Soonercon
Encyclopedia
SoonerCon is a fan-run multi-genre convention
held annually in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
. SoonerCon was founded in 1986 but went dormant after the 1997 event. In 2005, a group of fans, headed by con chair Jerry Wall, re-established SoonerCon as the multi-genre convention in Oklahoma City
. While originally created as a traditional sci-fi/fantasy convention, SoonerCon now crosses over to many different aspects of fandom including gaming, comics, literature, anime
, miniature modeling, costuming, art, and film.
, artist Keith Birdsong
, publisher Selina Rosen, plus media guests Claudia Christian
, Vaughn Armstrong
, Casey Biggs
, and Larry and Janet Nemecek. Activities included a large exhibitor hall, an art show and auction, film festival, dinner/theater, charity auction benefiting the local chapter of March of Dimes
: Walk America, Rocky Horror Picture Show, SinnerCon, and performances from Tribal Stars - Tribal Fusion Bellydancers. Programming included hours of workshops on topics ranging from art to makeup and costuming, and discussions of 2007’s topic, “Visitors from Beyond,” including discussions on UFOs, other dimensions, and Space Brothers. Other panels included guest question and answer sessions, autographing, readings, and performances.
and Gene Wolfe
to Brad W. Foster
and Robin Bailey, were welcomed to Oklahoma City.
In 1991, a sister event, ThunderCon, was formed by STAR OKC member Larry Nemecek. ThunderCon was intended to be a local charity "media con" emphasizing genre TV/film, comics, gaming, model-building, anime and pop culture, with actors, designers, and other guests—especially from Star Trek. ThunderCon, named in honor of Oklahoma’s spring weather, its Indian heritage and the state's heroic 45th Infantry Division (aka "Thunderbird Division"), debuted in June 1991 (balancing SoonerCon’s November setting) and lasted for seven annual editions, often with staff and helpers working both events.
Then in 2005, a group of fans, with permission from the original founders to use the name, brought back SoonerCon to fandom. SoonerCon 2006 was held July 15-16 at the Bricktown
Plaza in Oklahoma City with over 500 paid attendees and $1000 raised for a local charity, Citizens Caring for Children. SoonerCon 2007, now expanded to a three-day event, was held June 8-10 and has moved to the Biltmore Hotel. The 2008 SoonerCon was held June 6-8, 2008, at the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City. With a theme of "Pieces of '08," honored guests included toastmaster Selina Rosen, author John Ringo
, and artist Tom Kidd.
SoonerCon 2009 was held June 5-7, 2009, with featured guests Eric Flint
and Selina Rosen. The announced theme was "Slideways in Time."
culture" convention, TrickConTreat. TrickConTreat was held October 3-5, 2008, at the Holiday Inn & Suites Oklahoma City North location, 6200 N Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73118. Activities included children's programming, hands-on makeup and costuming workshops, an art show, unique vendors and exhibitors, ghost-hunting information from local paranormal investigators, a charity auction to benefit The Bella Foundation, and what has been deemed the first ever Hearse
and Shock-Rod Show in the state of Oklahoma. The 2009 event was cancelled with a promise of a return in 2010.
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
held annually in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. SoonerCon was founded in 1986 but went dormant after the 1997 event. In 2005, a group of fans, headed by con chair Jerry Wall, re-established SoonerCon as the multi-genre convention in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
. While originally created as a traditional sci-fi/fantasy convention, SoonerCon now crosses over to many different aspects of fandom including gaming, comics, literature, anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, miniature modeling, costuming, art, and film.
Programming
In 2007, SoonerCon hosted a variety of guests including author Stephen R. DonaldsonStephen R. Donaldson
Stephen Reeder Donaldson is an American fantasy, science fiction and mystery novelist, most famous for his Thomas Covenant series...
, artist Keith Birdsong
Keith Birdsong
Keith Birdsong , is an Native American illustrator known best for illustrating covers of Star Trek novels, usually depicting the various actors of the Star Trek television series and movies in a realistic manner....
, publisher Selina Rosen, plus media guests Claudia Christian
Claudia Christian
Claudia Ann Christian is an American actress, writer, singer, musician, and director, best known for her role as Commander Susan Ivanova on the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Career:...
