CoastCon

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CoastCon
Status	Active
Genre	Multi-genre
Venue	Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center
Location	Biloxi, Mississippi
Country	United States
First held	1977
Filing status	Non-profit
Attendance	600+
Official website	http://www.coastcon.org

CoastCon is Mississippi's oldest and largest science fiction, fantasy and gaming convention. It is the main sponsored event of CoastCon, Inc., a non-profit literary organization. CoastCon, Inc. and its ten-member volunteer board develop events and gatherings to promote reading, education, fellowship, and science fiction, fantasy and gaming in all formats across the Southern United States, for over thirty-four years.^[1] The next CoastCon annual convention, Coastcon 35, will be held March 16-18, 2012, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi.^[2]

Contents 1 Events 2 Guests 3 Charity 4 References 5 External links

Events

Besides the largest genre-themed vendor's room in the state, the art show and auction, a charity auction, and Saturday costume contest and evening dance party, each year members and attendees of CoastCon can participate in three days of events including over 72 hours of panels, seminars, demonstrations, and workshops on topics that include activities on writing, art, anime, gaming, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, comic books, costuming, hard science, online media, fandom, genre film and television, table-top, card and miniatures gaming, robotics, and filk, to name only a few.^[3][4][5]

Guests

CoastCon brings guests to its convention each year.^[6] CoastCon past guests include stars of many areas of interest to fandom. A short list of past guests include (in no particular order): actress Nicki Clyne, author David Drake, author David Weber, artist John Picacio, actress Virginia Hey, actress Gigi Edgley, actor Peter Mayhew, game designer Mike Mearls, author Michael Moorcock, actor Peter Jurasik, actor/producer James Cawley, author Deborah LeBlanc, author Sharon Green, actress Noel Neill, and game designer Dave Arneson.

Charity

Each year the convention's parent organization chooses to support a charity that aligns with the convention's goals. For 2011/2012 CoastCon Inc. has chosen the Humane Society of South Mississippi as its main charity.