Åcon 5: Thursday

As usual, Åcon Thursday started very early. Went to pick up our Guest of Honor Cat Valente at the hotel and headed for the ferry terminal. Had a cup of coffee. Joined the cattle drive wandering to the ferry. Breakfast, Ölcon, a short Finncon meeting, some shopping, quick lunch.

Arrived in Mariehamn and checked in the hotel, then sat at the registration desk for most of the evening. Got lots of oohs and aahs from the more technologically-oriented persons about the credit card reader I brought that connects to the iPad (it also proved very handy since the nearest ATM is at the town center).

This is the largest Åcon ever—92 registered members, most of them present (some arriving tomorrow, a couple that couldn’t make it). There wasn’t much programming today: the opening ceremony, a squee panel (where the panelists and the audience talked about things they are enthusiastic about, in the style of the SF Squeecast) and the traditional Do not disturb sign workshop. This year added the Please disturb signs in the mix. There were some very imaginative entries, including a zombie Moomin one.

Some people have now gone to see the special screening of Iron Sky organized for Åcon members at the local movie theater. The rest are having a sugar rush party at the hotel, with a selection of candy Hanna and Mika brought, and of course some nice beers from the hotel bar.