, Vaughn Armstrong
Vaughn Armstrong
Vaughn Dale Armstrong is an American actor.-Prior to acting:Armstrong served in the United States military and saw action in the Vietnam War.-Star Trek:...
, Casey Biggs
Casey Biggs
Casey Patrick Biggs is an American actor, best known throughout the Star Trek community for his recurring role as the Cardassian Damar, on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Biography:...
, and Larry and Janet Nemecek. Activities included a large exhibitor hall, an art show and auction, film festival, dinner/theater, charity auction benefiting the local chapter of March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
: Walk America, Rocky Horror Picture Show, SinnerCon, and performances from Tribal Stars - Tribal Fusion Bellydancers. Programming included hours of workshops on topics ranging from art to makeup and costuming, and discussions of 2007’s topic, “Visitors from Beyond,” including discussions on UFOs, other dimensions, and Space Brothers. Other panels included guest question and answer sessions, autographing, readings, and performances.
History
First held in June 1986 under founding chair Mike Hodge and mainly sponsored by the STAR OKC SF fan club and other individuals, SoonerCon became Oklahoma City’s fan-based sci-fi convention until SoonerCon 13 in 1997. (SC 2 and 3 were both held in 1987, in order to reset the date from summer to the pre-Thanksgiving weekend in November.) During those years, lots of headliner artist and writer guests of honor, from Tim PowersTim Powers
Timothy Thomas "Tim" Powers is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Powers has won the World Fantasy Award twice for his critically acclaimed novels Last Call and Declare...
and Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
to Brad W. Foster
Brad W. Foster
Brad W. Foster is an American illustrator, cartoonist, writer and publisher. He is a fixture at the Hugo Awards, where he holds the record for most awards for "Best Fan Artist." As of 2011, since 1984 he has been nominated 23 times, and won 8...
and Robin Bailey, were welcomed to Oklahoma City.
In 1991, a sister event, ThunderCon, was formed by STAR OKC member Larry Nemecek. ThunderCon was intended to be a local charity "media con" emphasizing genre TV/film, comics, gaming, model-building, anime and pop culture, with actors, designers, and other guests—especially from Star Trek. ThunderCon, named in honor of Oklahoma’s spring weather, its Indian heritage and the state's heroic 45th Infantry Division (aka "Thunderbird Division"), debuted in June 1991 (balancing SoonerCon’s November setting) and lasted for seven annual editions, often with staff and helpers working both events.
Then in 2005, a group of fans, with permission from the original founders to use the name, brought back SoonerCon to fandom. SoonerCon 2006 was held July 15-16 at the Bricktown
Bricktown (Oklahoma City)
Bricktown is an entertainment district just east of downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . It was formerly a major warehouse district. The major attractions of the district are the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, the navigable Bricktown Canal, and the 16-screen Harkins movie theatre...
Plaza in Oklahoma City with over 500 paid attendees and $1000 raised for a local charity, Citizens Caring for Children. SoonerCon 2007, now expanded to a three-day event, was held June 8-10 and has moved to the Biltmore Hotel. The 2008 SoonerCon was held June 6-8, 2008, at the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City. With a theme of "Pieces of '08," honored guests included toastmaster Selina Rosen, author John Ringo
John Ringo
John Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers...
, and artist Tom Kidd.
SoonerCon 2009 was held June 5-7, 2009, with featured guests Eric Flint
Eric Flint
Eric Flint is an American author, editor, and e-publisher. The majority of his main works are alternate history science fiction, but he also writes humorous fantasy adventures.- Career :...
and Selina Rosen. The announced theme was "Slideways in Time."
Related conventions
SoonerCon's sister convention is the fan-run "HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
culture" convention, TrickConTreat. TrickConTreat was held October 3-5, 2008, at the Holiday Inn & Suites Oklahoma City North location, 6200 N Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73118. Activities included children's programming, hands-on makeup and costuming workshops, an art show, unique vendors and exhibitors, ghost-hunting information from local paranormal investigators, a charity auction to benefit The Bella Foundation, and what has been deemed the first ever Hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
and Shock-Rod Show in the state of Oklahoma. The 2009 event was cancelled with a promise of a return in 2010.