Bubonicon is an annual

multigenre convention A fan convention (also known as a con or fan meeting) is an event in which fans of a particular topic gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and each other. Some also incorporate comm ...

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, typically held during the last weekend of August.

History

Bubonicon was first held in 1969 as a literary

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

gathering in Albuquerque called NewMexiCon. Authors

Roy Tackett Roy Tackett (May 20, 1925 – May 23, 2003), also known as Horrible Old Roy Tackett, was a rifleman with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He has been credited with introducing science fiction to Japan when he was stationed t ...

and Robert E. Vardeman were two of the key figures in establishing and promoting Bubonicon in its early days. It grew from a gathering of 20 in 1969, to 50 people attending in 1971, to over 100 people attending Bubonicon 5 in 1973. 1973 also introduced Bubonicon's

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, sports team, university society, society, military unit, or brand, brand name. Mascots are als ...

, Perry Rhodent. The name Bubonicon, not officially adopted until 1971, is a nod to Albuquerque's long history of

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of Plague (disease), plague caused by the Bacteria, bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and ...

outbreaks, with Perry Rhodent a continuation of this theme. In 1976, one of Bubonicon's longest running traditions, the Green Slime Awards, was started in order to honor the worst in Science Fiction from the previous year. The convention began to include science lecturers, often from nearby

Sandia National Laboratories Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), also known as Sandia, is one of three research and development laboratories of the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Headquartered in Kirtland Air Force B ...

and the

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; ) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in th ...

. Lectures included topics from

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

microbiology Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...

and encompassed fiction and fantasy of all media. In the 1990s, Bubonicon averaged three hundred people in attendance. 2003's gathering marked the first time when over four hundred people attended. Bubonicon 42, held in 2010 at the Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel, featured a theme based on

Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author, humorist, and screenwriter, best known as the creator of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the ...

' ''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' is a Science fiction comedy, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), radio sitcom broadcast over two series on BBC ...

''. Honored guests included authors

Peter David Peter Allen David (September 23, 1956 – May 24, 2025), often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Grea ...

and

Mario Acevedo Mario Giovany Acevedo Méndez (born February 15, 1969) is a Guatemalan football forward. He played for many local clubs, most famously CSD Municipal in the Guatemala's top division. Club career Nicknamed ''El Coyote'', Acevedo played the majo ...

. In 2012, Bubonicon attendance was 700, at the new larger venue, Marriott Hotel, at Louisiana Blvd and I40. The theme was based on the Mayan Apocalypse idea of the "End of the World as We Know It." In 2013, attendance reached its peak at 980 with the theme of "Wonder Women". Bubonicon was canceled in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and was "virtual" in 2021, with the ability to stream events ranging from book discussions to scientific presentations offered by members of the

. 2022 witnessed the return to in-person gatherings, although with the smallest attendance the convention had experienced since 2008.

References

{{reflist, 2, refs= {{cite news , first=David , last=Steinberg , work=Albuquerque Journal , title=What is a Bubonicon anyway? , url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-1985358_ITM , date=August 19, 2001 , accessdate=March 3, 2010 {{cite news , first=Jennifer , last=Huard , work=

Albuquerque Journal The ''Albuquerque Journal'' is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of New Mexico. History The ''Golden Gate'' newspaper was founded in June 1880. In the fall of 1880, the owner of the ''Golden Gate'' died and Journal Publishing Company was ...

, title=I Was a Stranger in a Strange, Storm Trooper-Filled Land , url=http://www.journalwest.com/05026riorancho09-05-09.htm , date=September 5, 2009 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 {{Dead link, date=July 2020 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes {{cite news , first=David , last=Steinberg , work=

, title=Fans of Sci-Fi Honor Adams at Bubonicon , url=http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/books/2223217books08-22-10.htm , date=August 22, 2010 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 {{cite news , work=

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearance ...

, title=Or So You Say , page=118 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sGEfAQAAIAAJ&q=Bubonicon , date=June 1972 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 , quote=The Bubonicon was in most ways a direct antithesis to the LACon. Small (perhaps fifty members), friendly, unstructured (except for a luncheon banquet), and relaxed ..} {{cite news , work=

Locus Locus (plural loci) is Latin for "place". It may refer to: Mathematics and science * Locus (mathematics), the set of points satisfying a particular condition, often forming a curve * Root locus analysis, a diagram visualizing the position of r ...

, title=Deaths , url=http://www.locusmag.com/2003/News/News06Log4.html , date=June 10, 2003 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 {{cite book , first=Brian , last=Ash , work=The Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction , title=Conventions , page=278 , publisher=

Harmony Books Harmony Books is an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, itself part of publisher Penguin Random House. It was founded by Bruce Harris, a Crown executive, in 1972. The imprint has been used for such books as: * Jill Freedman, ''Circus Days'' ...

, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-SUYAAAAIAAJ&q=Bubonicon , date=1977 , isbn=9780517531747 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 {{cite news , first=Jessica Cassyle , last=Carr , work=

Weekly Alibi ''Weekly Alibi'', commonly referred to as ''The Alibi'', was a free weekly news, arts, culture, and entertainment newspaper and website in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The main features were the website's award-winning news section, featuring cult ...

, title=The force is with Bubonicon , url=http://alibi.com/art/24310/Over-the-Hill-ogram.html , date=August 21, 2008 , accessdate=April 6, 2011 {{cite news , work=

, title=The Answer Is 42 , url=http://alibi.com/film/33488/The-Answer-Is-42.html , date=August 26, 2010 , accessdate=April 5, 2011 {{cite news , first=Adam , last=Fox , work=

, title=Alibi Picks: Bubonicon 42 , url=http://alibi.com/blog/33514/Bubonicon-42.html , date=August 27, 2010 , accessdate=April 6, 2011

External links

Bubonicon official website
Science fiction conventions in the United States Recurring events established in 1969 Culture of Albuquerque, New Mexico 1969 establishments in New Mexico Conventions in New Mexico