DucKon
Encyclopedia
DucKon is an annual science fiction
convention
held every June in the Chicago
area. The name is a shortening of DUpage County
KONvention.
DucKon serves as a fundraiser for Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, a non-profit (501(c)3) organization that is known for creating and administering the Golden Duck Awards
for excellence in children's science fiction literature.
programming and a strong science track of programming.
Duckon 3 was the first year that the convention had a furry
track of programming; that furry track grew over the years and by DucKon 8 was believed to be responsible for up to 1/3 of the attendance. In 2000, most of the furry programming was spun off to become its own convention: Midwest FurFest, although DucKon maintains a furry track of its own.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
held every June in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. The name is a shortening of DUpage County
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
KONvention.
DucKon serves as a fundraiser for Super-Con-Duck-Tivity, a non-profit (501(c)3) organization that is known for creating and administering the Golden Duck Awards
Golden Duck Awards
The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction have been given annually since 1992.-Categories:The categories are:* Picture Book* K- 5th Grade Reader* Middle Grades * Young Adult...
for excellence in children's science fiction literature.
History
The first DucKon was held in 1991. The first three DucKons were chaired by Candis King. Duckon is known for heavily fannishScience fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
programming and a strong science track of programming.
Duckon 3 was the first year that the convention had a furry
Furry fandom
Furry fandom is a fandom for fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, the ability to speak, walk on two legs, and wear clothes...
track of programming; that furry track grew over the years and by DucKon 8 was believed to be responsible for up to 1/3 of the attendance. In 2000, most of the furry programming was spun off to become its own convention: Midwest FurFest, although DucKon maintains a furry track of its own.
- The 16th Duckon, themed "The Duck Side of the Force," was held on June 8–10, 2007. The guests of honor included author Alan Dean FosterAlan Dean FosterAlan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
and Laura MacLeod of World Bird Sanctuary. On June 9, 2007, DucKon hosted the first public performance of the ZeusaphoneZeusaphoneZeusaphone is a trademarked term for singing Tesla coils, high-frequency, solid state Tesla coil, whose spark discharge is digitally modulated so as to produce musical tones. The high-frequency signal acts in effect as a carrier wave; its frequency is significantly above human-audible sound...
, played by Steve Ward. - The 17th Duckon, themed "The Maltese Duckon," was held on June 13–15, 2008. The guests of honor were author Elizabeth BearElizabeth BearSarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky is an American author. Writing under the name Elizabeth Bear, she works primarily in the genre of speculative fiction, and was a winner of the 2005 John W...
, musicians Jeff & Maya BohnhoffMaya Kaathryn BohnhoffMaya Kaathryn Bohnhoff is a versatile author and performer, best known for her science fiction and fantasy works...
, and "mad scientist" GoH Dr. Samuel "Uncle Kage" ConwaySamuel ConwaySamuel C. Conway is an American researcher in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and agrochemical fields of organic chemistry. He has a Ph.D...
.