Picocon is the name given to a series of British science fiction conventions run by the Imperial College Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (ICSF).[1] Taking place on a Saturday (occasionally extended to Sunday), in February or early March in Imperial College's Blackett Building since 1984.
T-shirts and other merchandise related to the convention are typically emblazoned with the Greek letters Greek, Modern (1453-);: ΨΦ (psi, phi), which can be read as Sci-Fi. Roles in organising the convention include the Sofa ("like a chair, only comfier") and the Beanbag.
The reason for the event numbering (Picocon, Picocon Pi, Picocon 4, ⋯) of the first conventions is unclear. One suggestion is that there was a predecessor Picocon event watching videos and playing board games, and that the first formal event with a guest speaker is therefore Picocon 2.
| Year | Date(s) | Name | Location | Guest(s) of Honour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 2 February | Picocon | Imperial College | David Langford | |
| 1985 | 9 March | Picocon Pi | Imperial College | Dave Langford, Gerry Webb | |
| 1986 | 15 February | Picocon 4 | Imperial College | Dave Langford, Brian Stableford | |
| 1987 | 21 February | Picocon 5 | Imperial College | John Brunner, David Hardy | |
| 1988 | 6 February | Picocon 6 | Imperial College | Terry Pratchett, Michael Scott Rohan, Dave Langford | |
| 1989 | 4 February | Picocon 7 | Imperial College | Dave Langford, Terry Pratchett, Gerry Webb, Dave Lally | |
| 1990 | 3 March | Picocon 8 | Imperial College | Bob Shaw | |
| 1991 | 2 March | Picocon 9 | Imperial College | Dan Abnett, Alex Stewart | |
| 1992 | 7 March | Picocon 10 | Imperial College | Dave Langford, Brian Stableford | |
| 1993 | 6 March | Picocon 11 | Imperial College | Colin Greenland | |
| 1994 | no Picocon in 1994 | ||||
| 1995 | 12 March | Picocon 12 | Imperial College | Iain M. Banks, Dr. Arley Anderson[2] | |
| 1996 | 4 February | Picocon 13 | Imperial College | Robert Holdstock, Stephen Baxter, Christopher Priest | |
| 1997 | 2 March | Picocon 14 | Imperial College | Simon Ings, Nicholas Royle | |
| 1998 | 28 February | Picocon 15 | Imperial College | ||
| 1999 | 6 February | Picocon 16 | Imperial College | Stephen Lawhead, Jane Johnson, M John Harrison (who jointly write under the pseudonym Gabriel King) | |
| 2000 | 19 February | Picocon 17 | Imperial College | Juliet McKenna, Brian Stableford, Garry Kilworth, Ian Watson | |
| 2001 | 10 February | Picocon 18 | Imperial College | Christopher Priest, Geoff Ryman, Juliet E. McKenna, Jane Killick[3] | |
| 2002 | 9 February | Picocon 19 | Imperial College | Anne Gay,[4] China Miéville, Stan Nicholls, Geoff Ryman | |
| 2003 | 22 February | Picocon 20 | Imperial College | Jack Cohen, Gwyneth Jones | |
| 2004 | 7 February | Picocon 21 | Imperial College | Peter F. Hamilton, Paul McAuley, Adam Roberts | |
| 2005 | 19 February | Picocon 22 | Imperial College | Gwyneth Jones, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Brian Stableford | |
| 2006 | 18 February | Picocon 23 [5] | Imperial College | Ian Watson, Natasha Mostert, Mark Roberts | |
| 2007 | 17 February | Picocon 24 | Imperial College | Charlie Stross, Ken MacLeod, Farah Mendlesohn | |
| 2008 | 23 February | Picocon 25 | Imperial College | Paul Cornell, Cory Doctorow, Liz Williams | |
| 2009 | 28 February | Picocon 26 | Imperial College | Pat Cadigan, Robert Rankin, Michael Marshall Smith | |
| 2010 | 27 February | Picocon 27 3^3 | Imperial College | Alastair Reynolds, Amanda Hemingway, Jaine Fenn | |
| 2011 | 19 February | Picocon 28 | Imperial College | Juliet McKenna, Kari Sperring, Paul McAuley | |
| 2012 | 18 February | Picocon 29 | Imperial College | Adrian Czajkowski, Justina Robson, Tricia Sullivan | |
| 2013 | 16-17 February | Picocon 30 [6] | Imperial College | Peter F. Hamilton, Kate Griffin, Steph Swainston, Richard K. Morgan | |
| 2014 | 22 February | Picocon 31 Survival | Imperial College | Sarah Pinborough, Charles Stross, David Southwood | |
| 2015 | 14-15 February | Picocon 32 Duality | Imperial College | Cory Doctorow, Frances Hardinge, Ian McDonald, Kari Sperring, Stuart Ashen | |
| 2016 | 20 February | Picocon 33 [7] [8] | Imperial College | Paul Cornell, Michelle Paver, Carrie Hope Fletcher | |
| 2017 | 18 February | Picocon 34 Futurism: Oh, the humanity | Imperial College | Jaine Fenn, Paul McAuley, Al Robertson, Justina Robson, Stuart Ashen | |
| 2018 | 17 February | Picocon 35 Harmony | Imperial College | Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell, Ben Aaronovitch, Emma Newman | |
| 2019 | 16 February | Picocon 36 | Imperial College | Alexis Kennedy, Lottie Bevan, Simon Morden, Andrew Bannister, Gavin Smith | |
| 2020 | 22 February | Picocon 37 Pride[9] | Imperial College | Juliet Kemp, Roz Kaveney, Tamsyn Muir | |
| 2021 | 20 February | Picocon 38 <automata>[10] | (online) | Jeff Somers, Dan Moren, S.J. Kincaid, Brian David Johnson | |
| 2022 | 5 March | Picocon 39 Apocalypse[11] [12] | Imperial College, online | Bryony Pearce, Louise Mumford, A.J. Flowers, Brendan DuBois, Gareth L. Powell, Matthew Wraith | |
| 2023 | 11 March | Picocon 40 Twisted | Imperial College, online | Alma Alexander, Gav Thorpe, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan Sims,[13] Tim Klotz,[14] Allan Henry[15] | |
One line introductions for a Guests of Honour who don't (yet) have a Wikipedia biography page, e.g. linking a creator to a bibliography, filmography or an example book (series), podcast, piece/series of art, etc.