| A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a few Midwestern fen felt they were
ready to take the helm of a local convention. Their feelings weren't
shared by other, more experienced fen who may have suspected the sanity of
anyone who actually wanted to be in charge. However this train of thought
had a caboose in which their own sanity awaited examination, so it was
sidetracked. Having been denied entrance on the inner merry-go-round of
the only playground in town, this gaggle of fannish pioneers struck out on their
own to build a new, slightly different playground in which their creations could
romp.
And build it they did, completing it just in time for the birth of a lovely
(though endearingly strange) child called Capricon I (named after the movie
"Capricorn I") in February 1981.
With many godparents in attendance, the kid has grown -- not without the
occasional skinned knee (playgrounds are fun but can hurt, too) -- into a being
for the most part healthy, definitely eclectic, and always surprising. In
twenty five years it has been held in nine different hotels (keeps you on your
toes, doesn't it?) in eight different towns (hones tracking skills). But
despite these gypsy tendencies there has been a free-form kind of consistency.
While the convention leans towards Guests of Honor who are up-and-comers such as
David Palmer, P.C. Hodgell, or Terry Bisson, it is equally at home with
established folk like Fred Pohl, Connie Willis, Terry Pratchett, or Larry Niven.
Programming can be counted on to be challenging, informative and fun at its best
and utterly nonexistent at its worst. Most years the usual sights can be
seen: filking, gaming, workshops, dances, movies & anime, costumes, hucksters,
blood drives, readings, and hours 'n' hours 'n' hours of chat with new and old
friends. In a vivid rainbow of ways Capricon has entertained thousands of
fen, and driven mad not a few others, though we try not to talk about the latter
group except to say that most are resting quietly and have really nice baskets.
And, throughout its struggles, ups & downs, and hill & dell wanderings,
Capricon has always offered an alternative and/or an addition to your fannish
life. Now, with grateful nods to its roots, it has reached young
adulthood, fresh and revitalized. What fun it will be to watch it mature
(oh yes you can be mature while wearing Spock ears!). What fun to meet new
authors and artists, some of whom are right now laboring away in their garret
apartments as yet unknown. What fun to tinker with all the new and amazing
computer stuff coming down the highway. When you're at Capricon, you're
sure to come across all of the above and who knows what else? What fun!
ENTER
HERE
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