Thank you to the many who have recently registered for MarsCon! Thanks for joining us! Hope to have a groshing time with you soon! We are now under a month away from the convention, and here's the latest:
Luke Sienkowski, a.k.a. "the great Luke Ski" will be joining us for MarsCon 2003. Luke Ski is a writer and performer of comedy music, much of which is about sci-fi and other aspects of fandom in pop culture. He is one of the most requested artists of the past decade on the nationally syndicated "Dr. Demento Show" comedy music radio program. Luke has the distinction of holding the #1 spot on the "Funny 25 of 2002" Countdown with his Spider-Man tribute song, "Peter Parker." He has been a guest and performed at dozens of conventions across the Midwest since 1994, including GenCon, MarCon, Star Wars Celebration, ALCON, and many more. If you're not familiar with his work, you can find out more at http://www.LukeSki.com, where he has audio samples of some of his songs, a history of his airplay on "The Dr. Demento Show," and more essential trivia about his filk & comedy music career.
LAN gaming is open to all attendees of MarsCon, although we advise it is MATURE RATED *. It is supported by volunteers of the convention. LAN gaming will take place in room 1306 throughout the convention weekend, courtesy of Eregion. (http://eregion.net/)
Important Message from Eregion
If you have any computer that can boot, run, and has at least Windows 95 or later, consider bringing it to MarsCon. Boat Anchors welcome, if they work.
If you have computers you don't want, also let us know before you bring them. Let us know what's wrong and we can find out if it is worth bringing. (Many C/Sci majors in Eregion or at least Computer lovers who know their machines.)
Your help/CPU is welcome! Donations welcome!
See us for details on what to do when bringing in computers. We have many suggestions. Send questions to: gild @ jovianclouds . com.
News
* We play very violent games on machines that are the pride and joy of many, no kids allowed without parental supervision. Rules of game play will be posted at the LAN room. Room will stay open as long as I or another can keep awake. Scheduled close hours may be posted that vary from program guide. Unscheduled shutdowns might happen.
We promise to keep a good eye on any machine you bring. I personally will be there at least 80% of the time, the other 20% will likely be experiencing the after-effects of lots of Jolt Cola or Mountain Dew.
Thanks,
Kevin of Eregion
The Gaming Suite will be open all day and all night throughout the convention weekend. Several events have been recently added, with more yet to come. A close-to-complete gaming schedule is posted at: http://marscon.org/2003/gaming.html. However...just to whet your appetite, here is a list of planned events:
Deadline time! The cheaper rates still apply to registrations that are postmarked or received January 31, 2003 (That's TODAY! - the date this message was posted). However, after January 31, at-the-door rates apply:
For folks trying to beat the clock, registration forms for MarsCon may be found on the web at: http://marscon.org/2003/registration.html. If you're on the MarsCon mailing list, the progress reports sent to you also contain registration forms. (If you're not on the mailing list or if your address has recently changed, let us know via one of the methods listed below, and we'll fix it.) Just fill out the registration form and mail it in. On-line registration through PayPal is also available via the web site at: http://www.marscon.org/2003/registration.paypal.html.
Not sure yet about attending? That's okay too. You may register when you arrive at the convention. Thanks for your support and hope to see you there.
NOW is the time to reserve a sleeping room for MarsCon weekend if you haven' t already done so. Rooms must be booked before February 20, 2003, in order to insure that you receive the special convention rate.
To reserve a sleeping room at the Holiday Inn Select, please call 952-854-9000 or 1-800-HOLIDAY, and make sure to mention "MarsCon" in order to get the reduced rates.
The Holiday Inn Select is located by Interstate-494 & 34th Ave South in Bloomington, MN, conveniently near the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport and the Mall of America. Accommodations include an obscenely huge swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool, video game room, on-site restaurant, gift shop, cocktail lounge, and a full-service fitness center which offers massages, tanning beds, exercise equipment and aerobics classes. Sleeping room rates at the Holiday Inn Select will be $89.95 + tax per day for a regular room or $99.95 + tax per day for a suite.
Getting a room at the hotel is a wonderful way to enhance your convention experience. It gives you a home base, a place to park stuff, entertain friends, and land whenever you finish with partying throughout the convention weekend...not to mention it supports the convention and makes the host hotel very happy with MarsCon. Please reserve your room today.
