General FAQ
ABOUT US
CONvergence is a convention for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy in all media, and is held at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota on the first full weekend of July each year. CONvergence Events, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
CONvergence features four days of nearly round-the-clock entertainment including: Local and National Guests, Two Full Floors of Cabana Room Parties, Panels and other Programming, Live Music and DJ Dance, Costume Contest/Masquerade, Cinema Rex Movie Room, Theater Nippon Anime Room, Dealers Room, Art Show and Auction, ConSuite, COF2E2 Free Coffee Shop, Harmonic CONvergence, Connie's Space Lounge, and more!
This web site allows you to Volunteer, join our convention mailing list, or Contact Us.
Can I register online?
How many people attend CONvergence?
What is the history of CONvergence?
Why are you organized as a non-profit?
So is CONvergence still a non-profit even without MISFITS?
What qualities make CONvergence unique?
Why do you capitalize the CON in CONvergence?
Who is the smiling robot that we keep seeing everywhere?
Your weekend is bad for me. Do you have any plans to change your con's weekend in the future?
Will your convention be serving alcohol?
Do you have supporting memberships?
Does CONvergence offer Day Passes?
Can we put up signs at the hotel, like they do at some other conventions?
Why don't you have different kinds of soda? (I like Coke and you only have Pepsi products!)
Why doesn't the CONvergence website have a community forum or message board?
Why don’t you offer Childcare?
Why not allow space for us to do it?
How do I get a hotel room?
Why shouldn’t I contact the hotel directly?
How do I check that I’ve got a hotel room?
How do I sign up to host a room party?
How do I check that I’ve got a hotel room?
How do I check that I am registered?
How do I get on a panel?
I have a great idea for a programming panel - what do I do?
Sitting a panel looks like so much fun! How do I get on a panel?
How do I enter the Art Show?
How do I enter the Masquerade?
What is Consuite?
What is the Bridge?
What are these "Parties" you speak of?
What is the "concom"?
How can I get on the concom?
Why don’t you have a curfew?
Why do you badge?
Where does all the money go?
Does anyone get paid?
I can't afford to attend this year. Can I just copy my friend's badge at Kinko's?
What happens to people who forge badges?
Can I let my friend just copy my badge?
I'm only coming for the first two days, can I give my badge to a friend for the rest of the weekend?
So what happens if I get caught sharing a badge?
Can I lend my badge to my friend for just a little bit so he/she can see a panel/grab a snack at Consuite/shop in the Dealers Room?
But I can't afford to register this year and I really want to come!
Can I register online?
Sure! We’ve made an agreement with www.convention-reg.com to handle online registrations. Have your Credit Card ready, and they’ll take care of all your needs! If you don't want to do that, you can print out a form and mail it in with a check too.
How many people attend CONvergence?
In 2009, 3,996 people registered to attend convergence, with 3,894 people actually in attendance. Our attendance has continued to grow each year since the convention started in 1999, when we had exactly 1,500 registrations.
What is the history of CONvergence?
With the exception of our year 2000 convention, CONvergence has been held in the same hotel each year, the Sheraton Bloomington South (formerly the Radisson Hotel South), a hotel that has a long history with regional fandom, having hosted Minicon and other SF conventions in past years.
CONvergence was begun in 1998 in response to changes being made to Minicon, which had been the major SF convention on the local scene for decades, and in a different form is still held in the Twin Cities every Easter weekend. Minicon had intended to sharpen it's focus on SF literature, and to shrink the size of their convention which had ballooned to over 3,000 attendees after 32 years. CONvergence was never intended to copy or replace the "old" Minicon, but rather to take advantage of the perceived need to fill a niche that allowed us to create something new. We hoped to provide a home for those that wanted the large, boisterous convention that Minicon was moving away from, while further broadening our convention's focus to an even wider variety of genres and mediums connected to Science Fiction and Fantasy.
As part of the organization of CONvergence, a non-profit parent organization was created: The Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy. In 2009, CONvergence was spun off from MISFITS into its own, separate non-profit organization. CONvergence and MISFITS remain business partners, and as part of that partnership, CONvergence donates $25,000 to MISFITS annually funding various clubs, events and programs that benefit the community, including literacy programs and bringing authors and other creative professionals to speak at local schools. (See below for more reasons why we chose to organize as a non-profit).
Our first public event was a room party held at Minicon 33 in 1998 where we took over 500 pre-registrations for our first convention - which was still over a year away.
