List of fan conventions by date of founding

The list of modern fan conventions for various genres of entertainment extends to the first conventions held in the 1930s.

Some fan historians claim that the 1936 Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference, a.k.a. Philcon, was the first science fiction convention ever held. Others, such as Fred Patten and Rob Hansen, make this claim for the January 1937 event in Leeds, England,^[1] organized by the Leeds Science Fiction League, which was specifically organised as a conference, with a program and speakers. Out of this came the first incarnation of the British Science Fiction Association.

While a few conventions were created in various parts of the world within the period between 1935-1960, the number of convention establishments increased slightly in the 1960s and then increased dramatically in the 1970s, with many of the largest conventions in the modern era being established during the latter decade. Impeti for further establishment of local fan conventions include:

• The return of superhero characters and franchises during the Silver Age of Comic Books (1956-1970)
• science fiction adaptations for television serials (e.g., Star Trek) in the 1960s-1970s
• the growth of role-playing (in the 1970s and 1980s) as a genre of tabletop, live-action and eventually video/computer gaming, which not only inspired roleplay of favorite characters in full-body costumes but also inspired existing franchises to adapt their themes for said methods of gaming
• the growth in home taping (starting with VHS in the late 1970s) of television broadcasts, including popular serials.
• the growth of computerized communication, including the Internet and Internet-dependent applications in the 1980s and 1990s.

1930s

• Philcon (1936)
• Worldcon (1939)

1940s

• Boskone (1941)
• Eastercon (1948)
• Westercon (1948)

1950s

• Disclave (1950–1997)
• Midwestcon (1950)
• Lunacon (1957)

1960s

• MileHiCon (1960)
• Nihon SF Taikai (1962)
• DeepSouthCon (1963)
• First Long Beach Science Fantasy Convention (1963)
• Second Long Beach Science Fantasy Convention (1964)

1965

• Academy Con^[2]
• Detroit Triple Fan Fair^[3][4]
• Lucca Comics & Games — at that point known as "Salone Internazionale del Comics"
• Marcon

1966

• Balticon

1967

• Houstoncon^[5][6]

1968

• British Comic Art Convention^[7]
• Comic Art Convention^[8][9]
• Minicon

1969

• Aggiecon
• Bubonicon
• ConQuesT

1970s

• Multicon (1970–1982)
• Comic-Con — at that point called the "Golden State Comic-Con"^[10]

1971

• Arcana
• Creation Con^[11][12]
• Novacon
• VCON

1972

• Chicago Comic-Con — at that point called "Nostalgia '72"^[12]
• Eurocon
• Salón Internacional del Cómic del Principado de Asturias, Asturias, Spain (1972–2014)

1973

• Loscon
• Windycon

1974

• Angoulême International Comics Festival
• ConFusion
• LepreCon
• OrlandoCon
• TusCon

1975

• Atlanta Fantasy Fair (1975–1995)
• Comiket, Tokyo, Japan
• Icon (Iowa)
• NASFIC
• SwanCon
• Unicon (1975–1989)
• World Fantasy Convention

1976

• ConClave
• Chattacon
• Stellarcon

1977

• Archon
• CoastCon
• MidSouthCon
• Starfest
• Strip Turnhout Turnhout, Antwerp, Belgium — biennial show
• Wiscon

1978

• MediaWest*Con
• Norwescon

1979

• ArmadilloCon
• FantaCon, Albany, New York (1979–1990; 2013)
• NatCon (New Zealand)
• OryCon

1980s

1980

• Ad Astra
• Mid-Ohio Con
• Unicon

1981

• Barcelona International Comics Convention
• Capricon
• InConJunction

1982

• BayCon
• Dallas Fantasy Fair (1982–1995)
• Heroes Convention
• I-CON (1982)
• Life, the Universe, & Everything
• Microcon
• Neovention

1983

• Comix Fair (1983–c. 1996) — Houston, TX
• SFeraKon

1984

• Con-Version
• Ohio Valley Filk Fest
• Polcon
• United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC)
• Vulkon — at that point known as "Trekon"

1986

• Finncon
• Magnum Opus Con (1986–2001)
• Polaris

1987

• Confluence
• Dragon Con
• WonderCon

1988

• Starbase Indy
• Starfleet International Conference

1989

• Festival of Fantastic Films
• Motor City Comic Con

1990s

1990

• Octocon
• Arisia
• Gallifrey One
• DemiCon
• CONduit
• MarsCon (Virginia)
• Visions (1990–1998)
• A-Kon

1991

• DucKon

1992

• CAN-CON
• CAPTION
• Convencion de Juegos de Mesa y Comics
• FedCon
• Diversicon
• Dimension Jump
• Stripdagen Haarlem
• World Horror Convention

