Finncon


Finncon is the largest science fiction convention in Finland and, with up to 15,000 participants, one of the largest SF conventions in Europe. Finncon is unique among SF conventions because it has no participation/membership fee, and is funded primarily on various cultural grants as well as income from traders. The event is organised annually in different cities in Finland.
From 2003 to 2009 and in 2011 the convention included the anime convention Animecon, which boosted the convention's attendance and public visibility significantly. Since then the conventions have separated, and the future of the Finnish Animecon is currently uncertain beyond the 2011 combined Finncon-Animecon.
Finncon alternates between different cities in Finland without a formal rota. Recently the event has been held almost every year, but occasionally a year is skipped if no city is found to host the event that year.

Finncons

yeardatescityGuests of Honournotes
1986HelsinkiBrian Aldiss
1989HelsinkiJohn Brunner, Tom Ölander
1991HelsinkiIain Banks
1993HelsinkiTerry Pratchett, Bryan Talbot
1995JyväskyläBruce Sterling, Vonda McIntyre, Storm Constantine
1997HelsinkiNorman Spinrad, Ian McDonald
1999TurkuConnie Willis, Philip Pullman
2000HelsinkiNeil Gaiman, Stephen Baxter, Ken MacLeod
2001JyväskyläJonathan Carroll, David Langford, Stelarc, Richard Stallman, Johanna Sinisaloalso the year's Baltcon
2003TurkuMichael Swanwick, Jonathan Clements, Steve Sansweet, Karolina Bjällerstedt Mickos, Bjørn Tore Sund, Boris Hurttaalso the year's Eurocon, Baltcon, and Animecon
2004JyväskyläRobin Hobb, Gwyneth Jones, John Clute, Cheryl Morganalso the year's Animecon
200618–20 AugustHelsinkiJeff VanderMeer, Risto Isomäki, Justina Robson, Rickard Berghornalso the year's Animecon
200714–15 JulyJyväskyläEllen Datlow, Joe Haldeman, Gay Haldeman, Elizabeth Hand, Cheryl Morgan, Ben Roimolaalso the year's Animecon
200826–27 JulyTamperePetri Hiltunen, Charles Vess, Farah Mendlesohn, M. John Harrisonalso the year's Animecon
200910–12 JulyHelsinkiGeorge R. R. Martin, Alastair Reynolds, Adam Roberts, Jari Lehtinenalso the year's Animecon
201017–18 JulyJyväskyläEllen Kushner, Pat Cadigan, Sari Peltoniemi, Liisa Rantalaiho
201115–17 JulyTurkuNalo Hopkinson, Richard Morgan, Himeka, Yukihiro Notsualso the year's Animecon
201220–22 JulyTampereLois McMaster Bujold, Liz Williams, Irma Hirsjärvi
20135–7 JulyHelsinkiAliette de Bodard, J. Pekka Mäkelä, Peter Watts, Stefan Ekman
201411–13 JulyJyväskyläElizabeth Bear, Hannu Rajaniemi, Jukka Halme
20161–3 JulyTampereJasper Fforde, Anne Leinonen, Catherynne M. Valente, Eeva-Liisa Tenhunen
201814–15 JulyTurkuLauren Beukes, Maria Turtschaninoff, Merja Polvinen
20195–7 JulyJyväskyläCharles Stross, Kersti Juva, Raine Koskimaa, Cheryl Morgan
202010–12 JulyTampereMike Carey, Helena Waris, Diane Duane, Vesa Sisättö, Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay