Minicon 9

Minicon 9 was held 11–13 October 1974 at the Minneapolis Public Library and the Dyckman Hotel (Minneapolis). It was the second Minicon in 1974 and the second of two fall Minicons after Minicon 5. The guests of honor were Judy-Lynn del Rey and Lester del Rey. It was chaired by Don Blyly and Jim Young and had a membership of about 190.

The program booklet cover says "Made possible by a Grant from Daytons!" and we've been listing that as the theme/slogan of Minicon 9 in historical lists for many years. David Dyer-Bennet, when asked in 2019, recalled that there really was a grant from Daytons. In 2021, Matt Strait finally got around to reading all of the concom minutes in the archives and found that the July 28, 1974 minutes say "our expenses would be down for Minicon 9, perhaps as much as $400, due to B. Dalton's and Mpls Public Library supplying support." So it is not so much of a theme as a fact.

Committee

• Bev Swanson — Registration
• Dick Tatge — Art Show
• Ken Fletcher — Art Show
• Denny Lien — Auction
• Gerry Wassenaar — Huckster's Room
• Mark Hansen — Party Supplies
• Jan Applebaum — Treasurer
• Margie Lessinger — Recorder
• Fred Haskell — Official Happy Deadwood

Program Booklet

Here is the program booklet in PDF (3 MB), or the same, but lower quality and a much smaller download (150 kB). Here's a text-only transcription (3 kB).

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Photos

A Minicon 9 Photo by David Dyer-Bennet.

Library Records

The Hennepin County Library keeps an audio recording of "content on the 9th Minicon Science Fiction Convention. Intro: :00; Spoken intro, Audrey McClellan: :27; Music, guitar 1:05; Audrey reads from Gordon R. Dickson"s Secrets Under the Sea: 1:31; Music, "Greensleeves" on guitar, mandolin: 12:38; Events of the Science Fiction Festival: 13:30; Music interlude: 16:38; Interview with Gordon Dickson and Clifford Simak by Jim Young: 17:48; Events of the Science Fiction Festival: 53:02; Closing with Audrey: 55:15; Music, spoken outro: 55:27; Music outro: 56:33".

The Minneapolis Public Library listed the associated "Twin Cities Science Fiction Festival" in at least two of its "Official Bulletins". On July 3, 1974, they said:

"SCIENCE FICTION FESTIVAL - Plans are well underway for the 'First Annual' Minnesota Science Fiction Festival to be held the week of Oct. 12 in Heritage Hall. So far Gordon Dickson, Lester Del Rey, Frederick Pohl and Ben Bova have agreed to speak. The local Science Fiction Club will judge entries into a short story writing contest. First prize will be a $100 gift certificate at one of the leading bookstores. Contact publicity if you have any ideas to help make the festival a good one."

And on Oct 10, 1974, they said:

"ONCE MORE FOR SCIENCE FICTION - As a reminder to those staff members who will see the Official Bulletin today, the dress rehersal for ENTERPRISE, the musical parody which is the final item of Saturday's Twin Cities Science Fiction Festival, is at 7:30 this evening in Heritage Hall. Sons of two staff members (Robert, son of Mary Forman in the Library Programs Office, and Eric, son of Lois Ringquist in the Children's Room) will be in the performance.

'Metropolis', the classing 1926 science fiction film, will be shown at 7 and 9 p.m. in Heritage Hall. Free tickets will be available one-half hour before each showing. Saturday's events start at 9:20 a.m., but we expect a large crowd much before that time. Authors and scholars on hand for the day's events are Ruth Berman, Ben Bova, Tom Clareson, Lester dey Rey, Gordon Dickson, Alan Dean Foster, James Gunn, Frederick Pohl, Ivor Rogers and Clifford Simak."

Hotel

Minicon 9 was the last of three Minicons to be held at the Dyckman. It was demolished in November 1979.