First time at a con?

If you've never been to a con - as conventions are generally termed - before, you might be wondering what to expect. After all, the typical media portrayal isn't too enticing: sad boys and sadder men pretending to be Klingons, and wondering what this "girl" thing they've heard so much about is... Well, it's not like that.

About conventions...

First off, there are two main types of convention (and we're making some sweeping generalisations here):

  1. The Literary Convention
    Usually referred to as "lit cons", these are the older form of convention. Their main aim is for fans of the sf genre to get together and discuss sf: what's good, what's bad, where's it going, where it's been, and so on. There's usually a programme of events, often with different streams. If you've ever been to an academic conference, you'll recognise the form. Traditionally, the focus is on novels, hence the name. Guests are usually authors, and there's usually little in the way of costuming.
  2. The Media Convention
    Often known as "media cons", these are more recent, and did indeed grow out of the success of Star Trek and its kind. The focus here is for the members to meet their "heroes" from the TV shows, hear them speak, and get autographs and photos. The guests are almost exclusively actors, and apart from question/answer sessions, there isn't usually much in the way of programmed events. As the focus is visual media, there's often quite a bit of costuming, as attendees attempt to emulate the outfits (and, sometimes, creatures) from the tv shows.

Warning: sweeping generalisation approaching! Readers of a nervous disposition should look away now!

Lit cons are organised around the fan; the attendees are not passive observers - they're on the panels, talking about their topics, giving their expert input (science, politics, writers, history, economics, origami, and so on), and when they're not talking about sf in programme items, they're talking to other fans about it in the bar. At the other end of the scale, media cons are organised around the guests; there isn't much in the way of fan-to-fan interaction built into the programme (although discos/parties and masquerades are common in the evenings). Instead, the programmed interaction is between the fan and the guests, whether en masse via Q'n'A, or one-to-one in autograph queues.

We're painting two extreme pictures here, of course, and those are indeed the two ends of the scale. Most cons fall somewhere in between, although a con is typically on one side of the fence or the other.

Eastercons are firmly on the "lit con" side of the fence, being all about sf and fans and discussion and debate. Orbital 2008, being an Eastercon, is definitely a lit con, but it's nudged a little closer to the mid-point than some Eastercons, since much of the Orbital 2008 committee have spent the past decade running the Redemption series of conventions, which is a con for media (tv, movies, etc.) but run like a lit con, with all the panels, fan-to-fan interaction, and less emphasis on actor guests.

About Eastercons

There's a quick introduction to Eastercons, which will tell you a bit about what an Eastercon is, but isn't that helpful once you've decided to actually go. So, here's some things you should know when you're attending your first Eastercon.

  1. Join early
    You have to pay to join the convention (your membership fees are what pays for it), and the price goes up over time. The sooner you join, the cheaper it'll be. You can just pay on the door when you arrive, but that'll be the most expensive time to join. And, of course, we like you to join early because it gives us the money to do things like pay the hotel deposit, and gives us an idea of how many people are coming. These things take planning....
  2. If you can, stay in the main hotel
    Eastercons are usually hotel-based; for example, Orbital 2008 is at the Radisson Edwardian at Heathrow. If you need accommodation, then stay in the main hotel if you can. It might not be possible, because of the rates, or because it's already full, or for some other reason (there might not be a room type suitable for you), but generally, if it's an option, it's a more enjoyable convention experience if you can stay in the con hotel. There are a number of reasons for this: you don't have to carry your "stuff" for the day, all day - you can just nip back to your room to pick things up or drop them off; you can stay up until the wee hours chatting away without having to cross town at night; and you can wear things you wouldn't want to walk down the street in. Not everyone is worried about such things, but being in the main hotel often makes it a better experience overall.
  3. You pay your own hotel bill
    The membership fee you pay when you join covers the cost of your attendance at the con. If you want to stay in the hotel (or hotels) as well, then it's your responsibility to pay that hotel bill when you leave.
  4. You get "Progress Reports"
    During the year or so before the con actually happens, the con committee will send out intermittent "Progress Reports" - small pamphlets giving you a general update on how the con planning is going. Typically, they contain guest information, an updated membership list, and information on how to get to the convention venue. Sometimes, they'll give advance information on certain programme items, so that you can be prepared (bringing certain clothing or equipment you wouldn't otherwise have considered). Please read the Progress Reports when you receive them; they might include important information which is too late to consider once you're already en route.
  5. Eastercons are over the Easter weekend
    Yes, this might seem obvious, but bear that in mind for your travel plans: Friday and Monday are holidays in the UK. Also, this makes it a four-day convention. Programming typically starts mid-afternoon on Friday, and winds down during Monday afternoon. So bear that in mind for travel. Quite a few people travel to the Eastercon on the Thursday, and some hang around until the Tuesday; see the Dead Dog party in our Eastercon introduction.
  6. Register when you arrive
    When you get to the convention, find the registration desk. They'll be able to give you your badge (which will let you into all the convention programme rooms), and - crucially - your README, another booklet that tells you what's on, where, and many other useful bits of information. Give this a read-through early on.
  7. There will be a 'Dealers Room'
    The Dealers Room is a place where you can get rid of all that nasty cash. Eastercon Dealers Rooms contain a number of stalls selling all manner of things, from books, magazines, books, clothes, books, jewellery, books, pictures and, erm, books. Plus other stuff, some of which might involve printed text on bound pages. But the point is this: you might find some enticing stuff to spend your money on, so bring some to spend. You'll often also find other conventions, enticing you to go along to their event (including the next Eastercon), so keep some spare for that.
  8. Eastercons are volunteer-run events
    Nobody is making any money out of these conventions (well, apart from the hotel, and (we hope) the stall-holders in the Dealers Room). The convention committee aren't being paid for their time and effort, and nor are the many other people involved: stewards, operations staff, gophers, registration desk, green room, technical staff, and others. They all give their time for a number of reasons: they enjoy doing it, it's a good way to meet people, and without their kind efforts the convention couldn't happen. For your first convention, we really recommend volunteering to help out in some capacity, somehow. Whether you just do an hour as a steward or whether you spend hours helping the tech crew run the lights and sound in the main room, there is no better way of breaking through the ice of "so many people, and I don't know any of them!" None of that messing around trying to find suitable topics of conversation, or edging into established cliques - Walking into Ops and saying, "I'm completely new, but I'm available - what do you need doing?" works wonders.
  9. Food'n'drink
    Eastercons follow a certain pattern for food and drink, which is this: a big breakfast, and thereafter keep it basic, cheap, and fast. We try hard to keep the hotel costs down so that you can afford to stay in those bedrooms on-site, and we try to keep the costs of the food down too. There's a balancing act, in that the hotel is a business and wants to make money, so we try to get them to sell more by pricing things reasonably than by gouging the few people who'll pay higher rates. Plus, while a Michelin-starred meal would be nice, fitting it into the gap between programme items is unlikely. So most fans fuel up for the day on the breakfasts (which is typically included in the room price), and then grab quick, basic food during the day (sandwiches, baked potatoes, that kind of thing). And usually there'll have been some effort involved in getting real ale too. It's something near and dear to many fans' hearts, so they push hard for this.

