Finncon


Finncon is the largest science fiction convention in Finland and, with up to 15,000 participants, one of the largest SF conventions in Europe. Finncon is unique among SF conventions because it has no ticket/membership fee, and is funded primarily on various cultural grants as well as income from traders. The event is organised annually in different cities in Finland.
From 2003 to 2009 and in 2011 the convention included the anime convention Animecon, which boosted the convention's attendance and public visibility significantly. Since then the conventions have separated, and the future of the Finnish Animecon is currently uncertain beyond the 2011 combined Finncon-Animecon.
Finncon 2021 was cancelled due to logistical difficulties of conducting a large scale event during the COVID-19 pandemic while adhering to the event's ethos and criteria of being open to international communities.
Finncon alternates between different cities in Finland without a formal rota. Recently the event has been held almost every year, but occasionally a year is skipped if no city is found to host the event that year.

Finncons

ordinal numberyeardatescityguests of honournotes
11986HelsinkiBrian Aldiss
21989HelsinkiJohn Brunner, Tom Ölander
31991HelsinkiIain Banks
41993HelsinkiTerry Pratchett, Bryan Talbot
5199517-18 JuneJyväskyläBruce Sterling, Vonda McIntyre, Storm Constantine
6199716-17 AugustHelsinkiNorman Spinrad, Ian McDonald
7199914-15 AugustTurkuConnie Willis, Philip Pullman, Ahrvid Engholm
8200018-20 AugustHelsinkiNeil Gaiman, Stephen Baxter, Ken MacLeod
9200114-15 JulyJyväskyläJonathan Carroll, David Langford, Stelarc, Richard Stallman, Johanna Sinisaloalso the year's Baltcon
1020031-3 AugustTurkuMichael Swanwick, Jonathan Clements, Steve Sansweet, Karolina Bjällerstedt Mickos, Bjørn Tore Sund, Boris Hurttaalso the year's Eurocon, Baltcon, and Animecon
11200410-11 JulyJyväskyläRobin Hobb, Gwyneth Jones, John Clute, Cheryl Morgan, Toni Jerrmanalso the year's Animecon
12200618–20 AugustHelsinkiJeff VanderMeer, Risto Isomäki, Justina Robson, Rickard Berghornalso the year's Animecon
13200714–15 JulyJyväskyläEllen Datlow, Joe Haldeman, Gay Haldeman, Elizabeth Hand, Cheryl Morgan, Ben Roimola. Jonathan Clements, John Clute, Judith Clutealso the year's Animecon, 7000 visitors
14200826–27 JulyTamperePetri Hiltunen, Charles Vess, Farah Mendlesohn, M. John Harrison, Johanna Koljonen and Nina von Rudiger as the duo Ms.Mandualso the year's Animecon
15200910–12 JulyHelsinkiGeorge R. R. Martin, Alastair Reynolds, Adam Roberts, Jari Lehtinenalso the year's Animecon, Irmelin Sandman Lilius was originally slated to be a guest of honour, however she cancelled for family reasons.
16201016–18 JulyJyväskyläEllen Kushner, Pat Cadigan, Sari Peltoniemi, Liisa Rantalaiho
17201115–17 JulyTurkuNalo Hopkinson, Richard Morgan, Himeka, Yukihiro Notsualso the year's Animecon
18201220–22 JulyTampereLois McMaster Bujold, Liz Williams, Irma Hirsjärvi
1920135–7 JulyHelsinkiAliette de Bodard, J. Pekka Mäkelä, Peter Watts, Stefan Ekman
20201411–13 JulyJyväskyläElizabeth Bear, Hannu Rajaniemi, Jukka Halme
2120161–3 JulyTampereJasper Fforde, Anne Leinonen, Catherynne M. Valente, Eeva-Liisa Tenhunen
22201814–15 JulyTurkuLauren Beukes, Maria Turtschaninoff, Merja Polvinen
2320195–7 JulyJyväskyläCharles Stross, Kersti Juva, Raine Koskimaa, Cheryl Morgan
24202010–12 JulyTampere Mike Carey, Helena Waris, Diane Duane, Vesa Sisättö, Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay
2520228–10 JulyEspooMarianna Leikomaa, Malka Older, Magdalena Hai, Marko Hautala
2620237–9 JulyTampereDiane Duane, Helena Waris, Vesa Sisättö, Marek Oziewicz
2720245–7 JulyJyväskyläUrsula Vernon, Tiina Raevaara, Tero Ykspetäjä, Jyrki Korpua