We observed our 1-year-to-go mark with the absurdly named CPAPAHWWH (pronounced See-PAH-pah-wah)- the CONvergence Pre-Anniversary Picnic and Hootenanny with Wacky Highjinx - a public picnic held July 4 weekend of 1998.
Our first convention was held July 2, 3 and 4 1999 and had 1,500 registered attendees. An archive of past conventions including Guests of Honor, attendance figures, budget information, and photos can be found here.
We wanted a name that truly described our convention. We wanted to evoke the feeling of community while still acknowledging the different media that comprise the science fiction/fantasy genre. We wanted to keep with the fandom tradition of making "con" part of our name, but wanted to stay away from the pattern of "SOMETHING-con" which seemed overly prevalent when the name was being decided on back in 1998. The more we thought about it, the better CONvergence sounded.
Why are you organized as a non-profit?
We chose to organize ourselves as a non-profit for several reasons:
The first, and most important, is that we are tax-exempt. This allows us to purchase goods at a lower rate and it makes our lives easier every April 15th.
Second, we can accept tax-deductible contributions. This is really an offshoot of the tax-exempt status. Corporations are far more likely to make a donation to us when they know they can write off that expense. The same is true of individuals. This allows us avenues of fund-raising that would otherwise be unavailable to us. The more funds we can raise outside of simple membership fees, the better convention we can provide.
Third, we can apply for grants and receive other benefits only available to non-profit organizations. This is a zero investment opportunity for us and, again, it allows us to put on a better con.
Finally, our non-profit status makes it easier for us to get clearances from copyright-holders to feature their films and music at our convention.
We need to point out that non-profit does not mean that an organization cannot make money. We can make bundles of money. The issue is how that money is spent. Basically, the members of the board cannot profit from the operation of the organization. All income must be used to fund charitable activities or to run the organization.
So is CONvergence still a non-profit even without MISFITS?
Yes. CONvergence is now the premier event of Convergence Events, Inc., a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to creating exciting events that connect, enrich and expand our diverse community, and to inspiring each other through creativity, learning, and service. We hope to be announcing new events regularly.
What qualities make CONvergence unique?
CONvergence attempts to draw together all the various mediums and aspects of the science fiction & fantasy genres as equals. Many conventions choose one aspect as a primary focus (literature, comics, movies, etc.). By covering this broad spectrum, we hope to show what brings all of us together as fans of the media.
Most fans are not a fan of Science Fiction in only one medium or narrow sub-genre. Our intention with CONvergence is to offer a large smorgasboard of entertainment and programming that we think would appeal to fans of SF and Fantasy. We do not expect that every event featured at CONvergence would appeal to every attendee, but we hope that plenty of fun can be found by anyone.
Towards this end, we not only invite guests of honor who are creatively involved in a variety of media, we organize our programming into different tracks reflected the different media, allowing attending fans to more easily find panels relating to their favorite, books, movies, television shows, comics, and games.
One of the best reasons for making the Sheraton Bloomington South our permanent home are the two floors of Cabana Rooms that surround the poolside area and open onto balconies and hallways surrounding poolside. These cabanas are filled with room parties run by individuals and fan groups. These parties all have individual themes, but the layout of the cabanas allows the energy from those parties to intermingle, creating a unique and exciting party space that is the heart of the convention on Friday and Saturday nights.
Many of the staples of an SF con are done a little differently at CONvergence. Most cons have a movie room, but Cinema Rex is special. A floor to ceiling screen, 5.1 surround sound, comfy chairs and couches, free soda, popcorn, cookies and other snacks. CONvergence takes the standard Anime room and transforms it into Theater Nippon, which is open 24 hours during the convention weekend and serves snacks including pokey and other Japanese goodies. And you've never seen anything at a convention quite like Connie's Space Lounge...
Finally, what makes us unique is you. Every convention gets its own unique character as a result of it's attendees. We hope you come to our convention and help us make it yours.
Why do you capitalize the CON in CONvergence?
Well, it turns out there is a sizeable Goth convention (Convergence) with the name Convergence and we wanted to differentiate ourselves from them. It's also to distinguish the name of our convention from the plain old word "convergence" when used in a sentence. And we all think it looks kind of cool. Of course, that doesn't stop people from trying to spell it differently. "ConVergence" seems to be the most common variant. But "CONvergence" is the official and correct version. Really.
