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MarsCon 2004: Let's Play Doctor


MARS TODAY - AUGUST 2003

Dear Friends,

'Tis a wonderful month for Mars! ESA's Mars Express and Beagle 2 are en route and set to land on the red planet in December. NASA's twin Spirit and Opportunity spacecraft and Japan's Nozomi are also on their way. Here at home the news is that this very month, late August 2003, Earth and Mars will pass closer to each other than at any time since 1924. The two planets will not get this close again until 2287. It's the perfect time to bring out your telescopes and enjoy a view that you will never see again in our lifetime. Don't miss out.


NOW SHOWING...

On August 22 & 23, MarsCon movie night presents CYBORG (1989). In a post-apocalyptic future, Jean-Claude Van Damme portrays a strong martial arts fighter who leads a group to Atlanta in an effort to gain information crucial for curing a plague that is sweeping the country.

Join us Friday & Saturday, 11:30 p.m. at the Plaza Maplewood Theatre, 1 block east of White Bear Ave (south of Hwy 36) on 1847 E. Larpenteur Ave, Maplewood, Minnesota.
Admission price is $3.

Come out to see a good movie, mingle with other friendly folks and support the MarsCon Convention. Feel free to put it on your calendar and pass this email on to all your movie friends! Ticket sales help us put on a great convention with a reasonable membership rate. Concessions sales help support our kind host, Plaza Maplewood, so don't forget your Dots. MarsCon Movie Nights are sponsored by FenSF, Inc., the Fan's Educational Network for Science Fiction.


MOVIE SIGN!

MOO!!Film enthusiasts, in case you'd like a little more movie time between Cyborg showings... The makers of Blue Mars Film Room & Anime are eager to invite you to a "Geek-Out and Space Camp" scheduled for August 23rd-24th, 2003, beginning Saturday at high noon, on a farm about 50 miles west of Minneapolis. Whitestar Phoenix members, MarsCon volunteers and guests (past and present), along with family and friends are welcome to join in a fannish party with many tracks of zaniness. Activities will include: Mars & star gazing, movie watching, badminton, croquet, barbecueing, and toasting marshmallows over a campfire. Tents and campers welcome. Musical instruments, telescopes, toys, games, and obscure movies encouraged. There are cats. There are cows. Contact [deactivated -- see current year for a working email address] for more information & directions.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAY BRADBURY

To celebrate the opposition of Mars on August 27 and Ray Bradbury's 83rd birthday on August 22, The Planetary Society is gathering birthday greetings from well-wishers around the world to present to Bradbury in a giant birthday card. Anyone can join in sending these greetings by visiting The Planetary Society's web page at http://planetary.org/bradbury. The deadline for birthday greetings is August 20. Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman founded The Planetary Society in 1980 to advance the exploration of the solar system and to continue the search for extraterrestrial life. With members in over 125 countries, the Society is the largest space interest group in the world.


SAVE CLARION

If you're a science fiction or fantasy fan, this should concern you. Clarion, one of the top science fiction and fantasy writers' workshops has lost its funding. In light of a budget crisis, Michigan State University has discontinued the original Clarion after the current 2003 workshop. A letter-writing campaign and fundraising efforts are currently underway to save Clarion. If you would like to help out, please try this link for further information.


MARSCON BASICS

MarsCon is an?annual science fiction & fantasy convention sponsored by FenSF, Inc., and run completely by volunteers. Our theme for MarsCon 2004 is "Let's Play Doctor!" Guests of Honor will include Dr. Demento, Richard Biggs, John M. Ford, Davina, Baron David E Romm, and the great Luke Ski! The convention takes place March 5 - 7 at the Airport Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota. Convention activities include concerts, panel discussions, parties, gaming, science & art exhibits, specialty vendors, movies, singing, dancing and more. It's a great time.

To register for MarsCon, simply mail in a registration form along with your payment to this address: MarsCon, P.O. Box 21213, Eagan, MN 55121. Registration forms may be found at many local conventions, at comic/gaming supplies stores, or on the web at: http://marscon.org/stat/news/2004regform.pdf, OR you can register on-line using PayPal at: http://marscon.org/stat/register/index.html.

To reserve your room for MarsCon 2004, call the Airport Hilton at 952-854-2100. (Very Important: Please mention "MarsCon" when you call or you will be charged more for your room.) Sleeping room rates for MarsCon are $99 per night + tax. To request and reserve a party room, check out our Party Room Request Form at: http://marscon.org/stat/hotel/parties.html. Party rooms are $119 per night + tax.


NEXT MARSCON 2004 PLANNING MEETINGS

We generally meet on the third Sunday of each month, 1:00-4:00 p.m, at the convention hotel (Hilton Mpls/St. Paul Airport). If any last minute changes occur, details will be posted to the MarsCon website prior to any scheduled meeting. You are welcome to attend MarsCon meetings as a volunteer or spectator. It's a great way to get to know the committee and hear about upcoming events. The next planning meeting is scheduled for Aug 17, 2003, at the Airport Hilton Restaurant. For an up-to-date meeting schedule, please visit: http://marscon.org/stat/aboutus/meetings.html.

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 -- and drive all the way past the "Park 'N Fly" ramp. The Hilton driveway will be on your left and the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge driveway will be on your right.

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 -- and drive all the way past the "Park 'N Fly" ramp. The Hilton driveway will be on your left and the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge driveway will be on your right.


MARS TODAY SUBSCRIPTIONS

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 [deactivated -- see current year for a working email address] .


THANKS ONCE MORE TO VOLUNTEERS! WE COULD NOT POSSIBLY DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!!! MORE VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS WELCOME AND NEEDED!

MarsCon 2004: "Let's Play Doctor"
Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Hotel, Bloomington, MN
March 5-7, 2004 -- All Weekend Long!


HOW TO CONTACT MARSCON

E-Mail Address: [deactivated -- see current year for a working email address] *
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)
* Email address will change often to avoid spammers - this page should update automagically.

© 2003 FenSF, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This page last revised January 12, 2006 at 01:51 PM

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