SiliCon explained

SiliCon with Adam Savage
Status:Active
Genre:Multi-genre
Venue:San Jose Convention Center
Location:San Jose, California
Country:United States
First:2016 (as Silicon Valley Comic Con)
Leader Name:Adam Savage

SiliCon with Adam Savage (formally Silicon Valley Comic Con) is an annual pop culture and technology convention, at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California. The convention was founded by Steve Wozniak, Stan Lee and Rick White. The inaugural event was held March 18–20, 2016 at San Jose's McEnery Convention Center.[1] The convention was rebranded as SiliCon in early 2020 and Adam Savage was appointed as the creative director.

History

Silicon Valley Comic Con was first announced April 17, 2015 through an online video featuring Steve Wozniak and Stan Lee.[2] The aim was to bring together popular culture touchstones such as comics, movies, genre TV and technology together as one convention. Including panels featuring creative artists, writers, actors, directors, producers, and science communicators.[3]

Silicon Valley Comic Con will be the San Francisco Bay Area's first large multi-genre convention since the departure of WonderCon after that convention's 2011 show.[4] Since WonderCon's departure the largest convention left in the Bay Area had been Big Wow! Comicfest, which is being added to Silicon Valley Comic Con's schedule.[5]

On July 13, 2016, the second annual event was confirmed to be occurring April 21–23, 2017 at the San Jose Convention Center as well as expanding into several additional venues nearby.[6]

On February 20, 2020, the convention was renamed SiliCon, and Adam Savage was named the new creative director.[7] The 2020 event was to have taken place October 16–18 at the San Jose Convention Center, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced officials to move to a virtual show.

SiliCon 2023 was cancelled, with the organizers alluding to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and funding issues.[8]

Features and events

The convention aims to include both popular culture and technology in what Wozniak hopes will be a uniquely Silicon Valley flavor.[9] In that spirit the convention will have typical comic convention staples such as an "artists alley", but will also have an "app alley" featuring new and emerging technology items. Several movie and television studios will be represented at the inaugural event including Warner Bros. Pictures, Lionsgate and AMC.[10] Additionally several technology-focused guests will be involved as well including astrophysicists and technologists.

Convention Locations

Dates Location Attendance Guests

See also

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Silicon Valley Comic Con WOZ Welcome Address, published on YouTube. . May 2, 2016.
  2. Web site: Silicon Valley Comic Con 2016, published on YouTube. . April 17, 2015.
  3. Web site: SVCC ABOUT/FAQ.
  4. Web site: Steve Wozniak and Stan Lee are bringing Silicon Valley its own comic con – GamesBeat – Games – by Mike Minotti. VentureBeat. April 17, 2015. July 17, 2015.
  5. Web site: Silicon Valley Comic Con Announced in Dorky Video With Stan Lee And Woz. SFist. July 17, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150421183019/http://sfist.com/2015/04/18/silicon_valley_comic_con.php. April 21, 2015.
  6. Web site: Martha . Ross . Woz's 2017 Silicon Valley Comic Con: Got $250? VIP tickets on sale today – The Mercury News . Mercurynews.com . July 28, 2016 . 2017-07-13.
  7. Web site: Adam Savage is the new Creative Director of Silicon Valley Comic Con . 8Bit/Digi . February 20, 2020. 2020-02-20.
  8. News: Pizarro . Sal . May 8, 2023 . SiliCon, Silicon Valley's pop culture and maker fest, canceled for 2023 . The Mercury News.
  9. Web site: Steve Wozniak Teams With Stan Lee for New Silicon Valley Comic Con. NBC Bay Area. April 17, 2015 . July 17, 2015.
  10. Web site: Karen Gillan, Jeremy Renner, Stan Lee, William Shatner Coming To Silicon Valley Comic-Con . Cosmic Book News . January 15, 2016 . 2017-07-13.