Who is the smiling robot that we keep seeing everywhere?
That's Connie, our mascot. Ain't she cute? For more information about Connie, check out her Myspace page.
Your weekend is bad for me. Do you have any plans to change your con's weekend in the future?
No. CONvergence will always fall on the first full weekend in July. We know that this causes a conflict for some who would like to make other plans for July 4 in years when these dates coincide, but there is no weekend on the calendar that wouldn't pose a conflict for some subsection of our attendees. Our weekend was chosen considering a number of factors including:
- 1) Making sure that we were not in direct competition with any other local convention.
- 2) We also wanted to choose a holiday weekend when many people get a day off.
- 3) Finding a weekend that is a good fit for our hotel, the Sheraton Hotel South.
Will your convention be serving alcohol?
There is plenty of opportunity to drink at CONvergence, in fact MANY of the room parties at CONvergence serve alcohol (to those displaying ID to show that they are 21 or over), but the convention itself does not serve alcohol in ConSuite or any other location. We have two reasons for this:
- First - Expense. The cost of the liquor is not so much the issue as insurance and corkage fees. We simply would like to be able to spend that money on other things.
- Second - Liability. By not serving alcohol, the con is not liable for any liquor-related incidents. Room parties will be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages at their own discretion. They will be expected to follow all laws regarding under-age drinking. They will also be expected to stop serving those who have "had too much".
- This is the same policy that has been in use since CONvergence began in 1999, and it has worked very well. There is never a shortage of free alcohol for those who want it, but it makes things much easier for the convention. It has the added benefit of combating overcrowding around our ConSuite area.
Do you have supporting memberships?
No.
Does CONvergence offer Day Passes?
No, CONvergence does not have any plans to create a day pass program. It has to do with our philosophy of keeping the convention as a larger whole.
As a nonprofit, CONvergence's mission and our many commitments to our charity partners in the community demand we remain solvent. Day passes would not just impact the CONvergence philosophy but those other organizations to whom we commit funding.
It is not our intention to sell off the convention piecemeal. It's a package deal. We would much rather have our membership pre-register, and be a part of the whole convention. For those concerned about the at-the-door rates for the convention, we suggest that you pre-register to lock in a lower rate. CONvergence memberships ARE transferable, so you do have options if you find you are unable to attend.
Can we put up signs at the hotel, like they do at some other conventions?
Of course you can. There is abundant wallspace throughout the hotel where flyers can be placed, using MASKING TAPE ONLY. The rules about where one can put up flyers are driven by the hotel, and are sometimes tweaked from year to year. If you have any questions about where it is and isn't OK to place your flyers, please stop in to the Operations Bridge and ask.
Why don't you have different kinds of soda? (I like Coke and you only have Pepsi products!)
Coke, Pepsi, why can't we just all get along?
The truth is, we'd love to do both Coke AND Pepsi so cola drinkers of all varieties could hold hands and sing kumbaya in a caffeine induced moment of brother (or sister) hood. Alas, this moment of togetherness is not yet upon us and we must settle for Pepsi.
Why Pepsi? Because Coke won't rent the fountain dispensers anymore.
Seriously, that is the reason. If they returned our phone calls, we would take bids from both companies and choose the most cost effective option for the convention.
But for the last several years, Coke has not indicated they are interested in our business. Pepsi has been more than happy to receive our funds.
So the folks who like Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper and caffeine free Root Beer are having a ball while those who will only drink Diet Coke are shaking their fists in silent (or not so silent) frustration.
We will continue to reach out to the Coke folks on a regular basis and if things go better, you may see a year where the Sprite and 7up drinkers can enjoy their clear carbonated beverage of choice while arguing whether "Deep Space Nine" is better than "Babylon 5" (we choose not to offer an opinion).
Until then, we have Pepsi.
Why doesn't the CONvergence website have a community forum or message board?
We believe that such a forum could be confusing for the casual user on what is "official" policy or news. Instead, there are several online communities dedicated to CONvergence (and other fan groups and events) through all of the popular social networking sites. Official communication is restricted to meetings, our website and paper or electronic mailings.
Why don’t you offer Childcare?
We don’t offer childcare for two reasons: liability and cost.
The convention cannot afford to assume the enormous liability of
trying to care for children or for the cost of hiring professionals
with their own liability coverage.
Why not allow space for us to do it?
Quick answer: Liability again.
