About Minicon 59

What is Minicon and who is running it.

Minicon is Minneapolis's longest running science fiction convention! We hope you'll join us this year. You'll be in the company of about 500 other fans of not only science fiction, but fantasy, horror, anime, gaming, music, and many other pursuits.

Minicon features panel discussions, readings, signings, costuming, films, gaming, an art show, a dealers' room, kids' programming, a teen lounge and teen programming, a science room, music, a consuite and bar, room parties, and various other special events. For all that, most people say they don't come for what we have scheduled, but because they want to hang out with others like them in a place that feels like home.

If you haven't been to Minicon before, you might not be familiar with our breed of convention. This is not a "show" where you are paying to get in and then paying again to get autographs, and again for food, etc. Our registration fee covers all of the con features … once you're in, you're in. (Ok, we'll admit that the t-shirts are extra.) It is primarily a participatory event where fans bring the fun to each other, not one where we primarily line up events to entertain you. Sure, there will be entertainment, but with the exception of the guests of honor, it is all fans (who have paid the same as you for their membership) entertaining fans because they enjoy it.

Minicon 59 will be April 2½ – 5, 2026, which, as usual, is Easter weekend.

Convention Committee

The convention committee (or concom) are the people that organize and run the convention. Anybody can help out on the committee as long as you're willing to put in the work to put on a great convention. If you'd like to help, please email .

Art show
Rachel Traynham (head), Jacob Black
Badges
Bill Christ (departmental badges), Build-a-Blinkie (member badges)
Bar
Susan Philbrook and Brian Lundgren (co-heads), LillySong Watson (dead dog)
BBT
Thorin Tatge
Chair
Matt Strait, Stacey Strait (co-chair)
Consuite
Paul Ference (head), Drew Jensen
Cosplay
Tyler Bloom
Dealer's Room
Jean Mlynczak (head), Natasha Krentz
Easels
Delia Ihinger
Film Room
Greg Larsen
Gaming
Clay Harris
Hotel
Stacey Strait (head), Aaron Vander Giessen
Info desk
Mara DeMers
Logistics
Jim Porter (head), Hershey Harris
Medallion Hunt
J Spitzer
Merchandising
Stacey Strait
Music
Beth Kinderman
Outreach
LillySong Watson, Evie Bogie
Parties
Corin Dennison
Photography
David Dyer-Bennet (head), Ben Huset
Programming
Crystal Therese (head), Mara DeMers, Lisa Freitag, Edison Jensen, Sharon Kahn, Anna Waltz
Publications
Susan Philbrook (head), David Dyer-Bennet, Vic Stremski
Registration
Clay Harris (pre-registration), Andy Exley and Ethan Sommer (co-heads; at-con registration)
Restaurant Guide
Crystal Therese
Rumpus Room
John Wardale, Nora Strait (co-heads)
Science Room
Ben Huset
Social media
Aaron Vander Giessen
Teen Room
Rebecca Strait, Dani Sommer (co-heads)
Treasurer
Andra St Arnauld
Volunteers
Sybil Smith, Sharon Kahn (co-heads)
Webmaster
Christopher Weiss