Worldcons run for five days, and there’s always something fun happening! As we work towards putting the convention together, we’ll be adding pages here for all the things you can do at the convention.
Chicon 8 will begin on the morning of Thursday September 1, 2022, with the Game Room and a few program items beginning at 10:00 AM CT. More panels and other areas of the convention will be in full swing by mid-afternoon, with Opening Ceremonies at 8:00 PM. The convention will wind down on Monday, September 5, 2022, with Closing Ceremonies at 2:30 PM, and program wrapping up by 4:00 PM.
Worldcon has developed many traditions which fans expect to see. These include a Hugo Awards Ceremony, the Masquerade, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, autographing sessions, readings, the art show, exhibits, dealers room, guests of honor speeches, multiple tracks of programming, children’s activities, gaming, many parties every day, and more!
At most Worldcons, the wide variety of tasks and responsibilities needed to put on the con are managed by different divisions.
Exhibits
Exhibits comprises a number of displays, activities, and areas that are available throughout the entire convention. Along with space to sit and socialize, the exhibits areas include: Art Show, Creators’ Corner, Dealers’ Room, and a variety of fixed exhibits. The Art Show will be set up in the hotel function space and the rest will be in the hotel’s Exhibit Hall. For more
information, please see the Exhibits page
Program
The Program division manages all items that are located in program rooms, and some other items like autographs. The most common program items are panels, but some of the other types of items Program manages are meetups, workshops, filk circles, game rooms, academic talks and papers, and Table Talks (creator-fan conversations, previously known as Kaffeeklatsches and literary beers). The largest Worldcon items, like the Hugo Awards, the Masquerade, and stage plays, are managed by the Events division.
The Program division is committed to creating an interesting and inclusive program. We will prioritize the participation of underrepresented voices from within the wider speculative fiction community, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and participants with disabilities. We are excited about incorporating Chicago-area participants, the tapestry of communities that overlap with and are adjacent to Worldcon, and recent and current Hugo finalists and winners.
Topics covered by Program items include literature (general SF&F, Young Adult, horror, romance, children’s literature, poetry, non-fiction), science & technology, a dedicated academic track, anime and manga, art, a dedicated children’s program track, comics & graphic novels, costuming and cosplay, fandom & fan history, transformative fandom, filk, gaming talks and a gaming space, panels about and in languages other than English including Polish language, maker talks and workshops, media, music, society, theatre, Writing & the business of writing.
Program is managed by a leadership team. The Chicon 8 Program Division Head (DH) is Kris “Nchanter” Snyder and the Deputy Division Head (DDH) is Ian Stockdale.
Visit the Program page for even more information!
If you haven’t been to a Worldcon before, you’re in for a great time!