Hypericon is a

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from Realism (arts), realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or ...

convention held yearly in June in

Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. Hypericon is presented by Frontiers Nashville, a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

organization dedicated to the support of the fannish community and their myriad of interests, and partnered with Make Nashville, a local maker space and producer of the Nashville Mini Maker Faire. The event also supports the Nashville Public Library Foundation as a featured charity in 2017. Some convention activities include a "premium" consuite, luau, cosplay contest with a $500 prize,

role-playing games A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, eith ...

, live action roleplaying,

filmmaking Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...

panels, a room party competition, art show, dealers' room, artist and exhibit tables, screening room, "old-school" arcade, maker room, and 24-hour gaming room. Marriott Nashville

Through 2010, Hypericon was held at the Days Inn Stadium in Nashville. Starting in 2011, the convention moved to th
Holiday Inn Express Nashville Airport
near

Nashville International Airport Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identi ...

Past Conventions

Hypericon 1 was held June 17–19, 2005. Guests of Honor was

Tom Piccirilli Thomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist, short story writer, editor, and poet, known for his writing in the crime, mystery, and horror genres. Career Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, ...

, Hunter Cressall, Amy H. Sturgis, Melissa Gay, and Todd Lyles. Fan Guests of Honor were the Known World Players. Hypericon 2 was held June 23–25, 2006. Guest of Honor was

Tim Powers Timothy Thomas Powers (born February 29, 1952) is an American science fiction and fantasy fiction, fantasy author. His first major novel was ''The Drawing of the Dark'' (1979), but the novel that earned him wide praise was ''The Anubis Gates'' ...

. Special guests included

Sherrilyn Kenyon Sherrilyn Kenyon (born December 11, 1965) is a US writer. Under her former married name, she wrote both urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She is best known for her Dark-Hunter, Dark Hunter series. Under the pseudonym Kinley MacGregor she wr ...

Brian Keene Brian Keene (born September 22, 1967) is an American author and podcaster, primarily known for his work in horror, dark fantasy, crime fiction, and comic books. He has won the 2014 World Horror Grandmaster Award and two Bram Stoker Awards. In ad ...

Glen Cook Glen Charles Cook (born July 9, 1944) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for '' The Black Company'' and '' Garrett P.I.'' fantasy series. Biography Cook was born in New York City.John Skipp John Skipp (born May 20, 1957) is a splatterpunk horror and fantasy author and anthology editor, as well as a songwriter, screenwriter, film director, and film producer. He collaborated with Craig Spector on multiple novels, and has also colla ...

. Hypericon 3 was held June 15–17, 2007. Guest of Honor was Scott Nicholson. Artist Guests of Honor were Michael Bielaczyc and Paul Bielaczyc. Special guests were

and

Glen Cook Glen Charles Cook (born July 9, 1944) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for '' The Black Company'' and '' Garrett P.I.'' fantasy series. Biography Cook was born in New York City.Frank and Millie Kalisz Hypericon 4 was held June 27–29, 2008. Literary Guest of Honor was Joe R. Lansdale. Artist Guest of Honor was

Alex McVey Alex McVey is an American fine artist and illustrator from Texas, mostly known for his work on high-end limited edition books and album art. He has illustrated the works of Stephen King, William Peter Blatty, Brian Keene, Joe R. Lansdale, and ot ...

. Additional guests included

Elizabeth Donald Elizabeth Donald (born 1975) is an American author and journalist, best known for writing horror and science fiction, including the ''Nocturnal Urges'' vampire mystery series and ''Blackfire'' zombie series. Life and career Elizabeth Donald was ...

Sara M. Harvey Sara M. Harvey (born March 11, 1976) is an American costume designer, and an author of fiction and nonfiction, most notably having written multiple articles for the ''Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History''. She is a regula ...

, P.S. Gifford, and more. Hypericon 5 was held June 5–7, 2009, and served as the host to

DeepSouthCon The DeepSouthCon (DSC) is an annual science fiction convention, which is hosted in different cities in the Southern United States. Site selection is by vote of the membership of a given DSC, for the convention to be held 2 years in the future. DS ...

47. Author GoH was Brian Keene, Artist GoH was Steven Gilberts, Fan GoH was Bob Embler, Filk GoH was Kathy mar and Special Guests were Jonathan Mayberry and Glen Cook. Hypericon 6 was held June 4–6, 2010, and included

Ramsey Campbell Ramsey Campbell (born 4 January 1946) is an English horror fiction writer, editor and critic who has been writing for well over fifty years. He is the author of over 30 novels and hundreds of short stories, many of them winners of literary awa ...

