Hello Campers!
Hard as it is to believe, Necon 36 is almost upon us! As such, this “Chairwoman’s Letter” will be our last official notice prior to the convention, but any and all are encouraged to reach out to me privately should you have any questions or concerns. Otherwise, please read the following carefully as there is a lot of important information you don’t want to miss —
* Following are the directions to the Baypoint Inn and Conference Center for those of you who will be driving. If you are flying in or taking a train or bus, please let us know ASAP. We’ll be more than happy to pick you up at the airport (T.F. Green), at the bus station (Peter Pan or Greyhound in Providence), or at the train station (Amtrak in Providence). If you need a ride from any of those places on Thursday or Friday, drop me an e-mail AT THIS NEW EMAIL ADDRESS (sara1131977@gmail.com) or give me a call on my cell phone at (401) 365-5740 and we’ll arrange to pick you up. Please make sure you have contacted me before Monday, July 18th to ensure we’re there for you. Per usual, while not obligatory, it would be appreciated if you gave the volunteer who picks you up a few dollars towards gas for their kindness. Please note we will be doing runs throughout the day, so while we might not be able to get you as soon as you arrive, we will do our best to make it in a timely fashion. Please look for someone holding a “Necon” sign at your pick up location.
From Boston, Massachusetts and points north:
- Take Route 93 South to Route 24 South to Fall River. From 24 bear right onto Route 195 West to Exit 8A (Tiverton/Newport) where you will continue on Route 24 South for approximately seven miles. Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit. Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road. Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.
From Albany, New York and points west:
- Take Route 87 to Route 90 East (Mass Turnpike). Take Route 146 South to Route 95 South to Providence, Rhode Island. Take exit 19 to Route 195 East towards Fall River/Cape Cod. Continue on 195 East to Fall River, Massachusetts. Take Route 24 South (Tiverton/Newport) for approximately seven miles. Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit. Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road. Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.
From New York City and points south:
- Take Route 95 North to Providence, Rhode Island. Take exit 19 to Route 195 East towards Fall River/Cape Cod. Continue on 195 East to Fall River, Massachusetts. Take Route 24 South (Tiverton/Newport) for approximately seven miles. Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit. Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road. Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.
* If you need to give an emergency number out to your family, babysitter, etc., please feel free to have them call my cell phone at (401) 365-5740. I should be able to track you down. Also, the number for the Roger Williams Security office is (401) 254-3397.
* In case you did not hear the awesome news, NECON 36 IS SOLD OUT!!! However, walk-in registrations are still available and will remain so throughout the convention. The cost is $50 for a single day or $100 to come and go as you wish all weekend, payable at the door. A walk-in registration allows the Camper to attend ANY AND ALL Necon 36 Programming, including panels, the art show, the dealers room, the Authors Party, evening entertainment and after hours parties. In short, walk-ins enjoy the same access as full registrants, but they simply can’t eat or sleep at the Conference Center. Also, in the VERY unlikely event that we sell so many walk-in registrations that we approach maximum capacity in the Events Room and run short on chairs, we will prioritize full registrants when it comes to seating (that just only seems fair, but again, this is a highly unlikely scenario). So while we are indeed sold out, please still feel free to recommend the walk-in option to anyone you know who’s interested in attending (particularly if they’re local and could commute).
* Of course, the down side to being sold out is that we’re also filled up, so unlike most years I’m afraid we are unable to offer single rooms at an upcharge this summer. As always, we have made room assignments and we promise we tried our best to accommodate everyone’s requests for suite-mates, who they want to be near, etc. If you did not request to be with anyone specific and have since found someone you would like to share a room with, please e-mail me immediately as to avoid any confusion at registration. Please bear with us as it’s not a perfect system and we do try to make everyone happy!
* The first thing to remember is that even though we are at a hotel, it is not the Ritz. When you get there on Thursday you will have clean linens (two sheets and one blanket), two pillows on the bed, two regular sized towels, and one washcloth. Housekeeping will come in and replace towels if need be, but if you do not want your room cleaned until the end of the convention please let the front desk know. The hotel does have Wi-Fi and a fitness center (but no swimming pool).