1993

• FACTS
• MegaCon
• ConDor

1994

• Alternative Press Expo
• BotCon
• G-Fest
• Memorabilia
• Pittsburgh Comicon
• Small Press Expo (SPX)

1995

• Armageddon
• Fan Expo Canada — then known as the "Canadian National Comic Book Expo"

1996

• Albacon
• Big Apple Convention — then known as "Halleluja Con"^[13]
• Festival fantazie
• Jornadas de Cómic (Aviles, Spain)

1997

• Conestoga
• ShadowCon
• Wizard World Chicago — takes over Chicago Comicon

1998

• ICon festival (Israel)
• MOBICON
• Swecon

1999

• Comic Festival — at that point known as "Comic 99"
• CONvergence
• EerieCon
• Générations Star Wars et Science Fiction
• MarsCon (Minnesota)
• Star Wars Celebration
• WillyCon

2000s

2000

• Baltimore Comic-Con
• DeepCon
• Gatecon
• New York International Sci-Fi and Fantasy Creators Convention (2000–2002)
• Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE)
• Trinoc*coN (2000–2008)
• UnCommonCon (2000–2001)

2001

• Capclave
• Coco Bulles (2001–2009)
• ConGlomeration
• Vericon
• What the Hell?! Con

2002

• Adventure Con
• ConCarolinas
• ConDFW
• Dallas Comic Con
• East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC)
• MoCCA Festival
• Phoenix Comicon
• Supanova Pop Culture Expo, Australia

2003

• Emerald City ComiCon
• TCAF
• Toronto Comic Con

2004

• ApolloCon
• Comic Expo (Bristol International Comic & Small Press Expo)
• Comics Salon (2004–2007) — Slovakia
• FenCon
• Itzacon
• Linucon (2004–2005)
• London Film and Comic Con
• Stumptown Comics Fest

2005

• Hypericon
• Komikazen
• MomoCon
• STAPLE!
• TimeGate

2006

• BabelCon
• Central Canada Comic Con — at this point known as the "Manitoba Comic Con"
• Lille Comics Festival
• Montreal Comic-con
• New York Comic Con

2007

• Lazy Dragon Con
• Geek.Kon
• Åcon

2008

• Comicpalooza
• Comics Fest India
• Hi-Ex
• SpoCon

2009

• Convention du Lac
• The North American Discworld Convention

2010s

2010

• Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2)
• SFContario (2010)
• Pensacola Comic Convention (2010)

2011

• BronyCon
• Comikaze Expo
• TrekTrax Atlanta

2012

• Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE)
• Denver Comic Con (DCC)
• East Coast Comicon — then known as the "Asbury Park Comicon"
• London Super Comic Convention
• Rhode Island Comic Con
• Wales Comic Con
• Wildcat Comic Con

2013

• Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE)
• Salt Lake Comic Con

2014

• RuffleCon

2015

• Rupaul's Drag Con

2016

• Silicon Valley Comic Con

References

1. Mike Glyer. "THE FIRST EVER CONVENTION," The Story So Far (Worldcon, 1987).
2. Thomas, Roy. "Splitting the Atom: More Than You Could Possibly Want to Know About the Creation of the Silver Age Mighty Mite!" The Alter Ego Collection, Volume 1 (TwoMorrows Publishing, 2006), p. 99.
3. Gabilliet, Jean-Paul. Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books (University of Mississippi Press, 2010), p. 265.
4. Nolte, Robert. "Latest Collecting Fad: Funny Thing Happened to Comics --They're Arty," Chicago Tribune (09 May 1965): n1
5. Thompson, Maggie. Newfangles #2 (May 1967), p. 2.
6. Beerbohm, Robert. "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words," Comic-Convention Memories (June 24, 2010).
7. Skinn, Dez. "Early days of UK comics conventions and marts," DezSkinn.com. Accessed Mar. 3, 2013.
8. Thompson, Maggie. Newfangles #9 (Apr. 1968).
9. Groth, Gary. "Editorial: Con Games," The Comics Journal #76 (Oct. 1, 1982), pp. 4-6.
10. Comic-Con Souvenir Book #40 p.61 (2009).
11. Pinaha, Bob. "Creation '71 No Turkey!" Comic Fandom Monthly (Jan. 1971), pp. 4–7.
12. Beerbohm, Robert. "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words," Comic-Convention Memories (June 24, 2010).
13. "Newswatch: NYC Comics Convention Cancelled, Fans Irate," The Comics Journal #185 (Mar. 1996), pp. 18-19.