Worldcon 2024 (Glasgow)

Guvnor

Guvnor

The Guvnor
Staff member
Ok. I have always wanted to go to WorldCon before I check out, and Glasgow 2024 is so close, who's interested in meeting up whilst there, nothing very formal, just networking, chilling, showing me the ropes.

https://glasgow2024.org/

The World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) is an annual international gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans, writers, artists, musicians, and creators. First held in New York City in 1939, Worldcon visits a new city around the globe each year and is organised by a different group of dedicated volunteers who participate in a bidding process that is open to any group that meets a small number of technical regulations.

The longest running Science Fiction convention in the world, Worldcon originally focused on only Science Fiction and Fantasy. While both remain important, Worldcon continues to grow with each year of its celebration; now including genre television, films, animation, role-playing and table-top gaming, video games and other popular media as well. Since the mid-1970s, Worldcons have had an average attendance of 4,000-5,000 fans, with more or less depending on the host city.
Worldcons technically only have three essential required events to be considered a Worldcon. These are:

  1. administering the Hugo Awards,
  2. administering future Worldcon site selection, and
  3. holding a World Science Fiction Society Business Meeting.
However, each Worldcon offers far more than that, always trying to find the best ways to celebrate the wonderful world of SFF! Worldcons have developed many traditions over the years that can be enjoyed by all who attend. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Hugo Awards Ceremony
  • The Masquerade
  • Opening and Closing Ceremonies
  • Signings and Readings
  • Art show and auction
  • Exhibits and Dealer’s rooms
  • Guest of Honour events
  • Children’s activities
  • Multiple tracks of programming ranging from Gaming to Science, TV/Film to Literature, Academic papers to roundtable debates
  • Parties galore for launches, future Worldcons and amongst the fans themselves
  • And so much more…
We are excited to welcome the 82nd Worldcon to Glasgow in August 2024. Glasgow is a vibrant city filled with science fiction, fantasy and inventiveness. Our Convention team aims to bring the love of these to the forefront as we welcome the global fan community to our dear green place.

Under its previous name as the SECC, Glasgow has hosted two previous Worldcons: Intersection in 1995, and Interaction in 2005. We are delighted to be able to revisit the SEC Campus, which has seen considerable growth in the last few years, including new onsite hotels, restaurants and development inside the convention centre itself.

Glasgow and the SEC Campus will serve as a hub for a fantastic Worldcon where creativity, diversity and inclusivity will be brought to the forefront.

Join us as we bring all our futures together in one great celebration!
 
How odd - this will be the first European WorldCon that I will not attend since my friends and I went to the Brighton WorldCon in 1989. More odd given that I grew up just south of Glasgow and could probably lodge with family and make it significantly cheaper.

I found that the Dublin WorldCon put me off. It no longer felt like a huge local convention. The inability to attend the panels I really wanted to go to without sacrificing the one before to ensure I was in the queue. The fact that it was unlikely I could watch two panels concurrently in the same room because they made everyone leave (and then you were probably too far back in the queue to get back in). The split site in Dublin probably did not help because it kind of split the feeling of community and the distance meant that, on any one day, I simply wrote off one site because it was not worth the walk when you had a chance of then, not getting into the panel you travelled for.

I also found the panels had become less thought-provoking as participants are all encouraged not to trigger anyone on the panel or in the room by taking less than mainstream views. It means that in many, not all, panels it ends up in pretty much everyone agreeing with each other which is less fun. I remember Harlan Ellison arguing with Larry Niven in a convention panel and they both held up their end of the argument without ever falling to abuse. A fascinating conversation where your allegiance varied every time one of them spoke. Not sure it could happen these days, I do not remember many military SF authors or panels in Dublin. From a liberal, left-winger, I am missing a right wing presence because I sometimes enjoy literature from that perspective. I enjoyed reading Starship Troopers to my, then, 10 year old son and the discussions it provoked over then next few years. This is not just a WorldCon thing - I went to a convention in Foyles where the topic was the influence of Tolken in modern fantasy. Three of the five panellists said they had not read Tolkein and were proud to say it had no influence on their books. Really?! I felt like I had been sold a pup...

I really hope that Glasgow has solved all those problems. I really enjoyed the previous WorldCon in Glasgow which was in the same location. Glasgow is also a great place to visit - lots to do and see around there and it is small enough to experience Glasgow without getting too far from the Con.
 
Paul and I are going. From my memories of the last 2 Glasgow WorldCons be prepared to do a lot of walking; the site is huge (possibly bigger than Excel). So comfy shoes will be a must.

Try and book an on-site hotel; there is on-site parking which we used the first time when we drove up and did self-catering in student halls. The second time we flew and stayed in a city-centre hotel and it was a bit of a faff on the 'underground'.

Meet-ups are good; but best to arrange something in the evening - perhaps a meal out. People's schedules will be hectic - it's been my experience that panels are like London buses - nothing interesting for a couple of hours then 3 at once. If you want to do author kaffee-klatches, you need to sign up as soon as you can - they're limited to around a dozen people and fill up fast.

See you there!
 