* Check-In is NO SOONER THAN 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 21st and we will close registration at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 23rd. You’re more than welcome to show up before that, but if you do we’ll put you to work!
* We decided that there just weren’t enough people walking around Necon in black tee shirts, so we designed a new one! The shirt features the artwork of Rick Sardinha and will be available for $15 at Registration.
* We are proud to state that Neconers are wonderful, generous, creative, and mostly tweaked in the head! Two such campers, Scott Goudsward and Jan Kozlowski, have decided to embrace those qualities to do some good. From Scott —
Since NECONers are some of the most charitable people out there, the ludicrous minds of Jan Kozlowski and Scott Goudsward have decided to hold a yarn bombing for charity. Spawned from an idea Anthocon, Jan Kozlowski will crochet a yarn suit on Scott Goudsward during the conference. If you want to sponsor a leg, or an arm, please stop by the NEHW booth. And if you crochet yourself and need some mindless entertainment (mostly Scott whining about how yarn is so … warm), then bring your hooks and join in! There will be a donation bar on the NEHW table. Proceeds from the yarning bombing will be donated to the following charities:
Cradles to Crayons
Share Our Strength
Bob Booth NECON scholarship fund
A no-kill cat shelter in Worcester MA
* It is with overwhelming glee that I announce that we have retired the massive monstrosities that served as our Art Show panels for the past 20+ years and have replaced them with BRAND NEW PRO PANELS! Of course, that means there will be some (long overdue) changes to the Art Show this year. Any artist who would like to see the new set up in advance is encouraged to email me, as I’ll be more than happy to send you a link so you’ll know what to expect and can plan accordingly. And as far as setting up goes, well, we’ve never set up this type of displays before, so we honestly have no clue what setting up the Art Show is going to entail this year. It could be a snap, or it could be … no, actually, it couldn’t possibly be worse than setting up the old panels (seriously, we had to weigh those suckers when we dropped ‘em at the landfill — they literally weighed almost a ton)! Still, my extra thanks in advance to all the displaying artists and volunteers who help us put the new panels together for the first time!
* Sometimes we try something new and it works out really, really well; such was the case last year with our Annual Hawaiian Shirt Contest, so we’ve decided to stick with the new format. Once again, this year’s contest WILL BEGIN AS SOON AS REGISTRATION OPENS AND RUN ALL WEEKEND! Three SECRET judges will be keeping their eyes peeled for the best Hawaiian Shirts ALL CON, and the winners will be announced (and Valuable Prizes awarded) during Saturday evening’s entertainment. That means any shirt you wear during Necon is under consideration and therefore entered in the contest!
* Our traditional Thursday night Saugy Roast will begin at 10:00 p.m. The cafeteria will not be open before that, but there are plenty of sit-down restaurants and fast-food places within a short driving distance of the convention if you need something to tide you over until the Saugy fest.
* Speaking of Thursday night food options, a Pot-Luck Dinner was originally planned by some of our Campers for that evening, but it unfortunately had to be cancelled. Those who were planning to participate can feel free to reach out to Catherine Grant regarding the last-minute change of plans. However, Mike Squatrito is still hosting a Pre-Necon Party at his house nearby, so please reach out to him if you’re interested in attending (the cost is $15 and he can accommodate up to 30 people).
* We’ll have breakfast on Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. before we head off for Miniature Golf (leaving at 9:30 for a 10:00 tee time) and also kick off the Kaffeeklatsches (starting at 9:00). This is the first official Necon Olympic event, but unlike all the others there is a $5 fee to participate and we request that you let us know if you plan on competing so we can give the mini golf place an estimate of how many will be attending. In the event of inclement weather we will go bowling instead and the same fee will apply. Mini Golf will be followed throughout the weekend by Darts and Foosball (Friday night) and Hi-Lo Jack (Saturday night), and you can sign up for any and all events at registration. Several events have space limitations, so please make sure you sign up early if you’re interested; also, please be advised that all outdoor activities are weather permitting.