The deadline for thirteenth floor party room requests has passed, but the twelfth floor still has room if you'd like to throw a party. If you are interested in reserving a party room, just let us know. Party rooms must be booked through the convention, and you will not need to contact the hotel. To reserve a party room, please contact MarsCon directly via Email 2003info@marscon.org, phone 612-724-0687, or snail mail at P.O. Box 21213, Eagan, MN 55121.
The Ever-Growing Parties List:
Maps of parties, including any last-minute changes, will be posted at the convention. Thanks for partying at MarsCon!!
Since our last issue, the schedule has gone through some tremendous changes. For a look at the slightly less preliminary program schedule, please see: http://marscon.org/2003/program.html. If you would like to help with programming as a room czar, a sign poster, a water refresher, a videographer, a speaker introducer, or in some other way, please contact Christine at 2003info@marscon.org or via one of the other methods listed below. Thank you in advance for any contributions you make to programming!
You Don't Look Blue-ish - The Blue Mars Film/Anime Room schedule is now available on-line at: http://marscon.org/2003/bluemars.html.
Dealers Are Fan-tas-tique! - A list of Dealers planning to ply their wares at MarsCon may now be viewed at: http://marscon.org/2003/dealers.html.
Mars Today Subscriptions - You can now directly control your email subscription to Mars Today. To add yourself -- or remove yourself -- from our email list please surf to http://mail.marscon.org/mailman/listinfo/marstoday and scroll down to "Subscribing to Mars Today" (to add yourself to our list) or "Mars Today Subscribers" (to remove yourself). Follow the instructions and you're in (or out). If you have any trouble at all with your Mars Today subscription tell the MarsCon webmaster via 2003web@MarsCon.org.
Last Call for Art Show Entries - MarsCon is a science fiction/fantasy convention, and will be showing multiple-genre science fiction/fantasy oriented work. There is still time to participate! For the Art Show schedule, guidelines, and information on how you can participate, please take a look at: http://marscon.org/2003/artshow.html or send an email request to artshow@marscon.org.
Only two meetings to go before the convention! MarsCon planning meetings (also known as ConCom Meetings) are generally held on the third Sunday of each month, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Meetings are open to all, volunteers and spectators alike, and we encourage you to attend if interested or even mildly curious. It's a little-known fact that these meetings can actually be fun. Shh...] Here is the schedule for upcoming ConCom Meetings which will all be held at the Holiday Inn Select, I-494 & 34th Ave S, Bloomington, MN:
A map with directions to the Holiday Inn Select may be found on the web at: http://marscon.org/2003/map.html. Here are further instructions on how to get there:
Directions: Driving EAST from Bloomington, etc: Take I-494 to the 34th Ave exit. Turn south -- away from the airport -- and drive to 80th Street, the first light. Turn east -- left -- then right at your first opportunity.
Directions: Driving WEST from St. Paul, Wisconsin, etc: Take either Highway 5 (St. Paul) or I494 (Wisconsin) to the 34th Ave exit. In either case turn south -- away from the airport -- and drive to 80th Street, the first light. Turn east -- left -- then right at your first opportunity.
When you turn in, the hotel main entrance & front desk will be directly to your right, and the hotel parking ramp will be directly to your left. The very top floor of the parking ramp connects to the hotel's second floor entrance which overlooks the pool area. Designated handicapped parking spaces are located immediately next to this entrance. Once inside the second floor of the hotel, you will need to go down the hall several feet before you reach the elevators (to your right) which you can take down to the main floor & front desk. If you are driving something too big for the parking ramp, just ask at the front desk. The hotel has additional parking about a half-block away.
Hope to see you there!
MarsCon 2003: "No One Here Is Exactly What He Appears"
Holiday Inn Select, I-494 & 34th Ave S, Bloomington, MN
Feb. 28-March 2, 2003 -- All Weekend Long!
How To Contact MarsCon
E-Mail Address: 2003info@marscon.org
Snail Mail: MarsCon, P.O. Box 21213, Eagan, MN 55121
Web Site Address: http://www.marscon.org
Phone: 612-724-0687 (no collect calls, please)
© 2003 FenSF, Inc. All rights reserved.
See you there!
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This page last revised January 12, 2006 at 01:51 PM