Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:53:19 -0600 (CST) From: Minicon To: ... Subject: Minicon 46 Progress Report 1 * Progress Report 1 * MINICON 46 is just around the bend, and we are excited to have author Charles Stross and musician Chas Somdahl as our Guests of Honor. As usual our home will be the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel in Minneapolis on Easter weekend, April 22-24, 2011. For details, visit our website at . Guests -- Charles Stross is our Author Guest of Honor at Minicon 46. He is a recent Hugo winner for his novella "Palimpsest", and has a string of hit science fiction books including Saturn's Children, Accelerando, Singularity Sky, and the Laundry series. The inventor of D&D's githyanki and githzerai, Charles is visiting us all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland to see how Midwest Americans like to party. Chas Somdahl is our Musician Guest of Honor, and he is a well-known favorite at conventions across the country. He plays both kinds of music -- filk and folk -- but often digresses into rock and bluegrass and more. Fans will be able to see him perform at the con as part of the group Riverfolk, or at the late night music circles and jam sessions. Registration -- We are offering preregistration rates until March 31st: $45 Adult (21+) $30 Student (13-20) $20 Kid (6-12) $ 0 Child (0-5) (pre-printed badges available for $0.01.) $15 Supporting Membership (upgradeable at the door) You can register online using Paypal at , or go there to get a printable registration form you can mail to us with a check. We'd like you to register as early as possible, to help us plan our events and food. Be sure to tell us if you'd like to be a volunteer at the con! Hotel -- Reserve your room early for the best rates. The Sheraton Bloomington Hotel is giving us a rate of $89 for regular rooms and poolside cabanas, but only if they are reserved by March 31. If you're interested in a poolside cabana, it's best to contact our parties head at parties@minicon46.mnstf.org. They know which cabanas will be blocked out for room parties, so they can put you in a prime spot to host a party or steer you toward a quieter poolside room. All other rooms can be reserved by calling the Sheraton at 952-835-7800 and telling them that you are attending Minicon 46, or book online at . The more rooms we fill, the more the hotel likes us, so help Minicon by reserving your room today. Gaming -- The gaming room will be open continuously throughout the convention. We will have Wii and PS3 games, including Guitar Hero, sanctioned and casual Magic: The Gathering events, german-style board games and a large collection of other games. 'Battlestar Galactica -- The Board Game' is a con favorite. Stop in for open gaming and bring your friends, or join one of the scheduled events. TV and Movies -- In 2011 CINEMA OBSCURA will present THE TV ROOM "We will Control ALL that you see and hear." Music -- This will be a music-filled Minicon, with a Guest of Honor Jam Band concert and appearances by more con favorites. The scheduled performers will be listed at . Art Submissions Needed -- Last but not least, we have no artist Guest of Honor this year, so we are looking for art to put on badges, the program book, and on the official Minicon 46 t-shirt! Art deadline is January 15, 2011. Full details available at . See you at the con! -- Minicon 46 Concom To unsubscribe from this list please email