* Friday evening festivities will commence with the Official Necon Toast, delivered by Toastmasters Brett Savory and Sandra Kasturi, at 7:00 p.m. That will be followed by Necon Update with Mike Myers and this year’s Necon Hall of Fame Inductions (per usual).
* The Meet the Authors Party / Signing will start at 8:00 p.m on Friday. Authors, if you would like to bring your own books to sell, feel free to do so; however, you will be responsible for setting up your books and collecting money as well. Also, the bar will be open during this event and remain open for both Friday and Saturday evening. While you are allowed to consume your own alcohol in your room and the courtyard, you CANNOT bring any of your own alcohol into the bar area. We ask that you purchase any drinks from the bar and honor the request to not bring any beverages of your own into this room.
* You’re more than welcome to bring as much alcohol with you as you’d like; however, the hotel rooms do not have a fridge, so you might want to bring a cooler along also. We also have to ask you to keep the alcohol out of the artists/dealers room and the panel room, and to refrain from bringing any food or beverage whatsoever into “the lounge” (i.e. the room where the swimming pool used to be).
* While I’m on the topic, the Cafeteria will remain open from breakfast on Friday throughout the entire rest of the convention. While food is only available during meal times, beverages will be available throughout the con (i.e. coffee, water, the soda fountain, etc.).
* If you have already signed up for Volunteer Coordinator P.D. Cacek’s “Skeleton Crew,” please allow me to thank you in advance for your help and generosity! Any questions regarding what Trish has in store for you can be sent to her directly at pdcacek@yahoo.com.
* Once again, Rick Sardinha will be hosting a role playing game on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. t0 (approximately) 5:00 p.m. Anyone interested in playing should check in with him at the con. As for what gamers can expect this year, the following comes straight from the horse’s mouth —
1917. A simple delivery. The only stipulation is that the crate that you are to deliver must never be left alone. Never. The contents are the remains of a young soldier and they are to be brought to his home town in northern Florida. The remaining family, elderly and unable to make the trip, have advanced more than enough funds for passage. Payment is upon completion. Upon arriving, your task turns a dark corner as local talk centers on abductions and bizarre murders. Ghosts and corpses have been seen dancing in the local swamps. Once it is known why you here, you are warned to leave or expect a visitation in the night….
The Nanny, A Call of Cthulhu game. Fourth edition rules will be employed when common sense no longer prevails. The game unfolds in a loose storytelling style where the players determine what is to be done. Four to six players over the course of four hours. All materials provided. Bring your own munchies.
* Can’t get enough gaming? Well, it just so happens that Richard Dansky is looking to put together a “playtest” for a horror-themed RPG he’s designing, Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition! While Richard’s game will not be an officially-scheduled Necon event, it WILL be held at a different time so that gamers can sign up for both RPGs if so they desire. Anyone interested in being a “lab rat” for Richard’s game should inquire with him at the con.
* Do you enjoy showing off your immense knowledge of inane minutia in front of a room full of people who are imbibing? Then this year’s Pre-Roast Saturday Night entertainment will be right up your alley, as Craig Shaw Gardner and Jack Haringa host the first ever NECON PUB QUIZ! All those masochists interested in competing should approach Craig or Jack during the con (and probably seek counseling).
* The nighttime activities take place in the courtyard. There are a limited number of chairs, so you might want to bring your own (as well as bug spray, as the skeeters can get pretty bad!).
* If you are a dealer and have not yet contacted John McIlveen, please do so ASAP at mcilveen@comcast.net.
* Per usual, Lisa Mannetti is organizing a trip to the Lizzie Borden House for the Sunday night after Necon (July 24th). Per Lisa —
We usually go to the cemetery, to dinner locally near the B & B, and have a night time tour; breakfast is included on Monday morning. The cost per person depends on how many come. (They) give us a huge discount and generally it runs between $100 and $125 per person depending on our numbers. The house will sleep up to 16. Please let everyone know and all are welcome!
As always, please feel free to call on my cell at (401) 365-5740 or drop me a line at sara1131977@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Thank you and see you soon!
– Sara Booth (AKA Necon Chairwoman)
* * * * *
And lastly, the complete Necon schedule of events!!!! CLICK HERE!!!