConNotation address. This will be a "serious" convention once enough people express an interest!
[ top of page]
British Fantasy Society - membership £15. Details from The BFS Secretary (F), c/o 2 Harwood Street, Stockport, SK4 1JJ.
Octarine - Science Fiction and Fantasy Humour Appreciation Society. Membership £5. Contact OCTARINE, 2 Egerton Drive, Stapleford, Nottingham, NG9 8HE.
Space Discussion Society (ex London ASTRA) WWW: http://www.compulink.co.uk/~vicarage/SDS.html
Fans Across the World (FAtW) - maintaining international links with, you guessed it, fans across the world. Monthly newsletter is available from B.Wilkinson, Ground Floor Flat, 8 West Avenue Road, Walthamstow, E17 9SE, Great Britain or by e-mail from bjw@cix.compulink.co.uk
Delany's Children - The British Science Fiction Group for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and their Friends. The stated aim is to "enliven fandom with a bit of colour if not some riotous rainbows to light up your life". Membership is 12 pounds per year. Details from "BM Delanys, London, WC1N 3XX", please enclose an S.A.E. for a prompt reply.
[ top of page]
Ton - The regular monthly London fandom meeting, 1st Thursday each month in the Wellington, opposite the Old Vic exit from Waterloo BR Station (under walkway between Waterloo and Waterloo East BR station). Crowded, no scheduled events, 5pm onwards.
BSFA - Fourth Wednesday each month (not December) at Jubilee Tavern, York Rd, nr Waterloo stations. Upstairs room, 7pm.
WiGGLe - Monthly SF filk meeting, usually somewhere in London, usually last Friday of month unless it conflicts with conventions or Christmas! Next meeting 5th of January at the Cartoonist, Listtle New Street, London. Contact Rafe Culpin 12 Tower Hamlets Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4RH. phone (0181) 521 3784. email: rafe@cix.compulink.co.uk
The Away Team - Britain's largest Star Trek local group. Meets at the Hospitality Inn, Glasgow about every month for a day of videos, dealers room etc. Next meetings: 7/1/96, 11/2/96, 17/3/96, 21/4/96, 2/6/96. Details from Contagion, PO Box 867, Rutherglen, Glasgow G73 4HR. email: contagion@awayteam.demon.co.uk.
Quoted from the B5 Contact FAQ maintenance crew..."A new London venue with occasional SF events has opened called the The Movie Palace, which combines a cinema, coffee bar, bookshop and sushi bar! It has B5 Specials from time to time - for instance, it has already hosted an appearance by Michael O'Hare (Sinclair) earlier in the Summer. Addresses: The Movie Palace Office: 4 Whitfield Street, London, W1P 5RD. Cinema: 11 Howland Street, London W1"
Also worth visiting is Page's Bar, Page Street near Westminster London which is decorated with Star Trek and other SF TV memorabilia and has a special Star Trek evening every Saturday with merchandise on sale, special cocktails and videos on the large screen. They have also hosted a couple of Babylon 5 mini-cons and intend to do more with B5 and Dr.Who in the future. They are *SHUT* for redecoration this January!! but once they have re-opened then it is "the place to be"! They have a web page (which is updated occasionally!) at http://www.rednet.co.uk/homepages/stbob/
Wanted: Spies!
- [ top of page]
If you see a flyer for a convention, an announcement of an event of interest to UK fandom, or are planning such an event, please send me details. Even if you think I should have them already!!
For example the following rumours have been whispered in my ear...
1998 Eastercon is a (less) closely fought battle between Istanbul (not Constantinople) and Intuition, both of whom are making deals with hotels in "the north-west of England, not Liverpool". At time of writing Istanbul was rumoured to be looking at Manchester, Intuition was also looking at Manchester! Both committees have a combination of fresh energy, experienced con organisers, a breadth of vision and an obvious death-wish. <grin>
1999 Eastercon bid for the Adelphi, Liverpool by the Sou'Wester team. Various silly names have been floated, including CONCH and NemCon (if it runs unopposed). The actual name appears to have settled down to Reconvene.
Contact Details [ top of page]
ConNotation is brought to you by the Garlic Press in the hands of The Magician who can be reached c/o
Chris O'Shea, 38 Alexandra Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 1TP. Convention Organisers can phone my answerphone on tel:(+44) (0) 1932 788817Additions and corrections are always welcome and may be sent to the above address or emailed to: magician@cix.compulink.co.uk
[ top of page]
Permission is given to reprint all or in parts, provided that a suitable acknowledgement is given, and an appropriate disclaimer is made on the accuracy of this information. Permission is also expressly given to repost the electronic version of this list anywhere you wish! Please leave the contact details on the copy, and if you wish to add cons or amend details, please send me a copy so that I can update the master.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, please be aware that at least 5% of it is totally wrong (!) and all information, particularly prices, should be confirmed with the convention before travelling.
Additional copies of this listing may be obtained from the above address for a stamped self-addressed envelope. Donations to the "Buy Chris a new computer" fund are always welcome, suggested donation 20p, or FREE if you can't afford it (or more if you can!).
Future issues will be available as and when necessary but will definitely be available at London 'Ton meetings (1st Thursday of each month, Wellington pub, near Waterloo East Station), and at the Eastercon, the Worldcon and Novacon.
Thanks this issue go to: B5 Contact FAQ Crew, Critical Wave, Dave Langford and Ansible. Special thanks to Anne Page for the Media Convention List (send an SAE and a donation to her at 30 Fellowes Way, Broadwater, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 8BW for the latest listing, and send her my thanks also!) Additional information supplied by OBLITER-8 and Bucconeer, thanks guys. Plus several conventions were ferreted out by Andy "Human Dynamo" Croft and the details posted up to CompuServe. (I can be reached on CompuServe at 100042,2357 but I don't go on-line there very often so use the CIX address (magician@cix.compulink.co.uk) if you want a faster response, or leave a message on the answerphone if you have new or updated details about a convention).
[ go back to home page]
[ go back to top of page]
or snail mailed at: 38 Alexandra Road, Ashford, Middx, TW15 1TP,
United Kingdom.