Welcome from the Chair

Hello !

Most of you do not know me, but my name is Wayne Brown, and I am the president of the Rochester Fantasy Fans, and chair of the 2024 NASFiC.

How did we get onto this road that we are on? Well, we put on Astronomicon here in Rochester, NY. It is a small science fiction convention. One of my members and I were at Heliosphere in New Jersey manning a fan table for Astronomicon. We got to discussing conventions. He wanted to know if Rochester could host a Worldcon. I laughed and told him no. Not enough hotel space. So, then he mentioned a NASFiC? Again, I said Well maybe, but probably no. That Buffalo would be a better location because they had more hotel space.

Then there was the long drive back to Rochester. During the drive, I started thinking, “I know some people.” So, when I got back to Rochester, I e-mailed some people in upstate, New York that I know, and voila!! The Buffalo in 2024 Bid was born.

So why Buffalo? Good question, but as I said earlier, we wanted to highlight Upstate New York to fans who don’t get up this way much. And to show Upstate New York fans who only have Comic-cons as their reference to what science fiction fandom is, and what a true science fiction convention is about. All the things they think are great about comic-cons are watered down aspects of classic science fiction conventions.

I remember my first science fiction convention at the University of Rochester. The first convention was in 1979. I found out about it the weekend after it had happened. But then in 1980 I started going to their meetings and helped at URCON II. I was hooked.

We figure if we can show people here what fandom is like we can encourage a new generation of science fiction fans. Not just fans who go to the local cons to be entertained for a few hours, but fans who will become a part of what fandom is about. The community.

So, what can you expect at thew Buffalo NASFiC? Well, we’re kind of on the light side of a Worldcon. In fact, there hasn’t been a convention like this in New York State since the heyday of Lunacon down, New York City way. Not that we can compare ourselves to Lunacon, but we got ideas.

We want to make this convention a fun, safe, and worthwhile event for everyone who attends. It doesn’t matter what fandom you embrace; we want to try to encompass all forms of fandom. If you’re a costumer or cosplay person, if you’re a Star Trek or Star Wars fan; if you’re a literary fan or movie fan. We will have something here for you. Fandom is a community, and we want to bring all the various fandoms together at the NASFiC.

Dealers, an art show, panels galore, kaffeeklatsches, readings, gaming, filk, concerts, a star war / star trek burlesque, dance, masquerade, a probability symposium, and the Frank R Paul art awards, are just some of the things we are planning for the con. If you have any ideas for more things, or would just like to help out and volunteer, just let us know. We are here for fans, and put on by fans.