Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference
StatusActive
GenreScience fiction
VenueDoubletree by Hilton Hotel
Location(s)Cherry Hill, New Jersey
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated1936[1]
AttendanceAbout 800 in 2013[2]
Organized byPhiladelphia Science Fiction Society[3]
Websitephilcon.org

Philcon, also known as the "Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference", is an annual three-day science fiction convention held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey (formerly the Crowne Plaza Hotel). The convention is run by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS). The 1936 Philcon is claimed to be the world's first science fiction convention.[4][5]

History

On October 22, 1936, a half dozen fans came down from New York by train for the first intercity meeting of fans ever held.[4][5] A picture taken of the group at Independence Hall has appeared in a number of the histories of science fiction fandom. They held a business meeting at the house of Philadelphia fan Milton A. Rothman, electing Rothman as chair and New Yorker Frederik Pohl as Secretary.[5] Since Philadelphia had been the site of the 1936 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, they declared themselves the Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention. Part of the group went to John Baltadonis' home to examine his art collection and the printing press used to publish the PSFS newsletter. At Rothman's house, the group talked about science fiction and played craps. On the way back to the train station, some of the attendees sang early filk songs. One of the attendees, John B. Michel published an account of the day, the first convention report, in a New York fanzine:

Nine people attended the first Philcon in 1936. They were Ossie Train, Donald A. Wollheim, Milton A. Rothman, Frederik Pohl, John B. Michel, Will Sykora, David Kyle, Robert A. Madle, and John Baltadonis.[6] Pohl excluded Herbert Goudket, who took the picture shown. Others are thought to have attended, but they are not shown in the picture.

Some fan historians claim that the 1936 Philadelphia Science Fiction Conference, a.k.a. Philcon, was the first science fiction convention ever held.[4][5][7] Others, such as Fred Patten and Rob Hansen, make this claim for the January 1937 event in Leeds, England,[8] organized by the Leeds Science Fiction League, which was specifically organised as a conference, with a program and speakers.[9] Out of this came the first incarnation of the British Science Fiction Association.

Philcon in 2020 held a virtual convention due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11]

Philcon Worldcons

The World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, has been held in Philadelphia three times:

References

  1. ↑ "The First Science Fiction Convention 1936 Information". FanCons.com. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  2. ↑ Zauzmer, Julie (November 11, 2013). "At Philcon, even tufted elf ears aren't weird". Pocono Record. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Rose, Claudia (November 5, 2012). "'Live long and prosper' - at Philcon". Montgomery News. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 The Science Fiction Reference Book: A Comprehensive Handbook and Guide to the History, Literature, Scholarship, and Related Activities of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Fields by Marshall B. Tymn, Starmont House, 1981, pages 91 - 92.
  5. 1 2 3 4 The Immortal Storm: A History of Science Fiction Fandom by Sam Moskowitz, Hyperion Press, 1974, page 82.
  6. ↑ Frederik Pohl. The Way the Future Was:A Memoir, 1st ed., 1978, Del Rey Books.
  7. ↑ Science Fiction Culture by Camille Bacon-Smith, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2000, page 12.
  8. ↑ Mike Glyer. "THE FIRST EVER CONVENTION," The Story So Far (Worldcon, 1987).
  9. ↑ "Conventions," The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 4th Edition, accessed November 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Philcon 2020 will be switching to a virtual convention". Philcon Facebook. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Philcon 2020 Information". FanCons.com. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  • Bristol, John (Jack Speer), Fancyclopedia, Fantasy Foundation, 1944.
  • Eney, Dick, Fancyclopedia II, Operation Crifanac 1959.
  • Pohl, Frederick, The Way the Future Was: A Memoir, Del Rey Books, 1978.
  • Moskowitz, Sam, The Immortal Storm, Hyperion Press, 1974.
  • Wolkoff, Lew, The First Philcon: An Oral History, Phanadelphia Corporation, 1985.

39°55′33″N 75°3′11″W / 39.92583°N 75.05306°W / 39.92583; -75.05306

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