CONvergence 2021: The Stuff of Legends is going to be a CONvergence like none other. We are still in the midst of a global pandemic, and this has affected CONvergence profoundly.
Picking Up Your Badge
Your first stop at CONvergence 2021 will probably be picking up your badge.
- This year Badge Pick-up will be located on the 2nd Floor in the Greenway Promenade, just at the top of the escalators! Head over to the Badge Pick-up page for hours of operation.
- Masks will be required while waiting in line for Badge Pick-up.
- YOU MUST HAVE PROOF OF FULL VACCINATION WITH YOU to pick up your badge. You will also need to present that proof if you lose your badge and need to replace it! A CDC card (or a photo of a CDC card on your phone) is best, but any official electronic or printed documentation that you have been vaccinated will be accepted. If you have questions about your individual proof of vaccination, please contact the Board of Directors.
- Because they cannot be vaccinated, NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 12 WILL BE ADMITTED. Members between ages 12 and 17 must have proof of vaccination.
- We are not accepting any at-the-door registrations for CONvergence 2021. If you are not pre-registered for CONvergence 2021, we look forward to seeing you in 2022!
Wait To Post Photos of Your Badge Online
When you get your CONvergence 2021 membership badge, please DO NOT post a close-up photo of it online or share a close-up photo of it with your friends until AFTER the convention is over. If you see your friends doing this, please ask them to take their badge photo(s) down until Sunday. Convention badge counterfeiting is real and this is something you can do to help prevent it at CONvergence!
Vaccination and Mask Requirements
As announced earlier, we will be requiring proof of full vaccination, as defined by the CDC to attend CONvergence 2021 in-person. You will need to present this proof when you pick up your badge, and again if you need to replace your badge.
A CDC card (or a photo of a CDC card on your phone) is best, but any official electronic or printed documentation that you have been vaccinated will be accepted. If you have questions about your individual proof of vaccination, please contact the Board of Directors.
We are also requiring masks to be worn over your nose and mouth in all CONvergence 2021 convention spaces. If you have questions about what sorts of masks are acceptable, we direct you to the CDC guidelines. Head to un-badged spaces in the Hyatt, your hotel room, or go outside to enjoy snacks or a meal. Help to prevent transmission of the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 and its variants in our community by distancing yourself from others when you remove your mask.
Hotel Rooms are Still Available
Due to COVID-19 safety measures, this year’s convention will be held with half the revenue of a typical CONvergence, while still paying for the same amount of function space. If CONvergence does not fill its room block at the Hyatt, we will face even more hotel costs. If you are thinking about getting a hotel room for CONvergence 2021, please book a room at the Hyatt through the CONvergence room block by contacting the hotel directly:
Jackie.Overlie@Hyatt.com
(612) 596-4635
Say you would like a room in the CONvergence room block.
When you check in to your room at the Hyatt for CONvergence 2021, you will be entered into the CONvergence Fill the Hotel Sweepstakes! Five lucky CONvergence community members will win three hotel nights and a free CONvergence membership for CONvergence 2022.
Be Aware of Changes for 2021
CONvergence 2021 will be very different from CONvergence 2019. Some changes are due to COVID-19 safety, some are due to lack of available staff to run things, some are due to a combination of both, and a few are just normal changes that would have happened anyway.
Buckle up, because this will be a long list! It also is not necessarily comprehensive, as some things are evolving even as we are setting up the convention. Please be patient and flexible as CONvergence volunteers do the best they can with limited resources, and when in doubt, head over to the CONvergence schedule for the most up-to-date information.
- You must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to attend CONvergence 2021 in-person.
- You must wear a face mask over your nose and mouth while in CONvergence convention spaces. (If you have questions about what sorts of masks are acceptable, we direct you to the CDC guidelines.)
- Because vaccination is required to attend CONvergence 2021 in-person, children under 12 years old are not eligible to attend.
- Because we capped membership sales at 3,500, there will be fewer people at CONvergence 2021.
- The Sensory Break Room is on hiatus for 2021.
- The Parenting Room is on hiatus for 2021.
- There will be ASL interpreters at Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and at panels featuring or attended by Guest of Honor Elsa Sjunneson. ASL will not be available by-request in 2021.
- There will be no CONvergence shuttles in 2021.
- Theater Nippon Anime Room is on hiatus for 2021.
- Due to staffing issues, LAN Gaming is on hiatus for 2021.
- CoF2E2 Free Coffee Shop is on hiatus for 2021.
- There will be no Dances or Raves in 2021.
- Space Lounge will not be available in-person in 2021, but they are hosting two virtual events.
