SMOFcon is an annual convention that focuses on the organisation of science fiction conventions. The first SMOFcon took place in 1984, and most have taken place in the United States.
SMOFcon typically attracts 100–150 attendees, and usually occurs in the first weekend of December, though other dates have been known. The content includes formal and informal sessions covering insights from events held in the previous year, information about the latest trends from the community and external experts, reviews of previous events and feedback to bidders for upcoming events, with a focus on learnings that can be widely shared.
A significant number of SMOFcon attendees are also Worldcon organisers and the programme usually includes sessions about the most recent Worldcon and on bids for future Worldcons.
The name of the convention is derived from the word SMOF (also spelled smof), which is an acronym which stands for "Secret Master(s) Of Fandom" and is a term used within the science fiction fan community. Its coining is generally attributed to science fiction author Jack L. Chalker.
List of SMOFcons Name Year Dates City Country Web Site/Facility Chair/Sponsoring Org Size 00th 1973/74 New York United States Sheraton Stew Brownstein 01st 1984 Oct 12–14 Washington, D.C. United States Ben Yalow, Joe Siclari, Theresa Renner 02nd 1985 Nov Oakland, CA United States CANCELLED Tom Whitmore, Debbie Notkin + 3 others 03rd 1986 Dec 5–7 Lowell, MA United States Lowell Hilton Mark Olson (MCFI)137 04th 1987 Nov 20–22 Columbus, OH United States Quality Inn Columbus Airport Bob Hillis 05th 1988 Dec 9–11 Phoenix, AZ United States Hyatt Regency Phoenix Bruce Farr (CASFS)102 06th 1989 Dec 8–10 Toronto, ON Canada Holiday Inn Airport Lloyd & Yvonne Penney 07th 1990 Dec 7–9 Ft. Lauderdale, FL United States Airport Hilton Joe Siclari (SFSFS) 08th 1991 Dec 6–8 Portland, OR United States Shilo Inn Airport John Lorentz (OSFCI)128 09th 1992 Dec 11–13 New Orleans, LA United States Doubletree Hotel Peggy Rae Pavlat95 10th 1993 Apr 23–25 Jersey Channel Islands Hotel de France Tim Illingworth 11th 1993 Dec 3–5 Lexington, KY United States Griffin Gate Marriott Resort Scott & Jane Dennis110 12th 1994 Dec 2–4 Burbank, CA United States Burbank Hilton Chocolate Moose; Vice Chairs: Bruce Pelz & Ben Yalow (SCIFI)175 13th 1995 Dec 1–3 Austin, TX United States Austin Red Lion Fred Duarte Jr. (FACT)121 14th 1996 Dec 6–8 Seattle, WA United States Seattle Hilton Richard Wright (NCL) 15th 1997 Dec 5–7 Boston, MA United States Doubletree Suites Hotel Sharon Sbarsky (MCFI)153 16th 1998 Dec 4–6 Colorado Springs, CO United States Radisson Inn Kent Bloom (FFF)86 17th 1999 Dec 10–11 New Orleans, LA United States New Orleans DoubleTree Hotel Michael Siladi (SFSFC) 18th 2000 Dec 1–3 Cocoa Beach, FL United States Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Joe Siclari (SFSFS) 19th 2001 Dec 7–9 York UK Monkbar Hotel KIM Campbell 20th 2002 Dec 6–8 San Diego, CA United States Hacienda Hotel Scott & Jane Dennis125 21st 2003 Dec 5–7 Rosemont, IL United States Embassy Suites O'Hare Erik V. Olson (Midfan)123 22nd 2004 Dec 3–5 Washington, DC United States Wyndham Washington, DC Peggy Rae Sapienza (WSFA)123 23rd 2005 Dec 2–4 Portland, OR United States Red Lion Convention Center Hotel David Schaber (OSFCI)155 24th 2006 Dec 1–3 Kansas City, MO United States Hotel Phillips Margene Bahm (MASFFC) 25th 2007 Dec 7–9 Boston, MA United States Hilton Boston Logan Airport Geri Sullivan (MCFI)214 26th 2008 Dec 4–7 Columbus, OH United States Drury Inn & Suites Kim Williams130 27th 2009 Dec 4–6 Austin, TX United States Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown Karen Meschke (ALAMO)156 28th 2010 Dec 3–5 San Jose, CA United States Larkspur Sainte Claire Glenn Glazer (SFSFC)157 29th 2011 Dec 2–4 Amsterdam Netherlands Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam Vincent Docherty130 30th 2012 Nov 30 – Dec 2 Philadelphia United States Hyatt Regency Penn's Landing Joni Brill Dashoff & Laurie Mann196 31st 2013 Dec 6–8 Toronto, Ontario Canada Fairmont Royal York Hotel Diane Lacey (CanSmof) 32nd 2014 Dec 5–7 Manhattan Beach, CA United States Manhattan Beach Marriott Bobbi Armbruster & Kim Marks Brown (SCIFI)212 33rd 2015 Dec 4–6 Fort Worth, TX United States Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa Tim Miller (Dallas Future Society) 34th 2016 Dec 2–4 Rosemont, IL United States Crowne Plaza Helen Montgomery167 35th 2017 Dec 1–3 Boston, MA United States Back Bay Hilton Laurie Mann219 36th 2018 Nov 30 – Dec 2 Santa Rosa, CA United States Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa Bruce Farr~165 37th 2019 Dec 6–8 Albuquerque, NM United States Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Ron Oakes SMOFcon 37&1/4 2020 Dec 5 Virtual SMOFcon 38 & 39 Committees SMOFcon Europe / 39 2021 Dec 3–5 Lisbon Portugal VIP Executive Art's Hotel James Bacon & Vincent Docherty55/144 SMOFcon 38 2022 Dec 2–4 Montreal Canada Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel Jannie Shea SMOFcon 40 2023 Dec 1–3 Providence, RI United States Providence Marriott Downtown Lisa Hertel (MCFI) SMOFcon 41 2024 Dec 6–8 Seattle, WA United States DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport Marah Searle-Kovacevic SMOFcon 42 2025 Dec 5–7 Stockholm Sweden Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf ~130 SMOFcon 43 2026 Dec 4-6 Lisbon Portugal VIP Executive Art's Hotel Esther MacCallum-Stewart & Vincent Docherty
References
External links SMOFcon official website The Conrunner's Wiki OED Citations for SMOF