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Westercon History

Rev. 17-Jul-2008

Click here to see if there's an update on the Westercon website

Also see Richard Lynch's Fandom in the Sixties Convention chapter .

In 1948, Walter J. "Doc" Daugherty of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society proposed that an annual West Coast convention be started for West Coast fans who couldn't afford to travel east each year. The first Westercon was held in September, 1948. It was a one-day event with an attendance of 77, and its official title was "the first Annual West Coast Scienti-Fantasy Conference." Click here to see its Program Book and Len Moffatt's convention report (including his copy of the names from the convention's Guest Book).

It wasn't until 1951 that the Westercon became a weekend-long event, settled into the July 4th holiday and began traveling to different cities.

	DATE	CITY & NAME	HOTEL	GUESTS(S) OF HONOR	CHAIR/SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION
1	9/05/48	Los Angeles	Park View Manor		E. Everett Evans, LASFS
2	10/02/49	Los Angeles	Knights of Pythias Hall		Walter J. Daugherty, LASFS
3	06/18/50	Los Angeles	Knights of Pythias Hall	Dr. Robert S. Richardson	Freddie Hershey, Outlanders
4	6/29-7/01/51	San Francisco	California Hall (etc)	George Pal	Little Men, Steward Metchette, replaced by Tom Quinn
5	6/28-6/29/52	San Diego [SouthwesterCon]	U.S. Grant Hotel	Ray Bradbury, William Nolan	Roger Nelson
6	5/30-5/31/53	Los Angeles	Hotel Commodore	Gerald Heard	E. Everett Evans, LASFS
7	9/03-9/04/54^*	San Francisco [SF Con]	Sir Francis Drake Hotel	Jack Williamson	J. Ben Stark
8	7/03-7/04/55	Los Angeles	Hotel Commodore	Mel Hunter	Lew Kovner, Chesley Donovan Foundation
9	6/30-7/01/56	Oakland	Hotel Leamington	Richard Matheson	Marilyn Tulley
10	7/04-7/07/57	Hollywood	Hotel Knickerbocker	Mark Clifton	Lew Kovner, LASFS, CD Foundation
11	9/01/58 (combined with the Worldcon)	Los Angeles [SolaCon]	Alexandria Hotel	Richard Matheson	Anna S. Moffatt Outlanders
12	7/03-7/05/59	Seattle	Moore House	Alan E. Nourse	F.M. Busby, Nameless Ones
13	7/02-7/04/60	Boise [BoyCon]	Owyhee Hotel	Rog Phillips	Guy and Diane Terwilliger
14	7/01-7/02/61	Oakland [Baycon]	Hotel Leamington	Fritz Leiber [Pro], Jack Speer [Fan]	Honey Woods, GGFS
15	6/30-7/01/62	Los Angeles	Hotel Alexandria	Jack Vance [Pro], Alva Rogers [Fan]	Albert J. Lewis, LASFS
16	7/04-7/07/63	Burlingame	Hyatt House Hotel	Kris Neville [Pro]; F.M. & Elinor Busby [Fan]	Al haLevy, Little Men
17	9/04/64 (combined with the Worldcon)	Oakland [PacifiCon II]	Leamington Hotel	Edmond Hamilton & Leigh Brackett [Pro]; Forrest J. Ackerman [Fan]	Al haLevy & J. Ben Stark
18	7/03-7/05/65	Long Beach	Edgewater Inn	Frank Herbert [Pro]; Anthony Boucher [Fan]	Steve Tolliver, John Trimble
19	7/01-7/04/66	San Diego	Stardust Motor Hotel & Country Club	Harlan Ellison [Pro]; John & Bjo Trimble [Fan?]	Dennis N. Smith
