Picocon
Picocon 29 will be held on Saturday 18th February 2012, in Imperial College Union.
What is Picocon?
Picocon is the annual one-day Science Fiction & Fantasy convention run by the Imperial College Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, ICSF. It usually takes place on a Saturday in February, in Imperial College's Student Union. We try not to clash with other conventions around the same time.
It is a small (hence the name), affordable and convenient convention for students and fans in or near London. Registration opens at 10am, with the first scheduled events kicking off at around 10:30. The schedule concludes in the evening. At a Picocon you will encounter:
- Guests of Honour doing talks and panels
- The Destruction of Dodgy Merchandise, typically using liquid nitrogen and an enormous hammer. (You're welcome to bring along donations!)
- Multiplayer LAN gaming
- Stalls selling books, ICSF t-shirts, and other stuff
- Quiz and silly games
- Student Union bar
When? Where?
Picocon 29 will take place on Saturday 18th February 2012 the Imperial College Union Building, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2BB. (map)
Timetable
| Timetable | ||
| 10:00 | Doors Open | |
| 10:30 | Justina Robson | LT1 |
| 11:30 | Adrian Czajkowski | LT1 |
| 12:30 | Lunch, with the Destruction of Dodgy Merchendise | |
| 14:00 | Tricia Sullivan | LT1 |
| 15:00 | Panel | LT1 |
| 16:00 | Turkey Entertainment | LT1 |
| 16:30 | Silly Games | LT1 |
| 17:30 | Harmless Fun | Beit Quad* |
| 18:00 | Quiz! | Metric |
| * - Location is weather dependent. Wet weather arrangements will be announced as required on the day. | ||
Guests of Honour
| Adrian Czajkowski | Justina Robson | Tricia Sullivan |
|---|---|---|
Adrian Czajkowski (spelled as Adrian Tchaikovsky in his books) is a British fantasy author best known work is the ongoing Shadows of the Apt, set in a hypothetical universe populated by different humanoid races, each named after (and having the characteristics of) an insect. Adrian can be found online at shadowsoftheapt.com. |
Justina Robson is a science fiction author from Leeds noted for sharply-drawn characters, and an intelligent and deeply thought-out approach to the tropes of the genre. Justina's blog can be found online at justinarobson.blogspot.com. |
Tricia Sullivan, born in New Jersey, U.S.A., and now linving in Shropshire is an Arthur C Clarke award-winning Science Fiction author, as well as a fantasy author under the psudonym Valery Leith Tricia's blog can be found online at triciasullivan.livejournal.com. |
LAN Tournament
Picocon will be host to a LAN gaming tournament. As last year, the games will be the award-winning DEFCON, developed by those lovely chaps at Introversion, and Unreal Tournament 2003
Prices
Entry for the day will cost:
- £5 for ICSF members;
- £8 concessions (with valid ID) - students/DHSS/OAP/children;
- £10 full price;
- FREE for past Guests of Honour.
Pre-order tickets are, unfortunately, only available for ICSF members and full price tickets; all types of ticket can be purchased on the door. If you pre-order a ticket, you may be asked to provide a copy of the conformation email (on a screen saves paper, don't forget)
Discounts for large parties (e.g. other University science fiction societies) are potentially available (email the Picocon Sofa).
Please note that neither ICSF nor Union membership is required to attend Picocon; all are welcome.
Directions to Picocon
Here's a general map of the area, pointing at the entrance to Beit Quad (which houses the Union) off Prince Consort Road.
The easiest way to get to Picocon is by tube; both Gloucester Road Station and South Kensington Station are within easy reach. The following TfL maps are accurate enough, as long as you ignore the place names: from Gloucester Road Station and from South Kensington Station.
There are planned closures on the Tube network on the Picocon weekend. For more information, see the TfL closure map.
The buses C1, 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414 and 452 all stop nearby. Please look here for the bus stops around the Royal Albert Hall (which is literally next door to the Union) or here for the bus stops around South Kensington Station.
Important Advice: If you get lost around South Kensington trying to find Beit Quad, ask for directions to the Royal Albert Hall, and once there, Beit Quad is the building on the left of the RAH as you face it's main entrance (if you arrive form the Hyde Park side, you will be at the rear of the RAH).
Contact Us
Our mail address is the following:
ICSF
Student Activites Centre
Imperial College Students' Union
Beit Quad
Prince Consort Road
SW7 2BB London
UK
The first Picocon was in 1984. If you're curious, we have a record of Picocons of years gone by.
For more information, please contact Wouter van der Beurgh, the Picocon Sofa (as opposed to chair), at picocon@icsf.org.uk.