We knew we were in for something different when we checked our pre-registration numbers and saw that we had 100 more than last year. A hundred! And then people kept registering on site.
We busted out of our venue, to say the least. People were kind and accommodating, but they sat on the floor and they remained standing. And we had no more chairs to give.
All in all, we were more than 350.
Wow.
That’s a far stretch from our max attendance of 275 last year!
We’ll now refer to this as our boom year. What was the magical ingredient? Was it our impressive lineup of Guests of Honour (Steven Erikson, Sheila Gilbert, Kim-Mei Kirtland)? Our Special Guests who are just as amazing? Our extensive list of panelists, who are also amazing? Our kickass, targeted programming? Our welcoming and responsive volunteers? Our quirky tweets? Our central location? Our glitter signs that acted like a bright beacon in downtown Ottawa?
Although we’re certain all of these things helped, because amazing(!), when we asked, we heard it was word of mouth. People are talking about Can*Con, sharing their experiences, and coming in eager to learn and network.
So, it’s all thanks to you, you wonderful people. Thank you!
The Can*Con team is already planning next year, from venue to programming and guests. We’re hoping to announce dates and some fun details as soon as possible! Keep an eye on this space!
As always, we’re dedicated to making Can*Con a safe and welcoming environment. To newcomers, please never hesitate to approach any of the organizers with questions or concerns. We’re thrilled you came – we hope you come back!
If you’d like to provide us with feedback, suggestions or ideas, please do so via this form: https://can-con.org/thank-you-feedback/.
AND, if you’d like to be a part of our amazing team of volunteers, please head here: https://can-con.org/volunteer/.
Can*Con is still growing and will continue to do so thanks to amazing community support, and its tireless organizing committee. This year’s committee:
Derek Künsken, Co-Chair, Programming
Marie Bilodeau, Co-Chair, Corporate
Nicole Lavigne, Logistics and Website Coordinator, and RPG Game Guru
Brandon Crilly, Program Coordinator
Evan May, Program Coordinator
Kate Heartfield, Accessibility Liaison
‘Nathan Smith, Outreach Coordinator
Gisele Thomson, Social Media Support
Lisa Toohey, Outreach Support
Jaggy Sue (Susan), Volunteer Coordinator
Caycee Price, Con Suite Jedi
Etienne Price + high school students, Con Suite volunteers (Caycee’s Army – like Dumbledore’s but with more snacks)
Marie-Pierre, Registration Rockstar
Dario, Everywhere Rockstar
Tyler Goodier, AV Runner/Dragger
Tim Sellmer, OPS Support
We are ever grateful to you all, and hope to continue being a destination for writers, readers, and just lovers of freaking awesome stuff. We will strive to keep on getting better and better, and are grateful to the people who help us make this possible!
We’ll see you next, and we can’t wait!
Best,
Marie Bilodeau Derek Künsken
Co-Chair, Corporate Co-Chair, Programming