- ConSuite will have only prepackaged snacks and bottled water in 2021. You can take these with you to un-badged spaces in the Hyatt, your hotel room, or outside to enjoy!
- There will be no official food trucks during CONvergence 2021. We hope for food trucks to return in 2022!
- Cinema Rex will not be able to offer snacks or couches in 2021.
- Elevators will not have volunteers stationed inside them in 2021.
- The Blood Drive is on hiatus for 2021.
- Costume Wars are on hiatus for 2021.
- Masquerade is not being judged in 2021; all entries will be exhibitions.
- Art Show will not accept walk-in submissions or have any awards in 2021, and Quick Sales will not be required to remain in the gallery until the close of the show on Saturday.
- Some of your favorite annual MainStage events will not occur in 2021, and Big Fun Radio Funtime has moved to Friday. Check the CONvergence 2021 Schedule for specifics.
- The Photo Booth will not have official CONvergence photographers scheduled to be available at specific times.
- Smokers Paradise has moved and is now The Grove.
- The GPS Charity Auction is using a hybrid format for CONvergence 2021. Bidding for most items will be done online, and you can pick up your items either at CONvergence 2021 or at the community center on the weekend following CONvergence 2021.
- The list of Safe Spaces has been updated for 2021.
- Volunteers Den is on hiatus for 2021.
- There are new Volunteer Thank-You Gifts for 2021, including the ability to earn reduced parking at the Hyatt!
- Many more things are being streamed online! Learn more on the CONvergence Online page.
- On Sunday, pre-registration for CONvergence 2022 will be open for cash sales only. Please register online via the website if you can!
Lastly, it is a very good idea to look over the CONvergence Member Conduct Policies before you arrive at the convention, as they are revised every year.
Recommended Apps
Deaf and Hard of Hearing members who usually rely on speech reading may not be able to understand you through your face mask. A great option is to write down what you want to say, or use a speech-to-text app to automatically transcribe what you say. Here are a few apps to check out!
- LiveTranscribe (Android)
- Ava (Android and iPhone)
- Wushi (iPhone)
- Speech to Text (Android)
- Voice to Text (Android)
- Cardzilla (Android and iPhone) is also a great app for typing what you want to say!
CONvergence Staycation
If you have signed up for CONvergence Staycation, you can check in and get your Staycation Package at a desk that will be set up near the Hyatt Lobby on Thursday, August 5, 2021. Please contact CONvergence Staycation if you have any questions.
CONvergence Online
During CONvergence 2021 there will be many events available to enjoy virtually, for those who cannot or choose not to attend the convention in-person or who want to limit their time in convention space. Head over to the CONvergence Online page for all the information and the full virtual event schedule!
Volunteers are Really Needed!
Due to the pandemic, CONvergence is very short-staffed this year. While you may not be able to join the Valkyries, you can still be a hero of legend and help your CONvergence Community make this year’s events happen, not to mention earn some awesome Volunteer Thank-You Gifts. Shifts are available right now on CONvergence Volunteers SignUp Genius for you to sign up in advance.
First time using SignUp Genius? Head over to the Signing Up for Volunteer Shifts page for video and text tutorials!
If you find yourself with down time during the convention and want to volunteer without having scheduled a shift, no problem! Just head over to the Volunteers Room (Lake Harriet Room on the fourth floor) and the volunteers there will connect you with a great way to help your fellow CONvergence members.
Treat Everyone With Respect
CONvergence is serious about providing a safe environment for all members, and we enforce our Harassment Policy very seriously. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you don’t harsh anyone’s squee.
Ask permission before you take a photo of another CONvergence member. (Not only is this polite, but it almost always results in a much better photo!)- Costumes are not consent to be hugged, touched, groped, grabbed, or sexually advanced upon. But this is also true for fancy dress, kilts, swimwear, or even just jeans and a t-shirt. It does not matter what gender a person is or what they are or aren’t wearing; harassment is harassment. If someone tells you they do not want to talk to you or do not want you to touch them, respect that and leave them alone.
- A good rule of thumb is to just explicitly ask for permission before touching any person in any way. Examples include:
- “May I put my arm around you for a photo?”
- “May I hug you?”
- “That fabric on your costume is so interesting. May I feel the texture?”
- Volunteers are doing a job and it is important to recognize that. If someone is volunteering, it is definitely not an appropriate time to make sexual advances or try to touch them. Just let them do their job.
- If you’re not sure which pronouns to use for a new friend at CONvergence, check for a pronoun sticker on their membership badge. If they don’t have a sticker, it’s always OK to just ask. You do this by saying, “What pronouns do you use?” It really is just that simple! If you don’t have a good opportunity to find out a person’s preferred pronouns, you’re generally safe using the gender-neutral pronoun, “they”.
