NonJumpCon
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| Name: | NonJumpCon |
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| Type: | fancon |
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New England Fan Experience and United Fan Con put on a free fan con arranged at the very last minute (like, less than 48 hours!) after JumpCon was canceled.
The con did not have an official name; some fans referred to it as "NonJumpCon."
It took place the weekend of July 18, 2008.
Very good news. The wonderful folks at United Fan Con are trying to to put on an event for us this weekend. It looks like we may not be able to secure space at the Sheraton but UFC is willing to rent space at a hotel across the street.
We can't make promises guest wise but I think we can still have some fun.
The thing we need asap is a rough headcount just to see that there is enough interest.
Who's in? I think this would be the most last minute con thrown together in history.
Please spread the word about this and comment here ASAP. [1]
For those of you still planning on traveling to Boston and attempting to make the most of your weekend, United Fan Con, Inc. is organizing a (free) fan event and, under incredibly short notice, trying to make the best of the situation for all the fans left hanging by the abrupt cancellation of the con. Information is below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Randolph, MA. – July 17, 2008 – United Fan Con Inc., a small not-for- profit fan-run group located in Randolph MA, has stepped up to give the fans in Boston the fun-filled weekend that they were anticipating.
On Tuesday afternoon, July 15th, the Milford, NH based event promotions company, JumpCon LLC, cancelled a large Science Fiction / Pop Culture event scheduled for this weekend July 18th-20th at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. This is a second time in the last two months events like this have collapsed at the last minute, in June Fed Con USA in Dallas , TX canceled the rest of their show during the actual event itself.
United Fan Con has been producing fan-run events in Massachusetts for the past 17 years and knows when events are canceled like this it leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouths; it hurts everyone involved: actors, agents, hotels, other promoters and especially the fans. This time it is different, a lot of fans that were planning to attend the now canceled Jumpcon Boston have rallied together to put on their own mini convention. It started with online forum posts discussing the situation and then moved to the realization that many people were still coming to Boston regardless of the JC cancellation. These fans decided to organize and started planning a mini fan event. United Fan Con stepped in to help the fans make it happen, giving the fans the funds to rent space at a new venue and use of any and all equipment and supplies needed to host an event. In addition UFC is contacting actors, agents and vendors with the hope of making this an exciting weekend.
This Fan Con will be free to all attendees and include; games, videos, fan panels, auctions, vendors and more. The event will take place at the Hilton Back Bay, located at 40 Dalton Street, Boston MA (directly across the street from the Boston Sheraton). The event will run from 3pm – 10pm on Friday, 10am – 6pm on Saturday and 12pm – 6pm on Sunday.
Here is what is being said about the fans efforts: "It's really cool that you are trying to help these poor fans". - Bob Catalano, Westland Productions "I hope you can make something happen with the fans, thanks for doing this." Julie Catlin Brown – Illumina Productions, "How nice of you to reach out and see what can be done. We greatly appreciate your thoughts and willingness to try and make something positive out this fiasco Thank you". Erin Gray - Heroes for Hire.
What we need is you, the fan, to get the word out! Tell all of your friends and tell us how you can help. This is a true FAN CON!
If you wish to help plan this event please join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jconcons/
And for the latest information, please visit http://www.nefe.us [2]
Fan Comments
Even fewer stories were written about the last minute Boston "Mini Fan Con" run by staff of the New England Fan Experience, and about guest Mark Godard, the gracious Lost in Space actor — even though this was an example of fandom's ingenuity and warm heart. Godard, who now works as a teacher in Massachusetts, had taken time off his anniversary weekend to meet with fans. Meanwhile, the "Mini Fan Con" committee charged nothing to stranded fans, making it a free event for anyone who wanted to come, and what I hear is that this minor, last-minute convention was the way fandom "used to be." Yes, there was a guest there, but instead of offering expensive autographs, he sat down and told stories. Another visitor brought out a working R2-D2 model he had built from scratch. Above all, people sat down and chatted, making new friends. [3]
References
- ^ Need a Boston head count ASAP!, July 16, 2008
- ^ For Those Who Were Attending the Boston Event , July 17, 2008, the day BEFORE the con was to occur, one day AFTER JumpCon was officially cancelled.
- ^ Let's Stop Conning Ourselves (2009)