Philcon has been hosted byThe Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS)since its inception in 1936. We are currently gathering documentation and anecdotes to chronicle Philcon's long, fascinating history

Philcon uses the term “Principal Speaker” instead of “Guest of Honor.” We also call our convention “The Philadelphia Conference on Science Fiction and Fantasy.” Most years we have a Principal Speaker and an Artist Guest of Honor. Many years we also have one or more special guests, depending on the lead of that year’s Philcon Chair, who selects the guests (a small but significant reward for many hours of hard work!)

If you have access to or knowledge of source materials that can help us fill in missing information, please let us know!

2008

• Date: Nov 21-23, 2008
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Tim Powers
  • Artist Guest of Honor: John Picacio
  • Special Guest: Scott Christian Sava
  • Musical Guest: The Chromatics
• Chair: Mark Trebing
• Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cherry Hill NJ

2007

• Date: Nov 16-18, 2007
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Eric Flint
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Sue Dawe
  • Costuming Guest of Honor: Kevin Roche
  • Costuming Gust of Honor: Andrew Trembley
  • Special Musical Guest: Voltaire
• Chair: Todd Dashoff
• Location: Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Philadelphia PA

2006

• Date: Nov 17-19, 2006
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Charles Stross
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Karl Kofoed
  • Special Guest: Tom Smith
• Chair: Tony Finan
• Location: Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Philadelphia PA

2005

• Date: Dec 9-11, 2005
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: David Weber
  • Artist Guest of Honor: David Mattingly
  • Chair: Tony Finan
• Location: Marriott Center City Hotel, Philadelphia PA

2004

• Date: Dec 10-12, 2004
• Guests:
  • Original Principal Speaker: Brian Aldiss*
  • (Substitute) Principal Speaker: Pamela Sargent
  • (Substitute) Principal Speaker: George Zebrowski
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Joe DeVito
  • Special Guests: Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta
  • Special Guests: Jolly R. Blackburn & Steve Johannsen
  • Special Guest: Tom Purdom
• Chair: Jeff Linder
• Location: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel, Philadelphia PA

* Unable to attend due to medical concerns

2003

• Date: Dec 12-14, 2003
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Jack McDevitt
  • Artist Guests of Honor: Greg & Tim* Hildebrandt
  • Special Guest: Peter David
  • Special Guest: Harry Harrison
• Chair:
• Location: Marriott Center City Hotel, Philadelphia PA

* Unable to attend

2002

• Date: Dec 13-15, 2002
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Connie Willis
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Donato Giancola
  • Special Guest: David Gerrold
  • Special Guest: Nalo Hopkinson
  • Special Guests: Spider & Jeanne Robinson
• Chair:
• Location: Marriott Center City Hotel, Philadelphia PA

2001

Philcon was not held. The 59th World Science Fiction Convention, The Millennium Philcon, was held in Philadelphia in its place. While it was not a project of The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society (PSFS), many of the same individuals who regularly work on Philcon instead worked on The Millennium Philcon that year.

2000

• Date: Nov 17-19, 2000
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Vernor Vinge
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Bob Walters
  • Special Guest: Poul Anderson *
  • Substitute Special Guest: Karen Anderson
• Chair: Tim Binder
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

* Unable to attend due to medical concerns

1999

• Date: Nov 12-14, 1999
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Katherine Kurtz
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Jill Bauman
  • Chair: Tony Finan
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1998

• Date: Nov 13-15, 1998
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Bruce Sterling
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Bruce Jensen
  • Special Guest: Tom Savini
  • Special Guest: Walter Jon Williams
• Chair: Tony Finan
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1997

• Date: Nov 14-16, 1997
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Don Simmons
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Alan M. Clark
  • Special Guest: Gardner Dozois
  • Special Guest: Nancy Kress
  • Musical Guest: Clam Chowder
• Chair: Tony Finan
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1996

• Date: Nov 22-24, 1996
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Frederik Pohl
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Tom Kidd
  • Special Guest: Joan Vinge
  • Special Guest: Terry Bisson
  • Chair: Oz Fontecchio
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1995

• Date: Nov 17-19, 1995
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Jack Williamson
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Bob Eggleton
  • Special Guest: Connie Willis
  • Special Guest: Steve Jackson
• Chair:
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1994

 

1993

• Date: Nov 12-14, 1993
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Fred Saberhagen
  • Artist Guest of Honor: David Cherry
  • Special Guest: Ian Watson
  • Special Guest: Emma Bull
  • Special Guest: Will Shetterly
• Chair: Oz Fontecchio
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1992

• Date: Nov 13-15, 1992
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Greg Bear
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Boris Vallejo
  • Special Cinematic Guest: Ray Harryhausen
  • Special Guest: Pamela Sargent
  • Special Filk Guest: Tom Smith
• Chair: Anne Norton
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1991

• Date: Nov 15-17, 1991
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: David Brin
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Moebius (Jean Giraud)
  • Special Guest: Julian May
  • Special Guest: R.A. MacAvoy
• Chair: Oz Fontecchio
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA

1990 - The 54th Annual Philadelphia Conference on Science Fiction & Fantasy

• Date: Nov 16-18, 1990
• Guests:
  • Principal Speaker: Fritz Leiber
  • Artist Guest of Honor: Frank Kelly Freas
  • Special Guest: Michael Bishop
  • Special Guest: Ellen Kushner
• Chair: Oz Fontecchio
• Location: The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Philadelphia PA