It is just a few days before this year’s Norwescon, and I hope that you all are as excited as I am. For the last year I have been watching the Norwescon ConCom putting together all the pieces that should make this one of the best Norwescons ever. Our Guests of Honor seem to be as excited about attending as we are to have them here. I hope everyone gets the chance to meet them, and to learn about all their fabulous works.

A great way to start the convention and to meet all our Guests of Honor is to attend the Banquet on Thursday night; if tickets are still available they will be on sale Thursday afternoon in the lobby area. The Banquet seating will be open, make sure you get in line early to have a better chance of sitting at a table with one of our Guests.

Friday is a very busy day at the convention; things get started at around 9 a.m. and run until way past midnight. One of the items you should work in to your Friday schedule is the P.K. Dick Award Ceremony, usually a number of the nominated authors attend and give readings of the work, so come find out who will win this year’s award. Did I mention that there will be desserts at the awards? There will, don’t miss it.

Saturday is our busiest day, with more things to do than you will have time for. Make sure to stop by an autograph session and get your favorite writers and artists to autograph their creations. In the evening I highly recommend the Masquerade, each year we have some of the best master costumers (and talented up and coming ones) present the costumes they have been working on all year long. This year, to increase the quality of the showing, we will not be presenting the masquerade live over the video channel (it will be shown in tape delay), so make sure you head down to Grand Ballroom 2 & 3 to see it live and watch the majesty unfold.

Finally, on Sunday, we have a number of interesting things planned including our first ever “Tournament of Muggle Quidditch.” The Art and Charity Auction is also always fun, make sure you bring your credit card as you will want to bid on things.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you at the convention. I also look forward to meeting and talking to our members, feel free to stop me in the halls and tell me about what you like (or don’t like) about our convention, as we are always looking for ways to make our convention even better.

Shawn Marier
Norwescon 35 Chairman