Longer answer: If parents want to get together and share the cost and
responsibility of arranging their own childcare, we think that’s
great. Any involvement on the convention’s part, however, brings in
the question of liability again. Additionally, we are short enough on
space for current convention events as it is. So if you want to find
some other parents at the convention and work something out for this
year or for the future, go for it!
How do I get a hotel room?
Fill out a Hotel Request Form and send it in. You can fill out the form found Form Removed, Hotel Full and the instructions are attached. We do fill the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel completely, and it is happening earlier each year, so if you are hoping to stay in the hotel, you should send in a form sooner rather than later. Once you have sent in a form and it has been processed, our Hotel Department will email you to confirm that you will have a hotel room. Once the Sheraton Bloomington is full, we do not have any other rooms available. There are many other hotels in the near vicinity, though - most with shuttles, and some walking distance!
Why shouldn’t I contact the hotel directly?
The Sheraton expects our Hotel Department to handle room requests, and as such, they do not train their staff to handle the special requirements of our attendees - and more importantly, there is no guarantee that you would be given the convention hotel room rate. By having our convention staff handle requests, we can accommodate groups of people wanting rooms near each other (yes, you can ask for that), we can help those planning room parties to be in a good location, and we can better plan for the needs of our Guests of Honor.
How do I check that I’ve got a hotel room?
First, give us some time to process your request! If you mailed it a week ago, that’s a little soon to be panicking. Once it has been processed, you will be sent an email. If it has been a while and you haven’t received a confirmation email, then email hotel@convergence-con.org and ask (politely).
How do I sign up to host a room party?
Email parties@convergence-con.org and inquire. They would be happy to help you out.
How do I check that I’ve got a hotel room?
First, give us some time to process your request! If you mailed it a week ago, that’s a little soon to be panicking. Once it has been processed, you will be sent an email. If it has been a while and you haven’t received a confirmation email, then email hotel@convergence-con.org and ask (politely).
How do I check that I am registered?
If you register early in the convention year, then your Progress Reports and other mailings will have a ® symbol next to your name. Shortly before the convention, we send out postcards to all those who are registered. And finally, you can always email registration@convergence-con.org and ask (politely).
How do I get on a panel?
Contact the programming department at programming@convergence-con.org. Keep in mind that due to the publication and other deadlines, you want to get any programming ideas and requests for participation during the winter and spring before the convention. The programming schedule is generally locked down May 1st, and the earlier you get information to Programming, the better.
I have a great idea for a programming panel - what do I do?
Come to the Programming Brainstorming Meeting (typically early November at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel). Email programming@convergence-con.org. Remember: If you have a great idea, it is more likely to happen if you are willing to do it yourself!
Sitting a panel looks like so much fun! How do I get on a panel?
Bring your own (come to the Programming Brainstorming Meeting in November) or email us. Or, once the proposed panels list has been posted online - sign up!
How do I enter the Art Show?
The artist form is posted to the website on the Art Show page about three months prior to the convention. To be notified when they are posted, or to get more information on participating in the Art Show, email artshow@convergence-con.org
How do I enter the Masquerade?
More information can be found in the FAQ as
well as the Masquerade page.
Quick
answer: Come to the convention ready to compete, and fill out an
entrant form on the first day. You’ll be walked through the other
parts of the process (tech rehearsals and the actual performance)
while you fill out and turn in your form.
What is Consuite?
Consuite is our 24-hour hospitality suite and social club. For
our registered members, we offer many types of soda, chips, candy,
fruits, vegetables, and other snacks. Every once in a while, we offer
"WOW" foods in limited quantities (like pizza or Chinese). We also
offer some other "real" food, such as a PB&J Bar and various soups and
rice with toppings. Along with this food, we offer plenty of social
space with many chairs for you to relax, snack, and meet your fellow
convention attendees!
PLEASE REMEMBER: It is not Consuite’s role or responsibility to
provide for all your food needs for the whole convention.
What is the Bridge?
"The Bridge" is the headquarters for our Operations Team and the communication hub for the whole convention. It acts as a Help Desk and a Dispatcher, making sure that any problems remain small problems that are dealt with quickly and with good humor.
What are these "Parties" you speak of?
Our poolside cabana rooms are given over (almost exclusively) to various groups and individuals who host a party for our attendees. These parties are themed, often highly-decorated, with events and activities, food and beverages, and warm and welcoming people. Our room parties make the night-time hours some of the most exciting and celebratory hours of the convention weekend! If the door is open, feel free to walk right in and say hello!