    What to bring

    See our handy guide on things to bring with you.

    Read through the draft programme, too. It'll probably have some minor changes here and there before the con's done and dusted, but as of this writing, it's pretty locked down. Reading through the programme will give you an idea of any extra things you might want to bring - for example, there are numerous workshops listed, and you might want to bring extra items to participate, if it's something in which you've already had some experience.

    On arrival

    First thing to do, on arrival, is to get checked into your hotel (if you're not staying in one of the hotels, then you can skip this stage...). Go to the hotel for which you're booked, and join the queue at the hotel's reception. There's a good chance that the hotel staff will be somewhat stressed, as over a thousand people turn up suddenly. Please be gentle on them. Once checked in, you can dump the majority of your stuff in your hotel room, and can wander freely.

    Next, get yourself over to the Radisson Edwardian (if you're not already there), and wander to the main con areas (hereafter, all references to the hotel will mean the Radisson Edwardian).

    What to do now depends on when you arrive...

    If you're arriving before Friday, Registration will not yet be operating, but there is still plenty to be done. You will be able to find fans wandering around looking relaxed (because they're having fun) or looking stressed (because they're trying to get everything ready). At this point, you can:
    • Relax. You've made it here. Go to one of several bars, obtain a refreshing beverage, and perhaps some food, and natter to other fans.
    • Head over to the Thursday Fork Buffet Meal. This is happening in Newbury 1 on the ground/first floor, at 7:30pm. You should have signed up for this in advance if you're interested, but note that you pay on the door, on entrance (£15)
    • Volunteer, particularly if you're already offered your services. If you've never been to an Eastercon before, this is an excellent way of getting to know people early on. You'll find Ops, the nerve centre of the convention, in the Winsor room on the third floor, and they'll be able to give you a job. Alternatively, also on the third floor, the Art show staff will be setting up in the Connaught/Belvedere suite, and the Tech crew will be setting up in the Commonwealth main hall.
    Of course, you can do all off these, too.

    You'll also find that Thursday will involve the con tradition of "con pack stuffing", where just over a thousand READMEs, ballot papers, etc. need putting into an equal numbers of bags ready for Registration opening the next morning. Lending a hand here will get a massive task out of the way quickly.

    On Friday morning or later, go to Registration. This is located on the ground floor (aka the first floor), opposite the hotel's main entrance. Join the queue here, and get your badge, con pack, README, and other useful things. Put your badge on.

    (We're planning to have some little stickers to add to your badge, to subtly indicate that this is your first con. You should be able to get these from Registration. It's by no means compulsary to have one of these, and you can remain "incognito" if you wish, but you may find that some of the more experienced (not to say weary) fans may be more helpful if they know that this is all a new experience to you.)

    Now head up to the third floor, towards the Edwardian Lounge, where you'll find the notice boards, which will fill you in on any late changes, and the voodoo board (a large list of all the convention's members). Find your name on the Voodoo board, and tick off your name, to show that you've arrived. Now, if someone wants to leave a message for you, they can scribble it on one of the cards, and stick a pin next to your name. This gives you a central place for communication with the people you meet during the con.

    Grab a beverage, find a seat, and look through your con pack. In particular, read the README. It'll tell you what's happening, when, and it'll contain lots of useful advice and rules for the weekend, as well as the locations of certain key events.

    If you've volunteered to help out in any departments, such as Tech, Art show, Ops, etc. then report to the appropriate area. If in doubt, Ops (in the Winsor room on the third floor) can direct you.

    Go along to the Introduction for convention first timers. This is in the Wentworth room on the fourth floor, on Friday afternoon, with a repeat performance on Saturday afternoon.