Dated ‘March 1993’, the final progress report for SwanCon 18 is 2 double sided A4 pages, folded to make an 8 page A5 booklet; black on white; approximately 80 gsm bond – you know, the standard we know and expect from this era of SwanCons. The front cover features the convention’s turtle logo, some basic info, and the number 4; the back an advert for A Touch of Strange bookshop and the Terry Pratchett book signing that they were holding in the lead up to the con.
Inside front cover is “Ditmars, the care and feeding of”, which will receive its own post at a later date. Page 3 is ‘The Con at a Glance’ – little seems different although some changes to the guest list may have happened (Terry Pratchett, Robert Jordan, Paul Kidd, Lucy Sussex, Nick Stathopolous, Roman Orzanski and Craig Hilton are listed here). Page four has ‘Food’ (below), ‘The Committee (or “Who’s Responsible…”)’, and the beginning of a membership list; said list then covers the entirety of page five, other than a small box, which tells us the demographics of the convention: 7 guests, 168 attending, 13 supporting and 21 presupporting, for a total of 209 individuals (a quick check of ASFDAP people in the room shows that of the three who attended that con, two are listed, suggesting that one of us was rather late in purchasing a membership). Page 6 contains three sections (Masquerades, Banquets; Things to Bring; The Auction), all of which are faithfully reproduced below. And on the inside back cover is some information on the Con Hotel and Venue (below) along with a rather scruffy digitally produced map.
Food!
The Ascot Inn is very keen to have us all eat in their Bistro, and are developing a series of reasonably-priced menus to tempt us into not straying up the road to the competition. Look out for the big whiteboard at reception which will list their offerings. The Bistro will be open Midday-2:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm daily over the entire weekend. (By the way, they make a top Steak Sandwich – my staple diet all weekend last year!).
Other eateries in the area include the standard Hungry Jack’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Chicken Treat, Pizza Hut, two chinese restaurants, a lunch bar, and a couple of deli’s.
Masquerades, Banquets
Some form of Costume will be compulsory, even if it is only a mask. For those who totally forget to bring anything, domino masks will be available for a nominal fee at the door. Be creative, be daring: join in.
Prizes will be awarded for costumes best reflecting the works and world of our guest Terry Pratchett. But only ONE luggage will be allowed in the door at a time (for the protection of our patrons). Nick Stathopolous will MC the event, so be there!
Instead of the usual Ditmar Banquet, we are having a chanpagne [sic] breakfast in the Bistro on the Sunday morning, followed by the awards ceremony. The breakfast will be $10.50 per head, and the champagne/orange can be bought by the glass from the bar. Just something a bit different. What use is tradition if you can’t break it?
Things to Bring
- A costume for the Masquerade (I know, I know, I’m nagging…….)
- Freeform Costumery — if you want to join in Master of Xenophobia or Pirates, costume will be compulsory (although it can take almost any form you like!)
- A spoon and bowl, and perhaps some of your favourite topping for the Ice-cream Social
- A container for Popcorn (if you want some). Yes, the popcorn machine will be outside the Video Room again this year, but it will be much easier to eat out of a bowl than from cupped hands or little piles on the floor …..
- Participants in the Show and Tell panel (the art and science of collecting) please remember to think about what they want to bring along
- Shadow Games — participants may want to bring along dark, hard-wearing clothes
- Materials for the Spaceship Building (we’ve got lots of stuff, but if you have anything especially interesting or useful — such as bits of PVC tubing, plastic drink bottles, alfoil, strange containers of all types — please bring it along).
- Interesting bits to go in the Time Capsule
- That special video you own and wish to share with us (but please be aware that while we will take every care, we can’t take responsibility for loss or damage).
The Auction
John McDouall and Justin Ackroyd have kindly agreed to run the auction again this year. Reception will be accepting materials (Full Name, Address and Reserve Pricing to be clearly marked with each item) from the time the Con opens on Thursday until mid-afternoon Sunday for the general auction and until mid-afternoon Friday for the Fan Fund Auction. The Con will take 15% of total sale price, with the exception of items auctioned to benefit Fan Funds or other Conventions.
The Con Hotel & Venue
SwanCon 18 returns to the site of SwanCon 17 – which has been described as the most fantastic long weekend in the history of civilization, namely the Ascot Inn.
There are 5 programming areas; the ‘Derby’ and ‘Oaks’ rooms – major programming, the ‘Epsom’ room – fan lounge and hucksters, the ‘River’ room – gaming, and the ‘Ledger’ room which is set up as the video lounge. There is also a swimming pool, which will occasionally be used for programming such as freeform gaming (cackling manaically, Palsied, Poxy, Peg-leg, Purblind Lemon Jefferson, pirate chieftain and part-time blues singer croaked, “now ye walk the plank, lubber!”…)
We have booked out all of the accomodation at the Ascot Inn, so additional accomodation has been arranged just a hop, step and jump away at the Bel Eyre motel, on Great Eastern Highway. The cost there is $37.50 per night, including breakfast. As we have booked out the Ascot, a reasonable level of barbarity will be tolerated in room parties (party animals: watch out for Heinlein fans – they have strong feelings about law and order).
Many, many eating places are within easy travelling distance of the hotel. These offer a wide variety of interesting edible materials.
The whole complex is only 15 minutes from the centre of Perth. To help speed our attendees in their peregrinations from Perth to the con (and vice versa), a shuttle (Gallileo) service is envisaged.
and here ends the transcription, bar that pesky one that I claimed will come later – Anna