WisCon

WisCon
Genre	Feminist science fiction
Dates	Memorial Day weekend
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Madison, Wisconsin
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1977
Participants	ca. 1,000
Organized by	(SF)3 -- http://www.sf3.org
Website
http://www.wiscon.info/

WisCon or Wiscon, a Wisconsin science fiction convention, is the oldest, and often called the world's leading, feminist science fiction convention and conference. It was first held in Madison, Wisconsin in February 1977, after a group of fans attending the 1976 34th World Science Fiction Convention in Kansas City were inspired to organize a convention like WorldCon but with feminism as the dominant theme. The convention is now held annually in May, during the four-day weekend of Memorial Day. Sponsored by the Society for the Furtherance and Study of Fantasy and Science Fiction or (SF)³, WisCon gathers together women, men, and people of other genders: fans, writers, editors, publishers, scholars, and artists from around the world to discuss science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on issues of feminism, gender, race, and class. Writers' workshops are held on the Friday morning of the convention.

Since its inception, WisCon has invited at least one Guest of Honor to attend the convention every year, guiding and participating in programming and giving a speech at a ceremony in their honor. WisCon 30 (May 26–29, 2006) was an anniversary Wiscon, and 39 previous Guests of Honor attended. For WisCon 40, the convention invited a third guest of honor, Nalo Hopkinson, who was previously a guest of honor at WisCon 26.

WisCon conventions and Guests of Honor have been:

Multiple awards and organizations have been created through or developed from conversations at WisCon that focus on various issues within science fiction and fantasy. Many of these offshoots still maintain close ties to WisCon, hosting parties or panel discussions focused on their areas of interest.

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