Gee — we don't know about you guys, but it looks to us as if this is getting to be a habit. Preregistrations were up once again, so by the time you read this, you should already be partying with 450 of your closest friends. Of course, it may be hard to top last year's event. After all, it isn't every year that you can expect your ProGoH to win the Nebula award while sitting in your ConSuite. But we're sure your up to the challenge. To that end, we will be offering the usual assortment of panels, readings, contests, and other "neat stuff."
Of special note this year is the George Alec Effinger Medical Relief Fund Auction, Saturday night between the art auction and the masquerade (circa 8:30 p.m.). Your help with this event — either as a donator of auction items or a buyer — will help one of the field's most noteworthy contributors with desperately needed financial assistance to cover his huge-and-unfortunate medical expenses of late. Please drop off your saintly donations at the art show room.
Also note a nifty addition to the program schedule not announced in the last mailer: Wendol Jarvis of the Iowa Film Office will do a special presentation on "Filmmaking in Iowa," Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Expect to hear some nifty information on the making of such film classics as Starman and Field of Dreams.
For those of you joining us this year for the first time, here is some information to help get you started: sample several of the program and activity offerings detailed in this book and in the accompanying "Pocket Program Guide." Events which are highly recommended for first-time convention-goers are indicated with an asterisk in the pocket guide. Also be sure to stop off at the ConSuite (a.k.a. the hospitality suite), the "filk room" (F&SF folksinging), and the gaming rooms. Again, check your pocket guide for room locations. If you have questions, stop off at the registration/information desk in the lobby, and the cheerful volunteers located there will be happy to help out in any way they can.
We invite all convention members, new and old, to let us know what you need and how we're doing. Really. We're already underway for DemiCon IV, and we'd like to see you again!
[This page also contained an illustration by Amy Monthei]This page created by: Kevin G. Austin