Other cons tabling at RCCC

[olivermoss]

* I was surprised to see the Orycon booth, as sad as it was. Oregon's 45 year old sci fi and fantasy con is ending this year, next month actually. I was going to avoid the booth, but instead I talked to them and asked why. They said they are getting smaller each year and rather than hang on, they want to end on a high note and make room for something new. Also, they said they intend to attend whatever new con pops up. Maybe that is the just the stock PR answer, but the guy I spoke to seemed sincere. I am kinda impressed. Then he rambled and said that the aging leadership wasn't attracting the younger crowd and I kept my mouth shut. I did mention that I was on OFSCI for a while, but he doesn't know who I am or my history with Orycon/OFSCI.

I asked about the endowments the con has for writing scholarships, bringing in a filk guest each year, etc. He didn't know what I was talking about. But, a planned ending as opposed to a collapse hopefully means it's all being handled properly.

* Andrew was at the Kumoricon booth? With what looked like an undercut? Not going to get into why I Have Questions about this. Those questions I will never get answers to (and it might be for the best that I don't), but I am glad I talked to the Orycon people even if... actually, especially since they were not the Orycon people I used to work with.

* Last year the SPEW people were grabbing people and pulling them into their little HP area. Last year a lady grabbed me like she knew me and something was urgent and pulled me in. I was so off balance I went with her and then quickly noped out. I had decided if they did that cute RP that involved a) touching people and b) assuming people are thrilled to suddenly be in an HP photo booth I was going to be significantly less chill about it this time. Fortunately, they were not doing their RP bullshit this year. Honestly, not sure how they got away with doing that all weekend last year.

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

A planned, intentional end is certainly better than the alternative. Even if that is a canned answer, I'm glad the guy you spoke with seems sincere. I hope that it's in general a sincere desire for something new to have room to thrive. And, like you said, that things like the con's endowments will be handled well.
(Though oof at the acknowledgement at the inability to capture new and younger fans' interest and such... I know we've talked about that.)

Real glad that no one tried that sort of yikes physical contact stuff for a fucking HP booth or whatever. Yuck. Extra yuck being HP related, but regardless, not appropriate.

[olivermoss]

I have no idea who is in charge of Orycon or OFSCI right now so maybe they do have their stuff together and are earnestly choosing a good course of action.

But like, the guy mentioned COVID as one of the things bringing down the con and I *wanted* to be all 'oh yeah, you mean how the con leadership decided that the con's traditions were so important that they fought cancellation tooth and nail and told people to come anyway in 2020? the leadership who took people wanting the con to cancel in 2020 like a betrayal of their precious con culture?' But them I didn't say shit because he's just a guy stuck at a booth.

For the HP booth I am still surprised they got away with that last year, acting like grabbing people was fun and quirky. I was upset at myself for not taking more issue with them last year, so I was sort of on the look out for then. Glad to see that nonsense is over with.