Hello from Special Events! We’ve got fun things lined up for Norwescon 46. But first, we wanted to talk about our department theme for this year.
For at least some congoers, especially those who are new, it can be overwhelming to be around so many great people you don’t know. Especially if regular Norwescon-goers know each other and are chatting in small circles. Have you ever had that feeling of being alone in a crowd? With no idea how to meet others without feeling awkward?
We’ve been there. Boy, have we been there.
We don’t want you to feel like an outsider when you attend con. You’re a member, so one theme this year is to make Norwescon feel more like membership. We’re making it easier to find people in your tribe. Besides all of the fantastic panels in Programming this year, Special Events is bringing the following:
Speed Friending: Heard of speed dating? You’ve got a few minutes to talk to someone, and when it’s over, you can choose to find each other later, or, hey, at least you met someone new? We’re doing the same thing, but with a focus on finding friends, on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Would You Like to Play Charades? We have several games of Charades happening Friday and Saturday afternoons, with a geek focus! Join a small team and show off your fandom knowledge. There will be game sessions dedicated to everything from Star Wars to anime to SFF/horror movies.
Know Stuff That’s Interesting to Other Geeks? After a whole weekend learning things from our pros, on Sunday afternoon we’re having an Unconvention! Sign up to talk for 3-10 minutes about your particular topic, which could be anything from how magma works, to writing story beats, to materials used to make cosplay armor, to…anything! You might find some new friends to talk with afterwards!
Dance, Dance, Dance. And of course, there will be dancing every night. Thursday night is the Fandom Dance—come dressed in your Pokemon backpack and your Fourth Doctor scarf and your MST3K t-shirt, and show off the things you find fun! Friday has more boogie. On Saturday is the Fae Ball, in honor of Jim Butcher and Charless Vess, so start working on those fancy outfits now! (Or just wear green pants. We’re not picky.)
And There’s More. We’ve got Rocky Horror, the Speculative Fiction Film Fest, the masquerade, board, card, role-playing, and LARP games, the Chill Lounge, and so much more! We hope this will be a con where you make new friends, learn new things, find new interests, and go home ready to come back.