Barbecues and baseball, picnics and parades. That’s the stuff of Memorial Day weekends, right?
Absolutely. But in the Bay Area, you can add anime, science fiction and game-playing conventions.
The annual events – FanimeCon, BayCon and KublaCon – are basically four-day parties for avid fans of a sprawling range of pop culture. That means Dragon Ball Z and Dr. Who. It means Japanese pop music and role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. For some folks, it means blowing their monthly budget in a spree of impulse buying in the dealers’ rooms.
The three conventions – and a video-game concert presented in conjunction with FanimeCon – have overlapping interests. But they also offer many distinct experiences. FanimeCon, with a primary focus on Japanese animation, expects to draw more than 10,000 people. The sci-fi inspired BayCon and the game-based KublaCon both expect more than 2,000.
Interested? Here’s your detailed planning guide:
BayCon 2007
(additional information at www.baycon.org)
Where and when:
The San Mateo Marriott, May 25-28.
What it’s all about:
BayCon, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is “the San Francisco Bay Area regional science fiction & fantasy convention,” which means its tendrils extend to just about everything with a pop-culture flavor. The organizers also plan events and panels that capitalize on sci-fi and fantasy fans’ attraction to subjects such as current events and technology. Diverse interests intersect in unexpected ways: Pet lovers snap up fantastical illustrations of cats from artists selling their work in a dealers room that’s also jammed with books, sci-fi DVDs and collectibles. The ambience features many convention-goers strolling in costumes – so many, in fact, that the convention spontaneously gives out award ribbons to people who make a memorable impression in the hallways.
The big attractions:
The big-name guests are authors: The sci-fi guest of honor is Alan Dean Foster (“Cyber Way” to cite one of his many novels), and the fantasy guest of honor is Diana L. Paxson (“The Golden Hills of Westria”). James P. Hogan (“Inherit the Stars”) is attending from Ireland. Events include masquerade (costume) competitions, all-night anime screenings, a charity casino and charity auction, and a variety of concerts, kicking off with a Saturday evening performance by “filk” artist Lynn Gold – filk being music and songs with sci-fi themes. Interactive events even include overnight “Boffer Wars,” at which people may “pummel friends and strangers alike with padded weapons.”
Inside tips and recommendations:
BayCon has never been out of San Jose before, but hotel issues have pushed the convention to San Mateo for one year (it’s booked for Santa Clara for 2008-2010). On the up side, organizers say there’s more than enough free parking and that they’ve worked with hotel management to expand the dining choices, which will include affordable breakfast and dinner buffets. The biggest programming tip involves Sunday’s 90-minute screening session for movie trailers and other film previews. Many of the details are secret, but (hint, hint) some clips from major projects may be seen for the first time.
Admission:
Online preregistration has closed. The full-weekend cost at the door for adults (anyone 12 and older) is $75. Friday only is $25 for adults; Saturday or Sunday only is $40, and Monday only is $20. There are no single-day child prices, so kids aged 8-11 get in for $25 either for the weekend or a single day. “Kid-in-tow” admissions (for children 7 and younger who must be accompanied by a parent at all times) are $5.
FanimeCon
(additional information at www.fanime.com)
Where and when:
McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, May 25-28
What it’s all about:
FanimeCon is devoted to anime – Japanese animation – and numerous offshoots, including an art show, musical performances and a costuming (“cosplay”) competition. Events take place at the San Jose Marriott, the Hilton San Jose and the Center for Performing Arts, as well as the convention center. One theme is consistent in the planning: “by fans, for fans.”
The big attractions:
Celebrity guests include Hiroyuki Yamaga, the Japanese writer-director-producer famous for the film “The Wings of Honneamise” and manga artist Sekihiko Inui (“Comic Party” and “Murder Princess”). The MusicFest, “featuring artists from or influenced by Japan,” is scheduled to include performances from the Japanese rock band Crack 6 (billed as making its first U.S. appearance) and Mechanical Panda, an all-female, “digital loud rock” band from the Tokyo area. There are panels scheduled on everything from anime blogs and pocky, a Japanese snack, to one on how to make shoes and boots for costumes. And no anime convention would be worth attending without round-the-clock video programming. This year’s highlights include U.S. premieres of Bandai’s “Gunbuster 2” and “Wings of Rean,” which will be introduced by Bandai executive Tatsunori Konno.