, Glen Cook, and The Great Luke Ski among its honored guests. Hypericon 7 was held June 17–19, 2011, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport, and included author

Glen Cook Glen Charles Cook (born July 9, 1944) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for '' The Black Company'' and '' Garrett P.I.'' fantasy series. Biography Cook was born in New York City.Loren Damewood as guests of honor. The convention took a hiatus in 2012. Hypericon 8 was held June 14–16, 2013, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport, and included author

Robin Hobb Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (; born March 5, 1952), known by her pen names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, is an American writer of speculative fiction. As Hobb, she is best known for her fantasy novels set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', ...

as guest of honor. Hypericon 9 was held June 13–15, 2014, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport. Guests of honor were writer Jack Ketchum, artist Sam Flegal, author/costumer Sara M. Harvey, author Glen Cook, and author/filmmaker/small press guy Stephen Zimmer. Other guests included H. David Blalock, Jackie Gamber, Maruice Broaddus, Melissa Gay, Jimmy Gillentine, Herika Raymer, Loren Damewood, and Angelia Sparrow. H11-Cosplay

Hypericon 10 was held June 19–21, 2015, at the Holiday Inn Express Airport. Guests included writer Gabriel Bethir, artist Ethan Black, author H. David Blalock, Costume designer and hobbyist Kristen M Collins, Young Adult Novelist D. G. Driver and Author and RPG enthusiast Jonathan French. Other guests include Glen Cook, Dan Gamber, Jackie Gamber, Melissa Gay, Jimmy Gillentine, Eric Jamborsky, Mark Kinney, Brick Marlin, Robert Midgett, Van Allen Plexico, Betsy Phillips, Angelia Sparrow, Dennis R. Upkins, Stephen Zimmer, and others. Hypericon 11 was held June 17–19, 2016, at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. Guests of honor included author Stephen Zimmer, artist Mitch Foust, actor Santiago Cirilo, cosplayer Gogo Incognito, filmmaker and special-effects makeup artist Rick Prince, steampunk crafter James Neathery, and Master of Ceremonies Big Daddy Cool, Johnny Delarocca. Other guests included Michael Bielaczyc, Elonka Dunin, Melissa Gay, Cosplay, Inc., Infinite Dreams Gaming, D.G. Driver, Glen Cook, Cosplay Collective, Tommy Hancock, Michelle Nickel, Loren Damewood, Louise Herring-Jones, Van Allen Plexico, Conquest Gaming, and Bryan Stancliff Hypericon 12 was held June 16–18, 2017, at the Marriott Nashville Airport. Guests of Honor will include artist Bob Hepner, game designer Robert Schwalb, and Master of Ceremonies Big Daddy Cool, Johnny Delarocca. Other guests include author Leonardo Ramirez, drag performer Venus Ann Serena, and performance troupe The Bombshell Kittens, with more guests being announced on a regular basis as the event nears.

The "Next-Gen" Era

Beginning with Hypericon 11, organizers engaged in a modernization effort for the convention (internally deemed "Hypericon Next-Gen"), adopting new branding and a larger scope of content, guests, and fandom. Attendance doubled in the single year between 2015 and 2016 and a 2-4x increase is expected in 2017. Upon the cancelation of another local multi-genre convention, Geek Media Expo (GMX), interest in the market has been shifting to Hypericon.

Infinity Membership

In 2017, the convention began offering its take on a lifetime badge - the "Infinity Membership." This membership class, launched at a price of $300, serves as an ongoing and permanent registration for its holder, but is also transferable for a fraction of its original cost, an infinite number of times. The badge is metal and laser-etched, with a leather lanyard, and retained by the registrant for automatic entry into the event each year. The cost will increase over time as the convention grows, and there are multiple VIP benefits associated with the Infinity Membership. As part of the launch of this higher level of commitment for attendees, a fan investment opportunity was launched - the Infinity League - offering supporters one of six slots in an "elite" group who invest $1000 each for one year in the convention. They receive a complimentary Infinity Membership in return for their generosity, and in lieu of interest.

Social Missions

The event is billed as an opportunity for "enrichment through geekery," promotion of literacy through the "geek arts," supporting local maker culture, connecting creators to those aspiring to their craft, and connecting support for the local library's new media and "geeky" offerings. Another core value of the convention is to offer more substantial food in their consuite than many other events, to help offset attendance costs for fans in the community.

References

External links

* {{cite web , url=http://hp.forshado.ws/ , title=Hypericon official website Science fiction conventions in the United States Culture of Nashville, Tennessee Festivals in Tennessee Recurring events established in 2005 Tourist attractions in Nashville, Tennessee 2005 establishments in Tennessee