Capricon is a science fiction convention held annually in the Chicago area. It is sponsored by Phandemonium and has been held each year since 1981.
This article provides a listing of all Capricons, detailing their dates, locations, chairpersons, guests and (starting in 1999) the themes of each convention.
Except where indicated otherwise, all information is taken from the "History of Capricon" page at Capricon's web site.
Event Date Location Chair Theme Guests Capricon 1 February 20–22, 1981 Holiday Inn, Evanston, Illinois Chip Bestler Author Guest of Honor: Terry Carr/Wilson Tucker Fen Guests of Honor: J.R. & Mary Jane Holmes Capricon 2 February 1982 Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois Leah Bestler Author Guest of Honor: Gene Wolfe Fan Guest of Honor: Mike Stein Capricon 3 February 1983 Radisson Hotel, Chicago, Illinois Virginia Meisinger Author Guest of Honor: Stephen R. Donaldson Fan Guest of Honor: Otlie & Phil Foglio Capricon 4 February 1984 Continental Hotel, Chicago, Illinois Marty Coady Fabish Author Guest of Honor: Paul O. Williams Fan Guest of Honor: Jeff Duntemann Capricon 5 February 1985 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois Ginny Meisinger Author Guest of Honor: Frederik Pohl Artist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. Coltrain Capricon 6 February 28 - March 2, 1986 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois Ginny Meisinger Author Guest of Honor: David R. Palmer Fan Guest of Honor: Tim Allen Capricon 7 February 1987 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois No chair Author Guest of Honor: Jerry Oltion Artist Guest of Honor: Stephen HickmanFan Guest of Honor: Joan Hanke-Woods Capricon 8 February 1988 Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois Alice Bentley Author Guest of Honor: Lawrence Watt-EvansArtist Guest of Honor: Kay Reynolds Fan Guest of Honor: Kathleen Meyer Capricon 9 February 1989 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois Alice Bentley Author Guest of Honor: Howard Waldrop Fan Guest of Honor: Ken Fletcher Capricon 10 February 1990 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois Amy Schaefer Author Guest of Honor: P.C. HodgellArtist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Higgins Capricon 11 February 21–24, 1991 Lincolnwood (Purple) Hyatt, Lincolnwood, Illinois Alice Bentley Author Guest of Honor: Ellen KushnerEditor Guest of Honor: Beth MeachamFan Guest of Honor: Becky Thomson Capricon 12 February 20–23, 1992 Lincolnshire Resort, Lincolnshire, Illinois Amy Schaefer Author Guest of Honor: Terry Bisson Special Guests of Honor: Kim Stanley Robinson & Paul ParkFan Guest of Honor: Steve Scherer Capricon 13 February 18–21, 1993 Pheasant Run, St. Charles, Illinois Amy Schaefer Author Guest of Honor: Terry PratchettArtist Guest of Honor: Darlene P. ColtrainFan Guest of Honor: George Laskowski Capricon 14 February 1994 Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois Karen Babich Author Guest of Honor: Connie WillisArtist Guest of Honor: Mary Lynn SkirvinFan Guest of Honor: David Dyer-Bennet Capricon 15 February 16–19, 1995 Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois Kathy Nerat Author Guest of Honor: Nancy KressFan Guest of Honor: Sue Blom Capricon 16 February 8–11, 1996 Wyndham Hamilton, Itasca, Illinois Doug Winkler Author Guest of Honor: Sean Stewart Artist Guest of Honor: Scott GustafsonMedia Guest of Honor: Michael Stein Capricon 17 February 20–23, 1997 Oak Brook Hilton, Oak Brook, Illinois Doug Winkler Author Guest of Honor: Robert J. Sawyer Capricon 18 February 5–8, 1998 Holiday Inn O'Hare, Rosemont, Illinois Dina Krause Author Guest of Honor: Josepha Sherman Editor Guest of Honor: Steve Hockensmith Capricon 19 February 11–14, 1999 Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois Dave McCarty and Tracy Lunquist Villains Pro Guest of Honor: David Weber Artist Guest of Honor: Todd Cameron Hamilton Fan Guest of Honor: Phoenix Capricon 20 January 27–30, 2000 Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois Dave McCarty Armageddon Pro Guest of Honor: Larry Niven Science Guest of Honor: Chris Luchini Fan Guest of Honor: Joseph "Uncle Vlad" Stockman Capricon 21 February 8–11, 2001 Arlington Park Hilton, Arlington Heights, Illinois Tracy Lunquist Tellurian Exposition Pro Guest of Honor: Allen Steele Fan Guest of Honor: Geri Sullivan Capricon 22 February 7–10, 2002 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Deb Kosiba Fun & Games Fun Guest of Honor: Dr. Demento Game Guest of Honor: James Ernest Artist Guest of Honor: Kaja Foglio Fan Guest of Honor: David Abzug Capricon 23 February 6–9, 2003 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Cary Williams & Marnie Gucciard Gods & Monsters Author Guest of Honor: Tim Powers Artist Guest of Honor: Amy K. Brown Fan Guest of Honor: Bill Roper Capricon 24 January 29-February 1, 2004 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Dave McCarty Sensawondah Author Guests of Honor: Spider and Jeanne RobinsonArtist Guest of Honor: Kimberly Reck NASA Guest of Honor: Bryan Palaszewski Capricon 25 February 10–14, 2005 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Deb Kosiba Mad Scientists Author Guest