CONvergence 2008

Comments (0) By Ward Rubrecht Wednesday, Jul 2 2008

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It's no exaggeration to say that CONvergence is the biggest event of the year for Minnesotan geeks. It's a four-day-long, all-hours party celebrating all things gaming, anime, fantasy, and sci-fi. The 10th anniversary celebration has so many attractions that we can't possibly list them all, but we'll try to hit some big draws. Bookworms should head to the literature room, where Valdemar series co-authors, husband and wife team Larry Dixon and Mercedes Lackey, will be reading from their work. Game rooms open throughout the CON provide spaces for Magic: The Gathering players and computer gaming, as well as table-top roleplaying from Dungeons & Dragons dungeon-dives to twisted Lovecraftian mysteries. Panel discussions abound, with nerdgasmic topics like "Where Should We Go in Space?" and "Gold Knight: The Lives of Iron Man." There'll also be a panel workshop with tips on how to pitch and sell your own speculative fiction. For more passive enjoyment, two theaters host near-constant showings of anime, fantasy, and sci-fi films and TV shows. There's even a black-lit mini-golf course. If all the exertion has you feeling sleepy, stop by the free coffee shop and fuel up in preparation for the next 12-hour stint. Then, head over to one of the music stages, where you can listen to an eclectic mix, including local percussion band Savage Aural Hotbed. For maximum eye-candy, show up for the masquerade competition, where masters of the theatrical model their handcrafted, geek-themed costumes. Three dances feature live industrial and electropop DJs, and lend ample opportunity to bump booties with that cute chick or dude you've had your eye on all weekend. For a complete schedule visit www.convergence-con.org or call 651.647.3487 for more info. $25-$65. Event starts at noon Thursday, runs 24 hours on Friday and Saturday, ends at 6 p.m. Sunday.
July 3-6, 2008