20	7/01-7/04/67	Los Angeles	Sheraton-West Hotel	Marion Z. Bradley [Pro]; Lon Atkins [Fan]	Ted Johnstone, with Brandon Lamont as acting chairman during con
21	9/01/68 (combined with the Worldcon)	Berkeley [BAYCON]	Hotel Claremont	Philip Jose Farmer [Pro]; Walter J. Daugherty [Fan]	Bill Donaho, Alva Rogers, J. Ben Stark
22	7/03-7/06/69	Santa Monica [FUNCon II]	Miramar Hotel	Randall Garrett [Pro]; Roy Tackett [Fan]	Chuck Crayne, Bruce Pelz
23	7/02-7/05/70	Santa Barbara	Francisco Torres	Jack Williamson [Pro]; Rick Sneary [Fan]	John & Bjo Trimble
24	7/01-7/05/71	San Francisco [SFCon '71]	Hilton Inn	Avram Davidson [Pro]; Don Simpson [Fan]	Jerry Jacks
25	6/30-7/04/72 (combined with Mythcon)	Long Beach	Edgewater Hyatt House	Lloyd Biggle Jr. [Pro]; Len Moffatt [Fan]	Dave Hulan
26	6/30-7/04/73	San Francisco [SFCon '73]	St. Francis Hotel	Larry Niven [Pro], George Barr [Fan]; James Nelson Coleman [Special]	Jerry Jacks
27	7/03-7/07/74	Santa Barbara	Francisco Torres	Philip K. Dick [Pro]^[5] Charles Burbee [Fan]	Fred Patten
28	7/03-7/06/75	Oakland [OakLaCon]	Leamington Hotel	David Gerrold [Pro]; Charlie & Dena Brown [Fan]; Ian & Betty Ballantine [Special]	Lois Newman, Craig Miller
29	7/02-7/05/76	Los Angeles	Hyatt House Hotel	Horace L. Gold [Pro]; Gregg Calkins [Fan]	Bruce Pelz
30	7/01-7/04/77	Vancouver, BC	Totem Park Residence	Damon Knight [Pro]; Frank Denton [Fan]; Kate Wilhelm [Special]	Fran Skene
31	6/30-7/04/78	Los Angeles [Westercone]	L.A. Marriott Hotel	Poul Anderson [Pro]; Don C. Tompson [Fan]	Ed Finkelstein, Mike Glyer
32	7/04-7/08/79	San Francisco	Sheraton Palace Hotel	Richard Lupoff [Pro]; Bruce Pelz [Fan]; Sherry Gottlieb [Special]	Jerry Jacks
33	7/03-7/06/80	Los Angeles	Hyatt House Hotel	Roger Zelazny [Pro]; Bob Vardeman [Fan]	Milt Stevens
34	7/02-7/05/81	Sacramento	Red Lion Inn	C.J. Cherryh [Pro]; Grant Canfield [Fan]	Michael Garrels
35	7/02-7/05/82	Phoenix	The Phoenix Hilton	Gordon R. Dickson [Pro]; Fran Skene [Fan]; Robert Asprin [Special]	Randy Rau, CASFS
36	7/01-7/04/83	San Jose [Westerchron]	Red Lion Inn	Phil Klass [Writer]; Alicia Austin [Artist]; Tom Whitmore [Fan]	Lee Forgue
37	6/29-7/03/84	Portland	Portland Marriott Hotel	Harlan Ellison [Pro]; F.M. & Elinor Busby [Fan]; Alex Schomberg [Artist]	Steve Berry, Pam Davis, Bryce Walden, OSFCI (Oregon Science Fiction Conventions, Inc.)
38	7/03-7/07/85	Sacramento	Red Lion Inn	James Hogan [Pro]; Paula Christ [Fan]	Michael Garrells
39	7/03-7/06/86	San Diego	Town & Country Hotel	David Brin [Pro]; Karen Schaubelt Turner [Fan], Greg Bear [Toastmaster]	Gail Hanrahan, Mitchell Walker, Curtis White
40	7/02-7/05/87	Oakland [Episode XXXX]	Oakland Hyatt Regency & Convention Center	Gregory Benford [Writer]; Aubrey MacDermott [Fan]; Lela Dowling/Ken Macklin [Artist]; Leslie Fish [Filk]	Lisa Deutsch Harrigan
41	7/01-7/04/88	Phoenix	Hyatt Regency Phoenix Sheraton Phoenix	Robert Silverberg [Pro]; Craig Miller [Fan]; Real Musgrave [Artist]	Terry Gish	WARM BODY MEMBERS