of Honor: James P. Hogan Artist Guest of Honor: Shaenon K. Garrity Fan Guest of Honor: John Morse Capricon 26 February 9–13, 2006 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Greg (Guido) Williams University of Fandom (UFAN) Visiting Guest Faculty: Peter S. Beagle, Bryan Palaszewski from NASA, Kat Eggleston, Michael Longcor, Dr. Mary Crowell, Nick Pollotta, Jody Lynn Nye, Bill Fawcett, and Phyllis Eisenstein Capricon 27 February 8–11, 2007 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Gretchen Roper A Celebration of High Fantasy Author Guest of Honor: Lois McMaster Bujold Artist Guest of Honor: Erin McKee Fan Guest of Honor: Cat Faber Other special guests: Peter S. Beagle and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA Capricon 28 February 14–17, 2008 Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, Illinois Leane Verhulst Pirates SF Author Guest of Honor: Mike Resnick Pirate Guests of Honor: John Baur ("Ol' Chumbucket") and Mark Summers ("Cap'n Slappy"), creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day Artist Guest of Honor: Don Maitz Other special guests: Michael Longcor, Janny Wurts, Tori Baur ("Mad Sally"), Tom Smith, Bill and Brenda Sutton, and Bryan Palaszewski from NASA Capricon 29 February 19–22, 2009 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Helen Montgomery Camp Among the Stars Author: Sharon Shinn Artist: Gary Lippincott Fan: Christian McGuire Filk: Barry and Sally Childs-Helton NASA: Bryan Palaszewski Capricon 30 February 11–14, 2010 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Helen Montgomery Celebration! Authors: Frederik Pohl, Spider and Jeanne Robinson, and Robert J. Sawyer Artist: Lucy Synk Fan: Alice Bentley Capricon 31 February 10–13, 2011 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Erik Olson Escape Author: John Scalzi Artist: John Picacio Fans: Stephen Boucher and Janice Gelb Capricon 32 February 9–12, 2012 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Sandra de Jong Amazing Adventures Author: Cory Doctorow Media: Javier Grillo-MarxuachArtist: Les McClaine Fan: Steven H Silver Capricon 33 February 7–10, 2013 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Mike Cyganiewicz Artificial Intelligence Author: Daniel H. Wilson Artist: Karen Ann Hollingsworth Fan: Helen Montgomery Capricon 34 February 6–9, 2014 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Laura Dombrowski the 4th Dimension Author: S. M. Stirling Artist: Tom Peters Fan: Tadao Tomomatsu Special: Jan Stirling and Sherrilyn Kenyon Musical: Silent Nightmare Capricon 35 February 12–15, 2015 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois John (Shadowcat) Ickes R & R Author: Matt Forbeck Filk: Alexander James Adams Game: Margaret Weis Artist: John Bivens Podcaster: John Anealio Podcaster: Patrick Hester Fan: Elizabeth "Dr. Evil" Huffman Capricon 36 February 11–14, 2016 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Marinda Darnell Once Upon a Capricon... Author: Scott Lynch Artist: Eric Wilkerson Fan: Wendy Zdrodowski Dance: Mae the Bellydancer Puppet: Stacey Gordon Special: Mark Oshiro Capricon 37 February 16–19, 2017 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Peter Heltzer And the Children Shall Lead Author: Beth Revis Artist: Nilah Macgruder Fan: Meg Frank Music: Tim Griffin Capricon 38 February 15–18, 2018 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Terrence Miltner Expanding Universes Author: Timothy Zahn Artist: Sarah Wilkinson Fan: Dave McCarty Gaming: Monica Valentinelli Special: Matt McElroy Capricon 39 February 14–17, 2019 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, IllinoisD'Andre Williams Strange Beasts Arise Author: Seanan McGuire Artist: Phil Foglio Fan: Doug Rice Music: Carrie Dahlby Capricon 40 February 13–16, 2020 Westin Chicago North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois Aimee Dundon The Tropics of Capricon Author: Tobias Buckell Artist: Trungles Fan: Lillian Sams Capricon 41 February 4–7, 2021 Virtual Tammy Coxen Creating the Future we Want Aliette de Bodard Brandon O’Brien John Jennings Michi Trota Dr. Cacophonie Tamayo Capricon 42 February 3–6, 2022 Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Tori Carnall-Hawkins Rockin’ In The Outer Realms Author: Catherynne M. Valente Artist: Gene Ha Gaming: Tanya DePass Capricon 43 February 2–5, 2023 Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL Doug Killings AEteriny Awaits Author: Steven Brust Artist: Christine Mitzuk Fan: Moshe Yudkowsky Capricon 44 February 1–4, 2024 Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL Sam Haney Press The Endurance of Stars Author: K. Tempest Bradford Artist: Ariela Housman Literary: Catherine Lundoff Fan: Victor Jason Raymond, founder of the Carl Brandon Society Capricon 45 February 6-9, 2025 Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL Let Your Geek Flag Fly! Capricon 46 February 5–8, 2026 Mariott Chicago O'Hare, Chicago, IL Kevin Hilty Rise of the Humans Andrea Hairston Alexander Mui Edward Ongweso Jathan Sadowski Laser Webber
References Capricon I Program Book, p.2.: Terry Carr was unable to attend and Wilson Tucker attended in his place. Capricon 3 Program Book
External links
Phandemonium, Inc.