Marcon (convention)

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Marcon is a full-spectrum fantasy and science fiction convention based in Columbus, Ohio, and was on Easter weekend in 2013 but moved to Mother's Day weekend starting in 2014.^[1] It is now operated by the Columbus-based Science Oriented Literature, Art, and Education Foundation, a non-profit educational corporation.^[2] The name was originally short for "March Convention," with the convention mascot the "March Hare," affectionately named "Marconi". After the date of the convention moved away from March, the name was re-designated as "Multiple Alternative Realities Convention".

Marcon offers a dozen tracks of programming in art, costuming, fan, filk, literary, media, and science, as well as events and displays including a masquerade, art show, dealers room, multiple 24-hour video tracks, 7,000 square feet (650 m²) of gaming space, and at least one dance. Marcon runs a children's track of programming that has included independent filmmakers helping the kids create their own movies (The Curse of Monster X, Return of the Red Shirts) and many hands-on art, costuming, and science programs. It is the oldest and largest science fiction convention in the state of Ohio.^[3]

The organizing group, SOLAE, announced after the 2021 MARCon that the 57th MARCon in 2022 would be the last.^[4] However, following Marcon 57, a number of groups put together proposals to continue the convention, and in August 2022, SOLAE announced that Tony Gillian of Chillichote, Ohio, has revived the convention and will take over as the chairman for 2023.^[5]

"Marcon Ballroom", a filk song by Anne Passovoy about an incident with hotel management failing to adjust to the needs of fandom, was awarded a Pegasus Award as "Best Classic Filk Song" in 2005.^[6]