# SMOFcon

SMOFcon is an annual convention that focuses on the organisation of science fiction conventions. The first SMOFcon took place in 1984, and most have taken place in the United States.
SMOFcon typically attracts 100-150 attendees, and usually occurs in the first weekend of December, though other dates have been known. The content includes formal and informal sessions covering insights from events held in the previous year, information about the latest trends from the community and external experts, reviews of previous events and feedback to bidders for upcoming events, with a focus on learnings that can be widely shared.
A significant number of SMOFcon attendees are also Worldcon organisers and the programme usually includes sessions about the most recent Worldcon and on bids for future Worldcons.
The name of the convention is derived from the word SMOF (also spelled smof), which is an acronym which stands for "Secret Master(s) Of Fandom" and is a term used within the science fiction fan community. Its coining is generally attributed to science fiction author Jack L. Chalker.

## List of SMOFcons

| Name | Year | Dates | City | Country | Site/Facility | Chair/Sponsoring Org | Size |
| 00th | 1973/74 | | New York | United States | Sheraton | Stew Brownstein | |
| 01st | 1984 | Oct 12-14 | Washington, D.C. | United States | | Ben Yalow, Joe Siclari, Theresa Renner | |
| 02nd | 1985 | Nov | Oakland, CA | United States | CANCELLED | Tom Whitmore, Debbie Notkin + 3 others | |
| 03rd | 1986 | Dec 5-7 | Lowell, MA | United States | Lowell Hilton | Mark Olson (MCFI) | 137 |
| 04th | 1987 | Nov 20-22 | Columbus, OH | United States | Quality Inn Columbus Airport | Bob Hillis | |
| 05th | 1988 | Dec 9-11 | Phoenix, AZ | United States | Hyatt Regency Phoenix | Bruce Farr (CASFS) | 102 |
| 06th | 1989 | Dec 8-10 | Toronto, ON | Canada | Holiday Inn Airport | Lloyd & Yvonne Penney | |
| 07th | 1990 | Dec 7-9 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | United States | Airport Hilton | Joe Siclari (SFSFS) | |
| 08th | 1991 | Dec 6-8 | Portland, OR | United States | Shilo Inn Airport | John Lorentz (OSFCI) | 128 |
| 09th | 1992 | Dec 11-13 | New Orleans, LA | United States | Doubletree Hotel | Peggy Rae Pavlat | 95 |
| 10th | 1993 | Apr 23-25 | Jersey | Channel Islands | Hotel de France | Tim Illingworth | |
| 11th | 1993 | Dec 3-5 | Lexington, KY | United States | Griffin Gate Marriott Resort | Scott & Jane Dennis | 110 |
| 12th | 1994 | Dec 2-4 | Burbank, CA | United States | Burbank Hilton | Chocolate Moose;Vice Chairs: Bruce Pelz & Ben Yalow (SCIFI) | 175 |
| 13th | 1995 | Dec 1-3 | Austin, TX | United States | Austin Red Lion | Fred Duarte, Jr. (FACT) | 121 |
| 14th | 1996 | Dec 6-8 | Seattle, WA | United States | Seattle Hilton | Richard Wright (NCL) | |
| 15th | 1997 | Dec 5-7 | Boston, MA | United States | Doubletree Suites Hotel | Sharon Sbarsky (MCFI) | 153 |
| 16th | 1998 | Dec 4-6 | Colorado Springs, CO | United States | Radisson Inn | Kent Bloom (FFF) | 86 |
| 17th | 1999 | Dec 10-11 | New Orleans, LA | United States | New Orleans DoubleTree Hotel | Michael Siladi (SFSFC) | |
| 18th | 2000 | Dec 1-3 | Cocoa Beach, FL | United States | Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach | Joe Siclari (SFSFS) | |
| 19th | 2001 | Dec 7-9 | York | UK | Monkbar Hotel | KIM Campbell | |
| 20th | 2002 | Dec 6-8 | San Diego, CA | United States | Hacienda Hotel | Scott & Jane Dennis | 125 |
| 21st | 2003 | Dec 5-7 | Rosemont, IL | United States | Embassy Suites O'Hare | Erik V. Olson (Midfan) | 123 |
| 22nd | 2004 | Dec 3-5 | Washington, DC | United States | Wyndham Washington, DC | Peggy Rae Sapienza (WSFA) | 123 |
| 23rd | 2005 | Dec 2-4 | Portland, OR | United States | Red Lion Convention Center Hotel | David Schaber (OSFCI) | 155 |
| 24th | 2006 | Dec 1-3 | Kansas City, MO | United States | Hotel Phillips | Margene Bahm (MASFFC) | |
| 25th | 2007 | Dec 7-9 | Boston, MA | United States | Hilton Boston Logan Airport | Geri Sullivan (MCFI) | 214 |
| 26th | 2008 | Dec 4-7 | Columbus, OH | United States | Drury Inn & Suites | Kim Williams | 130 |
| 27th | 2009 | Dec 4-6 | Austin, TX | United States | Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown | Karen Meschke (ALAMO) | 156 |
| 28th | 2010 | Dec 3-5 | San Jose, CA | United States | Larkspur Sainte Claire | Glenn Glazer (SFSFC) | 157 |
| 29th | 2011 | Dec 2-4 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam | Vincent Docherty | 130 |
| 30th | 2012 | Nov 30-Dec 2 | Philadelphia | United States | Hyatt Regency Penn's Landing | Joni Brill Dashoff & Laurie Mann | 196 |
| 31st | 2013 | Dec. 6-8 | Toronto, Ontario | Canada | Fairmont Royal York Hotel | Diane Lacey (CanSmof) | |
| 32nd | 2014 | Dec. 5-7 | Manhattan Beach, CA | United States | Manhattan Beach Marriott | Bobbi Armbruster & Kim Marks Brown (Scifi, Inc) | 212 |
| 33rd | 2015 | Dec. 4-6 | Fort Worth, TX | United States | Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa | Tim Miller (Dallas Future Society) | |
| 34th | 2016 | Dec. 2-4 | Rosemont, IL | United States | Crowne Plaza | Helen Montgomery | 167 |
| 35th | 2017 | Dec. 1-3 | Boston, MA | United States | Back Bay Hilton | Laurie Mann | 219 |
| 36th | 2018 | Nov. 30 - Dec 2 | Santa Rosa, CA | United States | Flamingo Conference Resort and Spa | Bruce Farr | ~165 |
| 37th | 2019 | Dec. 6-8 | Albuquerque, NM | United States | Hyatt Regency Albuquerque | Ron Oakes | |
| SMOFcon 37&1/4 | 2020 | Dec 5 | Virtual | | | SMOFcon 38 & 39 Committees | |
| SMOFcon Europe / 39 | 2021 | Dec 3-5 | Lisbon | Portugal | VIP Executive Art’s Hotel | James Bacon & Vincent Docherty | 55/144 |
| SMOFcon 38 | 2022 | Dec 2-4 | Montreal | Canada | Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel | Jannie Shea | |
| SMOFcon 40 | 2023 | Dec 1-3 | Providence, RI | United States | Providence Marriott Downtown | Lisa Hertel MCFI | |
| SMOFcon 41 | 2024 | Dec 6-8 | Seattle, WA | United States | DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport | Marah Searle-Kovacevic | |