August 16-20, 2018
San Jose McEnery Convention Center
150 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95113

Worldcon (the World Science Fiction Convention) is the annual gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans, writers, artists, musicians and other creators, first held in New York City in 1939. Worldcon is held in a different city and organized by a different volunteer organization each year. Worldcon 76 will be held in San Jose, California, in August 2018. It's being organized by a committee sponsored by San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions, Inc., a California public benefit corporation.

Call for Papers: Student Poster Competition

CALL FOR PAPERS: The 2018 World Science Fiction Convention (worldcon76.org) is looking for undergraduate students, graduate students or post-doctoral scholars to participate in a poster competition on Saturday, Aug. 18. Here is an opportunity to share your research with an audience that is very interested in science, engineering and technology.

The convention will be at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on August 16-20, 2018.

There will be a $100 prize for the poster that best communicates science to the general public. More info on the website at: http://www.worldcon76.org/program/student-papers

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Charity Donations: John & Bjo Trimble

This is why I love working the Charity Auction.

We had already absorbed the sad news that John and Bjo Trimble would not be able to attend this year's Worldcon.

I was not prepared for the fact that they would still be participating in the convention a very personal way.

Today's mail brought a very large box. On the outside, it looked plain. But when I saw the return address, I quickly opened it and marveled.

Yes, I'm teasing you a little. This is just the top level of a deep box of products and memorabilia donated to the Worldcon76 in San Jose Charity Auction, the beneficiary of which is the Alzheimer's Association. If you're a fan of Star Trek, you know of the Trimble's association with the show. I can guarantee that there is something in this box that you'll need to add to your collection.

Remember, the silent charity auction runs Thursday August 16 through the morning of Saturday August 18th, with the voice charity auction starting at Noon that same Saturday.

I'll be posting more from this box in the future, but it was so exciting I just needed to share!

Ric Bretschneider
Worldcon 76 Charity Auction

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Site Selection Ballots are Now Available

Site Selection Ballots are Here

The 2020 Worldcon and 2019 NASFiC Site Selection Ballots are now available here. Members of Worldcon 76 can vote to select the site of the 2020 Worldcon and the 2019 North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC). You can vote in advance by mail or e-mail, or in person at Worldcon 76.

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2018 Hugo Awards Voter Packet Now Available


Update: We believe we've fixed the problem with the packet downloads. If you continue to have problems with the regular link below, please try this non-secure link instead:

http://www.worldcon76.org/hugo/packet.php

There is a strong possibility that your browser will complain that the link is not secure (that is correct, but it is not necessarily a problem in this case.)


Worldcon 76 has issued the 2018 Hugo Awards Voter Packet, a collection of finalists for the 2018 Hugo Awards made available to members of Worldcon 76 to assist them in making informed decisions when voting on this year's Hugo Awards. The packet is available for download from the Worldcon 76 website at https://www.worldcon76.org/hugos in the "Hugo Voter Packet" section. Members of Worldcon 76 can sign in using their Hugo Award voting credentials that were sent to them when the final Hugo Award ballot was issued.

Only members of Worldcon 76 can access the 2018 Hugo Award Voter packet and vote on the 2018 Hugo Awards. To become a member of Worldcon 76, see the membership page at https://www.worldcon76.org/membership.

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Worldcon 76 Charity and Activities

This is the first of a couple of posts to introduce you to the charity activities during Worldcon 76 in San Jose.  We'll also be spotlighting auction items and generous donors over the coming weeks.  


It’s no secret that Science Fiction and Fantasy fans are well known for their caring and charity, and one of the best places that manifests itself is at Worldcon in the Charity Auction. This year our charity choice is inspired by gHost of honor Bob Wilkins, and was selected with the help of the surviving Wilkins family.

Proceeds from this year’s charity auction activities will benefit Alzheimer's Association, Northern California and Northern Nevada. Here’s a little bit about them:

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s.

Since its founding in 1981, the Northern California and Northern Nevada chapter has grown into one of the largest in the Alzheimer’s Association’s 78-chapter network. Eleven offices serve population centers like Silicon Valley and San Francisco, and smaller communities like Reno, Chico, and Monterey. Each year the chapter serves thousands of families through the 24/7 helpline, one-on-one care consultations, and more than 150 support groups. In the latest fiscal year, the Northern California and Northern Nevada chapter raised more than $14 million for Alzheimer’s research. For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or call the 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900. 

We’ve met with the Alzheimer’s Association several times now and were incredibly impressed with the scope of their activities. You’ll have the opportunity to meet them as well as they’ll have a table display at the convention. Please make a point of dropping by and saying hi.

Of course we’re counting on our membership to help make our charity activities successful, and to help we’ll be putting together a wide variety of art, books (signed and otherwise), games (board and digital), electronics, memorabilia… well you get the idea. We’re focused on the kind of things we hope fannish bidders will get excited about.  And remember! It’s for charity!

Charity Auction activities will start with the opening of Worldcon’s doors on Thursday with the opening of the Silent Auction Exhibit. Much like the Art Auction, members can peruse items up for bid and write in bids between Thursday and Saturday. Items where silent bidding exceeds a number of bids (likely six)  will be sent to the Voice Auction on Saturday. Anything that does not exceed that number of bids will simply sell to the highest silent bidder.

We’re terrifically excited about bringing a trove of items for you to consider taking home, and proud to be part of fandom’s traditional support of worthy charities. If you’d like to join us, be a member of the Charity Auction staff, please go to http://www.worldcon76.org/membership/volunteer/volunteer-info-form and register as a volunteer, then write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


And if you like to personally donate items or products, or you represent a company that would like to donate for the auction, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. directly. Check with your tax professional about how such donations could be declared as deductions on your taxes!

More soon!

Ric Bretschneider
Worldcon 76 Charity Auction

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