What is the "concom"?
The concom is short for "convention committee." The convention committee are the people who run each of the various departments and events of the convention. As of right now, there are over 30 different departments for the convention. If you would like to become involved in the running of the convention, simply email info@convergence-con.org and let us know!
How can I get on the concom?
Email us at info@convergence-con.org and let us know you are interested and we’ll get things started. Periodically, we make an announcement of a Recruitment Meeting, so read your announcement email for details. It helps if you have an idea of what you’d like to do and how involved you’d like to be!
Why don’t you have a curfew?
Attending CONvergence does not relieve you of your responsibility to parent your child. As such, we cannot judge at what point your offspring should be in bed, or what activities are inappropriate for your child to view or participate in. If you bring your child to the convention, be aware that the space is crowded, that many are wearing costumes that may have pointy bits, and that the later the hour gets, the more alcohol has been flowing. Any child found unattended at the convention will be brought to the Bridge and the parent contacted. If the parent cannot be found or contacted, Child Services will be called.
Why do you badge?
Each registration pays for all the events, Guests, food, movies, etc. that we all enjoy. Since we have all chipped in to help pay for this party, we want to keep party crashers out - they haven’t paid their fair share and why should you help feed and entertain them? Additionally, the majority of the behavior problems at the convention come from non-registered crashers. So - they haven’t paid, they’re mooching off of you, and they are causing the most problems. We think it’s worth it to try to dissuade them from attending.
Where does all the money go?
CONvergence promotes education, literacy, and community service Each year in our post mortem report, CONvergence gives budget information detailing how much money was raised and how it was spent. A majority of the money raised from registrations goes to running the convention. But a hefty sum - $25,000 in each of the last two years - goes to GPS.
Does anyone get paid?
We pay bands to perform at the convention. Some technical people are paid because we need their expertise and can’t find an appropriate volunteer. We have an accountant and a lawyer. Other than that, everyone who works on the convention is a volunteer. Impressive, huh?
I can't afford to attend this year. Can I just copy my friend's badge at Kinko's?
No, that's called "forging" and is unacceptable behavior.
If you are caught with a forged badge, you will be required to pay the
at-the-door price for membership or else face talking to the police.
Having paid for an at-the-door registration, you will then be asked to
leave the premises and will be banned from all future conventions. If
you wish to petition the Board of Directors for readmittance, you may
do so, but not until the next convention.
If it seems unfair that we make you pay only to then kick you out, consider that we are making you pay for whatever resources you have already used, as well as the inconvenience of dealing with an unpleasant situation.
What happens to people who forge badges?
See [above].
Can I let my friend just copy my badge?
No. See [above]. Also, you should know that any forged badge that is clearly a copy of a valid badge will also result in the same punishment for the person whose badge was copied. In other words, if you copy your badge for a friend, you get in just as much trouble as they do.
I'm only coming for the first two days, can I give my badge to a friend for the rest of the weekend?
No, you may not. So-called "badge sharing" is actually fraud. Leaving aside all other arguments (and they are numerous), each badge is a unique identifier for that person. If (heavens forbid) something bad were to happen and render you incapable of communicating, the badge is our first step in identifying you and getting you the help you need. If you are wearing someone else's badge, you put yourself and the convention at risk and that is Unacceptable.
So what happens if I get caught sharing a badge?
Punishment for badge sharing is as follows:
The registered member who loaned/shared their badge will be removed
from the convention immediately, and will be banned from attending
future conventions unless and until they petition the Board of
Directors for readmittance with an honest statement of wrong-doing and
culpability.
The person who is in possession of a badge not theirs will be given the choice of either registering immediately paying the at-the-door rate or leaving the convention immediately AND will be banned from future conventions unless and until they petition the Board of Directors for readmittance with an honest statement of wrong-doing and culpability.
Can I lend my badge to my friend for just a little bit so he/she can see a panel/grab a snack at Consuite/shop in the Dealers Room?
No, you may not. Want to know what would happen to you? See [above]. Is it really worth taking the chance just so your friend can see/snack/shop?
But I can't afford to register this year and I really want to come!
If you cannot afford to attend, then don't attend. Do not risk your future participation by trying to attend this year illegally. We will miss you, but we promise we'll have another convention next year. And you can always come to the hotel on Sunday and register for NEXT year using the at-the-convention rate, even if you are NOT registered for this year's convention.