Tips and recommendations:
In terms of activities, check the Web site carefully for all the rules involving contests (karaoke, masquerade, fan-created music videos and more). If you’re driving, there’s paid parking at the convention center and hotels, but also lots that are free starting at 6 p.m. Friday and throughout the weekend, including the Monday holiday. Light-rail public transit stops in front of the convention center. Take sensible safety precautions, but have cash for buying activities – the ATMs tend to run out early.
Admission:
Early online registration is still open. Full weekend at the door: $55. Friday only: $25. Saturday only: $30. Sunday only: $30. Monday only: $20. Children 10 and younger get in free when accompanied by a paying parent or guardian.
KublaCon
(additional information at www.kublacon.com)
Where and when:
The Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, May 25-28
What it’s all about:
“The Khan of Cons” is about “traditional” games, which organizers basically define as tabletop board games, role-playing games (including Dungeons and Dragons), collectible card games (such as Magic the Gathering) and games with miniature figures (such as Warhammer) – but not video games! Compared to the other conventions, KublaCon is much more of an insider’s event, given the intricacy of same game rules or people’s unfamiliarity with some genres of games. But there are a number of events devoted to demonstrations, and the convention is using “BT” labeling so that people can find newbie-friendly “beginner’s track” programming. Heard something about “Settlers of Catan,” a board game from Germany that has gained a huge following since the late ’90s? Check out the “Settlers for Beginners” session Sunday afternoon. Convention officials say some games can be learned in 15 minutes or less, and that KublaCon is the place to test drive a game before buying it.
The big attractions:
The convention’s ultimate lure may be its social ambience: group fun instead of, say, solitary video-gaming. The winner of the Settlers of Catan tournament gets a free trip to the American championships at the Origins International Game Expo in Ohio in July. Days of Wonder, a major game designer and publisher, is showing off a new board game, Colosseum, which will be available for purchase for the first time. Guests include Alexander Fennel of Mongoose Publishing, military historian and wargame player Howie Muir, and Scott Alden and Derk Solko of BoardGameGeek.com. Sunday’s charity auction will benefit the National Kidney Foundation and its Northern California chapter. Items up for bid include a full weekend pass, along with hotel room, for next year’s convention.
Inside tips and recommendations:
The organizers strongly recommend preregistration online – available through Friday – for anyone attending throughout the weekend, mostly because it saves time otherwise spent in lines. They also recommend carpooling – KublaCon attendance has been more than 2,000 for each of the past three years. Non-guests will pay $1 an hour for hotel parking, and prices vary at area garages. Rooms at the hotel can be in high demand among convention-goers (Friday and Saturday nights have sold out past years). The large majority of events are described as family-friendly, and there’s a young players room focused on ages 8-12.
Admission:
Four-day passes at the door Friday: $50. One-day passes at the door Friday through Sunday: $30. Monday only: $20. There are no discounts for children, but an adult gets a $10 discount when he or she registers with a child.
`Play!’ A video-game symphony
(additional information at www.symphonysiliconvalley.org and www.play-symphony.com)
When and where:
San Jose’s Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. May 26
What it’s all about:
The “Play!” series of concerts brings audiences video-game music that’s performed by orchestras while game video is displayed on large screens. This event features the Symphony Silicon Valley and Chorale, and the plan for this venue calls for one large video screen suspended above the musicians. The concert is being presented in association with the Fanime convention and is promoted as ideal family entertainment, mixing orchestral music with digitally projected video.
The big attractions:
The music is coming from games series that include “Final Fantasy,” “The Legend of Zelda,” “Super Mario,” “Castlevania” and “World of Warcraft.” Also scheduled: music and video from yet-to-be-released games such as “Lost Odyssey” (an Xbox 360 title) and “The Darkness” (for the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360). The conductor is Arnie Roth, also a violinist and composer known for a broad range of work, including performing as part of the group Mannheim Steamroller.
Tips and recommendations:
The first 1,000 concert-goers receive collectible posters and programs from a previous concert tour (“Dear Friends – Music from Final Fantasy”). While supplies last, convention-goers also will receive a trial disc for the “World of Warcraft” PC game (with 14 days of free game time). One heads-up on game footage that won’t be seen: The concert’s producer says he doesn’t have permission from publisher Square Enix to use “Final Fantasy” video when music from that series is played.
Tickets:
Organizers said the concert was approaching a sellout at press time. Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.com or from Symphony Silicon Valley (467 S. First St., San Jose, Calif. 95113) at (408)286-2600. Prices range from $36 to $72 per ticket, with some additional selected seats at $100 per ticket.