42	6/30-7/04/89	Anaheim [Conosaurus]	Anaheim Marriott Hotel	John Varley [Pro]; Arthur Hlavaty [Fan]	Lex Nakashima (became sole chair during run up to con), Patrice Cook?, SCIFI	2500
43	7/05-7/08/90	Portland	Jantzen Beach/Columbia River Red Lion Hotels	Ursula K. LeGuin, Vonda McIntyre, Kate Wilhelm [Pros]; Art Widner [Fan]; Steve Perry [Toastmaster]	Patty Wells, John Lorentz, OSFCI
44	7/02-7/06/91	Vancouver, BC	Gage Residence Hall, University of British Columbia	William Gibson [Pro]; C.J. Cherryh [Pro]; Jerry Kaufman [Fan]; Suzanne Tompkins [Fan]; Steve Jackson [Gaming]; Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden [Editor]; Warren Oddsson [Artist]; Verna Terrestriel [Lensman]	Terry Fowler
45	7/02-7/05/92	Phoenix [Westercolt]	Phoenix Omni Adams San Carlos Hotel; Phoenix Symphony Hall	Jennifer Roberson [Pro]; Pat Mueller [Fan]; Rick Sternbach [Artist]	Bruce Farr
46	7/02-7/05/93	Seattle	Bellevue Red Lion	Greg Bear [Author]; F.M. & Elinor Busby [Fan]; Wally Weber [Fan], Wally Gonser [Fan]; George Alec Effinger [Toastmaster]	Richard Wright
47	7/01-7/04/94	Los Angeles [Conozoic]	Los Angeles Hilton	George R.R. Martin [Pro]; William Rotsler [Fan]; Real Musgrave [Artist]	Noel Wolfman, SCIFI	1444
48	6/30-7/03/95	Portland	Jantzen Beach/Columbia River Red Lion Hotels	Vernor Vinge [Pro]; Elayne Pelz [Fan]; John R. Foster [Artist]; Ray Villard [Science]	John Lorentz, OSFCI	1827
49	7/04-7/07/96	El Paso	Camino Real Paso Del Norte & The El Paso Convention Center	James P. Blaylock [Author]; Howard Waldrop [Author]; Brad W. Foster [Artist]; Arnie & Joyce Katz [Fan]; Pat Cadigan [Toastmaster]	Richard Brandt, Fred Duarte, El Paso Science Fiction & Fantasy Alliance, FACT	???
50	7/03-7/06/97	Seattle	Seattle Sheraton	Dr. Martin M. Greenberg [Writer Past]; J. Michael Straczynski [Writer Present]; Amy Thomson [Writer Future]; Victoria Lisi [Artist]; Jack Cohen [Science]; Walter J. Daugherty [Fan]; Spider & Jeanne Robinson [Music]	Sally Woehrle, SWOC (Seattle Westercon Organizing Committee)	???
51	7/02-7/05/98	San Diego [Concept 1998]	Mission Valley Marriott	Katherine Kurtz, Scott MacMillian, Sue Dawe [Fantasy Artist]; David W. Clark [Fan]	Dianna Hildreth, CAASM	1173
52	7/02-7/05/99	Spokane [Empirecon]	Doubletree Inn	C.J. Cherryh [Author]; Barbara Hambly [Author]; Kristine Kathryn Rusch [Author]; Alicia Austin [Artist]; Wendy Pini [Artist]; Ellen Datlow [Editor]; Larry Baker [Fan]; Betty Bigelow [Toastmaster]	Bob Ladd, Team Maroon	???
53	7/01-7/4-00	Honolulu [Conolulu]	Sheraton Waikiki	Dan Simmons [Author]; Ctein [Artist]; John Lorentz [Fan]	Kathryn Daugherty, SFSFC	244
54	7/05-7/08/01	Portland	Jantzen Beach & Columbia River Doubletree Hotels	Tim Powers [Author]; Mike Glyer [Fan]; Frank Lurz [Artist]	Dean Koenig, OSFCI	1293
55	7/04-7/07/02	Los Angeles [Conagerie]	LA Airport Radisson Hotel	Harry Turtledove [Author]; Robert Lichtman [Fan]; Beth Meacham [Editor]; Ross Chamberlain [Artist]	Bruce Pelz, SCIFI	1000
56	7/03-7/06/03	SeaTac	SeaTac Doubletree	Bruce Sterling [Author]; Lisa Snellings [Artist]; Connie Willis [Toastmaster]; Saul Jaffe [Fan]; Claire Eddy [Editor]	William Sadorus, SWOC	1400
57	7/02-7/05/04	Litchfield Park AZ [ConKopelli]	Wigwam Resort	C.J. Cherryh [Author] did not attend; David Cherry [Artist]; Heather Alexander [Music]; John Hertz [Fan]; Diana Gabaldon [Local Author]; Virginia Hey [Media]	Craig Dyer, WesternSFA	850
58	7/01-7/04/05	Calgary Alberta [Due North]	Westin Calgary	S.M. Stirling [Author]; Dave Duncan [Canadian Author]; Mark Ferrari [Artist]; Tom Doherty [Publisher], David Hartwell [Editor], Dr. Phil Currie [Science], Cliff Samuels & Eileen Capes [Fan]	John Mansfield, Randy McCharles, CWSFA [Canada West Science Fiction Association]	450
59	7/01-7/04/06	San Diego [Conzilla]	Mission Valley Marriott	Walter Jon Williams; Bob Eggleton [Artist]; Bobbi Armbruster [Fan]; Kevin J. Anderson [Toastmaster]	James M. Briggs, SDSFC [San Diego Science Fiction Conventions]	599
60	originally 7/06-7/09/07, moved to 6/30-7/03/07	originally San Jose Doubletree, moved to San Mateo [Gnomeward Bound]	San Mateo Marriott	Tad Williams [Writer]; Theresa Mather [Artist]; Christian McGuire [Fan]; Jay Lake [Toastmaster]	Michael Siladi, SPFII [Society for Promotion of Fannish Interests, Inc]	825
61	7/03-7/06/08	Las Vegas	JW Marriott Resort	Kage Baker [Writer]; Lubov [Artist]; Milt Stevens [Fan]	James Stanley Daugherty, Conventional Wisdom	313
62	7/02-7/05/09	Tempe AZ [FiestaCon]	Tempe Mission Palms	Todd Lockwood [Artist]; Alan Dean Foster [Writer]; Stanley Schmidt [Editor]; Jim & Doreen Webber [Fan]; Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden [Toastmasters]	Mike Willmoth, Leprecon Inc.
63	07/01-07/04/10	Pasadena CA [Confirmation]	Hilton Pasadena	Rudy Rucker [Pro]; John D. Berry [Fan]; Marc "Schirm" Schirmeister [Artist]	Christian B. McGuire, ISL [Institute for Specialized Literature]
64	07/01-07/04/11	San Jose, CA (ArmadilloCon)	The Fairmont, San Jose	Patricia A. McKillip [Pro Writer]; Phil & Kaja Foglio [Artists]; Mike Wilmoth [Fan]	Glenn Glazer, SFSFC [San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions, Inc.]
65	07/05-07/2012	Seattle, WA (Conclusion)	Doubletree Hotel, Seattle Airport	Robin Hobb aka Megan Lindholm [Author]; Frank & Brianna Spacekat Wu [Artist]; Art Bozlee [Science]; Chaz Boston-Baden [Fan]	Bobbie DuFault
66	07/04--07/2013	Sacramento, CA	Hilton Sacramento Arden West	Nicola Griffith & Kelley Eskridge [Author]; Eric Shanower [Artist]; David Maxine [Small Press Special Guest]; Warren Frey, Steven Schapansky, Chris Burgess [Fan: "The Three Who Rule"]	Kevin Roche & Andrew Trembley

* The 1954 Worldcon was combined with the Westercon that year, with John W. Campbell as Worldcon GoH and Jack Williamson as Westercon GoH. The Worldcon "Executive Committee" consisted of Lester Cole and Gary J. Nelson; the Westercon Chairman was J. Ben Stark. Robert Bloch was MC at the combined Convention Banquet.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 April 2013 )

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