Conventions This Month: May 2011
May is a big convention month, what with the Memorial Day Weekend holiday and all. It’s also a big steampunk convention month with both the tried-and-true and brand spankin’ new.
As usual, here’s a sample of the fan conventions happening this month. My goal is to give a taste of what’s out there, not compile the compendium of cons to end all such. So, sing out on the events I’ve left off.
If there’s nothing here to your taste, take a look for yourself using the resources in my Convention Lists & Calendar Sites article. Always remember, the internet is your convention research buddy.
May 6-8
Bronx Heroes Comic Con (BXH3CC)
- When: May 7, 2011
- Where: Bronx, New York
- What: Unique comic convention focusing on bringing local comics professionals together with the community to promote literacy and comics as a profession.
Game Days
- When: May 5-8, 2011
- Where: Timonium, Maryland
- What: Gaming convention held by The Games Club of Maryland.
Gaslight Gathering
- When: May 6-8, 2011
- Where: San Diego, California
- What: Southern California’s first steampunk and Victoriana convention.
International Steampunk City
- When: May 6-8, 2011
- Where: Waltham, Massachusetts
- What: Steampunk convention at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation.
Jacksonville Anime Day
- When: May 7, 2011
- Where: Jacksonville, Florida
- What: One day anime marketplace.
LepreCon
- When: May 6-8, 2011
- Where: Tempe, Arizona
- What: Science fiction and fantasy convention with an emphasis on art.
TooManyGames
- When: May 6-8, 2011
- Where: Oaks, Pennsilvania
- What: Gaming event for developers to show off their video games to us players.
May 13-15
Atlanta Anime Day
- When: May 14, 2011
- Where: Atlanta, Georgia
- What: One day anime marketplace.
Cincinnati Old-Time Radio and Nostalgia Convention
- When: May 13-14, 2011
- Where: Cincinnati, Ohio
- What: Celebrating the radio shows and audo play tradition stretching from the ’20s to the ’70s.
Conjurations
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- What: Game convention.
Granite State Comicon
- When: May 15, 2011
- Where: Manchester, New Hampshire
- What: One of New England’s premier comic book conventions.
Maryland Faerie Festival
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: Marlboro, Maryland
- What: Fantasy event celebrating Faeries.
Morphicon
- When: May 12-15, 2011
- Where: Columbus, Ohio
- What: Furry convention. 2011′s theme is “Furries in Wonderland”.
Motor City Comic Con
- When: May 13-15, 2011
- Where: Novi, Michigan
- What: Comic con held in the Detroit suburb of Novi.
NOLA Comic-Con
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
- What: Used to be mostly an exhibit hall but has expanded to include panels and cosplay contests.
Pin-A-Go-Go
- When: May 13-15, 2011
- Where: Dixon, California
- What: Pinball festival donating all proceeds to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Sacramento.
Pulp Ark
- When: May 13-15, 2011
- Where: Batesville, Arkansas
- What: The newest place for pulp writers, artists and fans to come together.
Tiger Con
- When: May 13-15, 2011
- Where: Memphis, Tennesse
- What: Japanese Animation, manga/comics, and culture convention run by college students.
UFOFest
- When: May 13-14, 2011
- Where: McMinnville, Oregon
- What: UFO and science fiction convention.
Weekend of Horrors
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: Los Angeles, California
- What: Horror convention produced by Creation Entertainment.
Wonder Northwest
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: Portland, Oregon
- What: Comics and pop culture expo.
WonderFest
- When: May 14-15, 2011
- Where: Louisville, Kentucky
- What: Modeling (hobby and movie figures) convention.
May 20-22
Anime Central
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Rosemont, Illinois
- What: Chicago and the Midwest’s largest anime, manga and Japanese popular culture convention.
BIG WOW! ComicFest
- When: May 21-22, 2011
- Where: San Jose, California
- What: Comics and art festival formally called Super-Con.
CanGames
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- What: Longest-running gaming convention in all Canada.
Cult Fiction
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Jacksonville, Florida
- What: Celebrating the classics of cult and drive-in cinema.
Dallas Comic Con
- When: May 21-22, 2011
- Where: Irving, Texas
- What: They’ve moved to a new location this year; Irving Convention Center.
Dicehead S.I.E.G.E.
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Chattanooga, Tennessee
- What: Gameing convention.
FA United
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Mt Laurel, New Jersey
- What: Furry convention.
Fanaticon
- When: May 21, 2011
- Where: Asheville, North Carolina
- What: Free admission! Celebration of comic book culture and its fans.
Geekway to the West
- When: May 19-20, 2011
- Where: St Louis, Missouri
- What: Four days of peace, lobe, and boardgames.
Keycon
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- What: Science fiction/fantasy convention.
Madd Gamers Expo
- When: May 19-22, 2011
- Where: San Jose, California
- What: Video game convention for computer and video games and related products.
Maker Faire
- When: May 21-22, 2011
- Where: San Mateo, California
- What: Maker Faire is the world’s largest DIY festival. It has a strong steampunk spirit and it looms large on the calendar for the builders in the Bay Area’s steampunk communities.
