Events in 2007

The beginning year is looking busy once again. Even though Snorfcon isn’t happening this February, there will be plenty of sfnal happenings in 2007.

The traditional smoffing event of the Finnish sf societies, yhteistyökokous, is already a tradition for Tampere in the winter. This year’s date is March 3, and the place once again the winterswimmers’ sauna.

The fourth Tähtivaeltaja Day celebrates the 25th anniversary of the zine Tähtivaeltaja, and also the Helsinki University sf club turning 20 this year. The minicon will happen on May 5, in Dubrovnik Lounge & Lobby (same place as last time). GoH is Christopher Priest. More info in the next issue of Tähtivaeltaja as well as on the web site in the near future.

The “Finnish convention with a twist,” Åcon, takes place on May in Mariehamn, Åland. Goh is Hal Duncan and the convention will be small, fannish, and fun.

Swecon will be in Gothenburg this year, with GoHs Richard Morgan and John Ajvide Lindqvist.

The Suomenlinna picnic hasn’t been announced yet, but it usually follows midsummer by two weeks, so that would make it July 7.

Finncon will be in Jyväskylä this year, on July 14–15. Guests of honor are Ellen Datlow, Joe & Gay Haldeman, Elizabeth Hand, Cheryl Morgan, and Ben Roimola. Together with Animecon, so expect lots of attendees once again. Hopefully there will be arrangements to allow the actual Finncon to take place also without being buried under the hordes of anime fans.

The traditional Roadside Picnic at Viikinsaari doesn’t have a date yet, but that will probably be either late July (after Finncon), or early August (before Ropecon, August 10–12). My personal, completely inofficial guess would be Saturday, July 28.

This year will also see the Eurocon in the Nordic for the second time. Copenhagen will host the European science fiction convention on September 21–23, with GoHs Stephen Baxter, Anne McCaffrey, David Hardy and Zoran Živković.

As always, there will be the Book fairs in Turku (October 5–7) and Helsinki (October 25–28). There should be something sfnal happening at both.