Convention Chairman Lee Whiteside announces that the First North American Discworld Convention will be held 4-7 September 2009 (Labor Day Weekend) at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel in downtown Tempe, Arizona (near Phoenix). The convention will be “a celebration of the Discworld universe created by our Guest of Honor Terry Pratchett.” Other guests of honor will include Diane Duane, Peter Morwood, and Esther Friesner. “During the weekend,” Whitesaid said, “we will have many panels, presentations, readings and other activities for
Discworld fans. We are also planning to have a Maskerade, a Banquet, a Marketplace (dealer’s room/art show), a Charity Auction to benefit the Orangutan Foundation, a Hospitality Suite, and other activities for attendees.”
Pratchett is the author of the Discworld novel series, the first volume of which was 1983’s The Colour of Magic (the most recent installment is Making Money. The other guests of honor “are fans of Terry’s work and good friends of Terry’s. They are also excellent convention guests in their own right and we’re looking forward to having them join us.”
The convention will run from early afternoon on Friday 4 September to late afternoon on Monday 7 September. Tentative plans for major events include a special event on Friday night, the Maskerade on Saturday night, and a Banquet in the early evening on Sunday. There will be special panels with the guests including a spotlight talk/interview with Terry Pratchett, probably on Saturday afternoon. The Charity Auction will benefit Terry Pratchett’s favorite charity, the Orangutan Foundation, and will likely be held on Sunday afternoon.
The venue, the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, was the site of both the 2004 World Fantasy Convention and the 2006 Nebula Awards weekend. Room rates are $119 per night (single or double), $129 (triple), and $139 (for four), with a $9.75 per night hospitality fee that includes airport shuttle, valet and self parking, internet access, and a fitness center.
Membership rates, valid through 31 March 2008, are currently $60 for attending members; $30 for supporting members (children’s rates available). They will be limiting membership to 900, “to ensure that all attendees will be able to be seated at the major functions in our ballroom.”
For more information as it comes, the web site is www.nadwcon.org.