Mobicon
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Mobile, Alabama
- What: Science fiction convention.
Puerto Rico ComicCon (PRCC)
- When: May 21-22, 2011
- Where: San Juan, Puerto Rico (unincorporated United States terrirory)
- What: Comic con held at the Puerto Rico Convention Center.
Spokane Comicon
- When: May 21, 2011
- Where: Spokane, Washington
- What: The Inland Northwest’s only comic convention.
SpringCon
- When: May 21-22, 2011
- Where: St Paul, Minnisota
- What: Comic convention held at the Minnisota State Fairgrounds.
Steampunk World’s Fair
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Somerset, New Jersey
- What: Three-day expedition into yesterday’s future.
Texicon
- When: May 20-22, 2011
- Where: Fort Worth, Texas
- What: Gaming convention.
Memorial Day Weekend – May 27-30
May 27 to 30 is Memorial Day Weekend. Here are the conventions happening over this holiday:
Animazement
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Raleigh, North Carolina
- What: Fan-run convention celebrating popular Japanese visual culture in all of its forms.
Anime North
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- What: Canada’s premier fan-run anime convention.
Anime Oasis
- When: May 26-29, 2011
- Where: Boise, Idaho
- What: Anime convention.
Balticon
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Baltimore, Maryland
- What: Maryland regional science fiction and fantasy convention.
BayCon
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Santa Clara, California
- What: Science fiction/fantasy convention.
Comicpalooza
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Houston, Texas
- What: Fastest-growing comic convention in Houston.
CONduit
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Salt Lake City, Utah
- What: Utah’s longest-running, and largest, general science fiction and fantasy convention.
ConQuesT
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Kansas City, Missouri
- What: Science fiction and fantasy convention.
Crypticon Seattle
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Seattle, Washington
- What: The largest horror convention in the Pacific Northwest.
Digital Overload
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Baltimore, Maryland
- What: LAN party and gaming event.
FanimeCon
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: San Jose, California
- What: Northern California’s largest anime convention.
Gamex
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Los Angeles, California
- What: Game convention run by Startegicon.
The Florida Anime Experience
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Orlando, Florida
- What: New for 2011! Japanese animation, manga and popular culture convention.
KublaCon
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Burlingame, California
- What: Game convention billed as The Khan of Cons.
MARCon
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Columbus, Ohio
- What: Multiple Alternative Realities Convention
May-Hem
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Orlando, Florida
- What: Horror convention.
MediaWest*Con
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Lansing, Michigan
- What: Self-proclaimed definitive gathering of SF/Media fandom. 2011 theme is “31 Flavors of Fandom”.
MisCon
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Missoula, Montana
- What: Montana’s premier science fiction convention.
NakamaCon
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Madison, Wisconsin
- What: Tri-fandom convention; anime, steampunk, furry.
Nashcon
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Franklin, Tennessee
- What: Historical miniatures gaming convention.
Phoenix Comicon
- When: May 26-29, 2011
- Where: Phoenix, Arizona
- What: The signature pop-culture event of the southwest
Protospiel South
- When: May 28-29, 2011
- Where: Austin, Texas
- What: Board game play test convention.
Rocket City Furmeet
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Huntsville, Alabama
- What: Furry convention.
TimeGate
- When: May 27-29, 2011
- Where: Atlanta, Georgia
- What: Doctor Who, Stargate, and everything in between convention celebrating science fiction.
World Steam Expo
- When: May 27-30, 2011
- Where: Dearborn, Michigan
- What: Premier steampunk event of the Midwest.
Great list! My comments about the Big Wow Convention in San Jose, Ca:
Great article! The Big Wow was a small show, at least on Saturday. I did not see a lot of attendees at all. The guysts were great and making a go of it, but Kathy Garver packed up at 3PM. Poor Richard Kiel was falling asleep at his table! James Bond would not like that at all I’m sure.
Denise Crosby did screen her Trekkies I film on Saturday but then after the viewing she “had to eat” and never came back. It was announced “she will be at her table to answer questions” but it was a bit rude not to show up back at the event and take questions there. There were only 11 or 20 fans watching. Such a small turnout!
Comics: Tons of bargains due to the low turnout. 50% off everything so early in the game.
I did enjoy the independent artists that came out and meeting Steve Englehart who was hawking his new books. Frank Cho’s drawing class was great to see, with video of his drawing a foxy Ms. Marvel model.
The costume contest was tough getting off the ground for the crew, from my observation. The guy who was to handle it was not around until just before 6. There were 11 enthusiastic contestants but there were only 20 or so viewers and photographers.
Before you think me overcritical, I do remember SuperCon 2009 and though it was a smaller space there were a lot more attendees. The organizers placed the convention just before the new week’s Fanime, coming to San Jose Memorial Day Weekend. I highly recommend the Big Wow show, but the organizers would need to survey their audience — what is the best date for the show?
Do see my Flickr shots of the costume contest: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjuStvdE
I’ve been to large shows and small hotel lobbies in the last 25 years and though this show had a lot going for it, the number of attendees was lacking. Let’s hope 2012 is better. Frank Cho announced he is coming back with Adam Hughes.