Stephen said:
How odd - this will be the first European WorldCon that I will not attend since my friends and I went to the Brighton WorldCon in 1989. More odd given that I grew up just south of Glasgow and could probably lodge with family and make it significantly cheaper.

I found that the Dublin WorldCon put me off. It no longer felt like a huge local convention. The inability to attend the panels I really wanted to go to without sacrificing the one before to ensure I was in the queue. The fact that it was unlikely I could watch two panels concurrently in the same room because they made everyone leave (and then you were probably too far back in the queue to get back in). The split site in Dublin probably did not help because it kind of split the feeling of community and the distance meant that, on any one day, I simply wrote off one site because it was not worth the walk when you had a chance of then, not getting into the panel you travelled for.
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I agree about the Dublin experience - it was not good. The venue felt too small for the numbers, and the multiplicity of floors didn't help either. The queueing system didn't work well either; it was a pain getting to the panels I wanted, and like you, it was irritating you couldn't stay in the same room. It did help my knees were playing up a bit so I was going around with supports on both knees and a walking stick which meant priority queueing. I wrote off any panels in the other building - it was impossible getting there in time. I spent a morning at the art show and didn't bother otherwise. I think Paul went over a couple of times.
 
I shall try and get into the Crowne Plaza on campus. How many days do you think are worth going for? Assume I have all the time needed but maybe not all the money, although I may get lucky and grab a loyalty rewards night or two if I time it right.
 
Guvnor said:
I shall try and get into the Crowne Plaza on campus. How many days do you think are worth going for? Assume I have all the time needed but maybe not all the money, although I may get lucky and grab a loyalty rewards night or two if I time it right.
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When we’ve done WorldCons before, we’ve arrived on the Thursday and left on the Monday. It helps avoid the Friday registration queues, and there’s usually Dead Dog activity on Sunday night. Oh, book through WorldCon - rates are usually discounted although I don’t know how that works with loyalty rewards (never been a factor for me). Hotel bookings usually open in January, I think Dublin it opened Jan 2nd, London was later in the month.
 
I'm going, it'll be my first experience of a WorldCon (or any SF con actually). A couple of the groups I'm involved with are likely to be talking to the organising committee about the games room they are setting up, which is part of the Art Show, Dealers and Displays (AD&D) section.

I had a very brief chat with a Glasgow 2024 rep yesterday at Tabletop Scotland, got myself a little badge and a postcard that my membership money had been spent on. Their stand was right next to the stand for my Wednesday night club (Role Play Haven), so I hope to get a full debrief from the branch manager this week.
 
Great. I am going to sign up this week.
The con will release their hotel rooms in January according to the Registrar.
This will be my first SF con as well.
Let's organise a Tavern meetup, as @Maddz suggested, an evening meal seems best, or maybe breakfast?
Let's continue to plot.
 
MartinP said:
I'm going, it'll be my first experience of a WorldCon (or any SF con actually). A couple of the groups I'm involved with are likely to be talking to the organising committee about the games room they are setting up, which is part of the Art Show, Dealers and Displays (AD&D) section.

I had a very brief chat with a Glasgow 2024 rep yesterday at Tabletop Scotland, got myself a little badge and a postcard that my membership money had been spent on. Their stand was right next to the stand for my Wednesday night club (Role Play Haven), so I hope to get a full debrief from the branch manager this week.
Click to expand...

As a first time attender, you get some freebies - but that may be strictly punters only…
 
Guvnor said:
Great. I am going to sign up this week.
The con will release their hotel rooms in January according to the Registrar.
This will be my first SF con as well.
Let's organise a Tavern meetup, as @Maddz suggested, an evening meal seems best, or maybe breakfast?
Let's continue to plot.
Click to expand...

Perhaps a gaming session?
 
OK, hotel booking opens tomorrow at 15:00 GMT. Phew - at first sight I was thinking that was 03:00...

Be warned: the on-campus hotels tend to fill up pretty fast. Note that parking isn't free: the SEC rate is £22/day, hotels tend to run £8/day and up. We're planning to book Wednesday - Tuesday, and take the full 2 weeks off, spending 2 or 3 days driving there and back.

It is tolerable to book a hotel in the city centre and use the underground equivalent to travel to the SEC, but that all takes time. We did that in 2005 (we flew up so the lack of parking wasn't a problem). Dublin we stayed outside Dublin and took the bus/tram in which was frankly tedious. The advantage was the free parking and the weekly transit pass which allowed for a couple of days sight-seeing in Dublin. As we're not planning much in the way of sight-seeing in Glasgow (outside Glasgow, yes), parking is a necessity.
 
You need to buy membership before you can book the hotel via Worldcon and get a discounted rate.
 
It's worth checking the list of on-campus hotels on booking.com to get an idea of the list of facilities. We'll be going for somewhere with wifi, breakfast & parking, preferably one on the campus, but immediately across the river is tolerable (there's a footbridge).

Other alternative to a hotel is Air B&B or an apartment, but the experience I had with Dublin has put me off. Booked somewhere, was accepted, then a week later the booking was cancelled. It's why we ended up outside Dublin.
 
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