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MarsCon
MarsCon
Genre	Science fiction
Location(s)	Bloomington, Minnesota
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1999
Website	marscon.org

MarsCon is a science fiction convention held in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. It was first held in February 1999 with the goal of appealing to a diverse audience of fans in Minnesota and the vicinity. It is a mid-sized convention with a wide variety of events including panel discussions, guest of honor presentations, music of many kinds, art show, film room (including anime), science room, dealers room, charity auction, and a masquerade.^[1] Past guests have included actors, authors, artists, scientists, musicians, producers, and even the occasional pooka. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune describes MarsCon as "for the sci-fi serious nerds".^[2]

Since 2003, MarsCon Minnesota has also included a strong presence of the "Dementia" (comedy/novelty/filk) music genre, making the convention one of the largest events in the country to showcase such music.

Conventions

Past

MarsCon 1999: Celebrating 60 Years of Fandom

Where: Radisson South Hotel

When: February 26–28, 1999

Guests of Honor: Carl David, Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak

MarsCon 2000: Don't Panic! (Alternate Subversive Theme: M’00)

Where: Radisson South Hotel

When: May 12–14, 2000

Guests of Honor: Mark Allen Shepherd, Lisa Getto, Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, Denise Boie, Jack Borkowski, Donald R. Schmitt, Chesley Bonestell (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2001: A Space Oddity

Where: Radisson South Hotel

When: May 11–13, 2001

Guests of Honor: Jane Yolen, Bill Blair, Carl Talliaferro, Christopher Jones, Michael Liebmann, David Arneson, Stanley Kubrick (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2002: The Magic of Fantasy

Where: Airport Hilton

When: March 1–3, 2002

Guests of Honor: Lyda Morehouse, Peter Woodward, John Levene, Robin Wood, Harvey (See Harvey (play))

MarsCon 2003: No One Here is Exactly What He Appears

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: February 28-March 2, 2003

Guests of Honor: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller (science fiction writer), Julie Caitlin Brown, Lev Mailer, John Garner (artist), David Mendez, Douglas Adams (Posthumous)

MarsCon 2004: Let's Play Doctor!

Where: Airport Hilton

When: March 5–7, 2004

Guests of Honor: John M. Ford, Richard Biggs, Barry Hansen “Dr. Demento”, Dawn Devine Brown “Davina (costumer)”, Luke Sienkowski “The Great Luke Ski”, David E Romm

MarsCon 2005: Galactic Pirates and Mercenaries

Where: Airport Marriott

When: March 4–6, 2005

Guests of Honor: Richard Herd, Jeremy Bulloch, Stephanie Gannaway-Osborn, Timothy Zahn, Todd Coss, The Great Luke Ski, Ron Ross, Herbert Jefferson, Jr.

MarsCon 2006: Things That Go Bump in the Night

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: March 3–5, 2006

Guests of Honor: Gigi Edgley, Dean Haglund, Beth Hansen, Walter H. Hunt, Paul Lawrence (producer), Tom Smith (filker), Hugh Gregory

MarsCon 2007

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: March 2–4, 2007

Guests of Honor: Don S. Davis, Patricia Tallman, Todd Lockwood, Eric Larson, Eleanor Arnason, Ookla the Mok

MarsCon 2008: Press Start To Continue

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: February 29-March 2, 2008

Guests of Honor: Bill Blair, Jeff Easley, Naomi Kritzer, C. Robert Cargill, Hot Waffles

MarsCon 2009: Invasion!

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: March 6–8, 2009^[2]

Guests of Honor: Musetta Vander, Scott Rosema, Suzanne Hiza-Rezema, Jeanne Cavelos, Wally Pleasant^[3]

MarsCon 2010: Dark Lords and Femme Fatales

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: March 5–7, 2010^[1]

Guests of Honor: John Garner, Loretta McKibben, Nick Atoms, Gwynyth Walsh

MarsCon 2011: Days of Magic!

Where: Holiday Inn Select

When: March 4–6, 2011^[4]

Guests of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold, Joe Rheault, Megan Rheault, Bjo Trimble, John Trimble, Worm Quartet

MarsCon 2012: Rockin' the Apocalypse

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites

When: March 9–12, 2012

Guests of Honor: Lukas Effinger, Catherine Asaro, Rob Callahan, Consortium of Genius

MarsCon 2013: Ctrl/Alt/Del... Thriving into the future

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Suites, 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55425

When: March 1–3, 2013

Guests of Honor: actress Claudia Christian, author Harry Turtledove, science author Gerald Nordley, artist Sarah Clemens, comic artist W.C. Carani, fan/costuming The Thrift Brothers, and music Flat 29.

MarsCon 2014: Time is the Key

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, Bloomington-Minneapolis South

When: March 7–9, 2014

Guests of Honor: J. G. Hertzler, Esther Friesner, Mickie Erickson, Rae Lundquist, Henry Phillips, Dave Duca, Bridget Landry, and the Klingons of IKV RakeHell.

MarsCon 2015: Heroes & Wizerds & Fae OHhh MYyy!!

Where: Airport Hilton

When: March 6–8, 2015

Guests of Honor: Spice Williams-Crosby, Antoinette Bower, Robert Odegard, Lyda Morehouse, Richard Tatge, Eric Wile, Rob Paravonian, Dave Duca, and Mike Glielmi.

MarsCon 2016: Parallel Dimensions