- Restroom policing is very uncool. People know which restroom they belong in. Trust them to do their business in the place most comfortable for them and leave it at that.
If You See Something, Say Something
Part of being a community is taking responsibility for protecting that community. We’ve all got to look out for each other, and it really is quite simple!
- If you spot someone who looks like they are in distress, ask them if they would like you to contact Operations or First Advisors for them.
- If you witness someone being harassed, do not stay silent. Speak up and defuse the situation. If that doesn’t help, please report the harassment.
- If you witness someone breaking the rules outlined in the CONvergence Policies, try to educate them. It’s possible they are just ignorant of the policy. If that doesn’t help, contact Operations via The Bridge.
- If you spot someone whose prop weapon has not yet been Peace Bonded, suggest that they head to The Bridge for “The Talk”. They get a badge ribbon for doing it!
And contacting Operations at The Bridge is easier than ever with their text number: 651.800.1.OPS (651-800-1677)
Getting From Floor to Floor
At the Hyatt, CONvergence takes over the first six floors of the hotel. To get from floor to floor, you have to know what goes where. Here is a quick overview!
There are two banks of elevators and one set of escalators. There will also be one set of stairs open to floors with convention spaces. If you are able, please use either escalators or stairs to access floors 1–6.
- The Conference Elevators (two elevators near the escalators) serve convention spaces on floors 1–6.
- The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.
- The Guest Elevators (five elevators near the front desk, and in various locations on upper floors) serve guest rooms on all floors, with indirect access to convention spaces on floors 1–5
- The Escalators (centrally located) serve convention spaces on floors 1-5
- When boarding the escalators, please leave a gap of 1-2 steps between riders.
- Cosplayers or members with long articles of clothing should take care to avoid becoming entangled in the equipment.
- When exiting escalators, step off promptly, and immediately move clear of the escalator exit area. Do not stop to talk or look around. Other passengers may be behind you.
- The Open Stairwell (near the escalators and conference elevators, on the Nicollet Mall side of the hotel) provides access to all floors, but not the lobby; it exits onto the street.
- The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.
Note that other stairwells will provide egress to the ground floor but will not allow access to intermediary floors.
Remember the 6-2-1 Rule
The 6-2-1 Rule is:
- 6 hours of sleep per night
- 2 meals per day
- 1 shower per day
Practice self care while at CONvergence, and try to remind your friends to do the same. Also, remember to wash your hands often to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and con crud! If you’d like regular reminders to self-care, try following Professor Max on Twitter. He’ll be tweeting self care tips all weekend.
Be aware of Members with Disabilities
There are many CONvergence members with both visible and invisible disabilities. Here are a few simple things you can do to help make their CONvergence 2021 as awesome as yours!
- Keep paths clear. Don’t stand in the middle of a hallway or doorway. Always ask yourself, is there room for a wheelchair to get through? If not, make some. If everyone does this, it makes a big difference!
- Never assume ability. Many, many disabilities are “invisible”. This means that you can’t tell a person has the disability just by looking at them. It’s a good idea to never assume a person you don’t know is able-bodied. Don’t criticize them for their elevator, escalator, or chair use; they know their limitations much better than you do!
- Bathroom policing is never ok! You cannot determine a person’s disability or gender just by looking at them.
- Treat mobility aids as extensions of a person’s body. Never touch a person’s wheelchair, scooter, walker, crutches, or cane without their permission.
- Use a speech-to-text app to help you communicate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing members. There is a list of apps earlier in this post!
If you want more information about accessibility at CONvergence, check out the Accessibility & Inclusion page.
Have Props? Make sure to have “The Talk”
If you have a prop of any kind—even a fictional weapon—please bring it to The Bridge to be peace bound. An Operations volunteer will have “The Talk” with you, and you’ll walk out with a snazzy badge ribbon! Even if your prop weapon is just plastic and foam, getting it peace bound is a great signal to everyone around you that your weapon is safe. Your prop will not be damaged in the peace binding process!
Check out the CONvergence Props policies by clicking here.
Lost & Found
Did you know CONvergence has an at-con Lost and Found? If you find something or if you lose something during CONvergence 2021, head over to The Bridge!
Have Fun!
CONvergence 2021 will be different, and it certainly will be the stuff of legends in our community. By participating, you are becoming part of the story of CONvergence 2021 that people will be talking about online and in room parties for decades to come. Even with all of the precautions and changes, there is still a lot going on, so make sure that you have fun while you are here! Volunteer, get your geek on, and don’t forget to party to the max!
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