Glasgow SEC, Scotland, has been selected as the site for Worldcon in 2024, the world’s longest running international Science Fiction convention, which is the home of the World Science Fiction Society and responsible for distributing The Hugo Awards, one of Science Fiction’s most valued honours. The convention will simply be called Glasgow 2024.
Guests of Honour include: Award winning author Nnedi Okorafor, who is perhaps best known for her work on Marvel’s Black Panther as well as her Africanfuturist and Africanjujuist novels and short works. Celebrated Scottish SF writer Ken Macleod. American artist , writer, editor and folklorist Terri Windling. Super-fans and community examplars Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer and acclaimed artist Chris Baker (aka Fangorn) who is well known for his work on the Redwall series. Additional Special Guests and Toastpeople will be announced over the coming months.
The news was announced at Chicon8, Chicago USA this weekend, the current Worldcon. Next year Worldcon will be in Chengdu, China. Glasgow 2024 will run from the 8th to the 12th August, 2024. The event will be held at Glasgow SEC, a world famous convention site, and beloved by fans of the comedy movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
A specific tartan has been unveiled for the convention. Called Landing Zone Glasgow, it has been designed by Sara Felix. It is intended to be worn by any fan of Worldcon 2024.
This will be the third time Worldcon has been hosted in Glasgow, as Worldcon’s have been held in Glasgow in both 1995 and 2005. Worldcon bids are created by fans for fans and are labours of love. This is the culmination of five year campaign from the bid team.
Of the 802 votes cast by WSFS Members to select a site, 776 were for Glasgow. The bid was unopposed, however it is traditional for some of these votes to be ‘write-ins’. Typically these write-in nominations are humorous in nature. Write-ins this year included Alpha Centauri, Moomin Valley and Stargate Command.
Glasgow 2024 Chair, Esther MacCallum-Stewart said, “It’s a huge honour to host the Worldcon, and our team have worked incredibly hard to get us to this point. We can’t wait to bring our blend of Inclusion, Caring and Imagination to the Glasgow 2024 Worldcon, and to create an event that is both exciting and innovative. This really is a Worldcon for our Futures!”
Aileen Crawford, Head of Tourism and Conventions at Glasgow Life said: “Glasgow is delighted to welcome Worldcon fans back to our city in August 2024, following the previous events in 1995 and 2005. Congratulations to the hard working and dedicated UK Team who have worked tirelessly for years on the bid. Here’s to a fabulous return of the Worldcon community in 2024!”
Full details, including how to attend the event and how can be found on Glasgow2024 site. A pdf file of the first Progress Report can be found here.
If you’re very keen, the T-Shirt can be bought here.
And finally, unlike the rest of the world who have their National SF conventions annually, when Worldcon is not in North America, an event called NASFIC (North American Science Fiction Convention) is organised. As next year’s Worldcon is in China, some North American fans will instead stay closer to home and attend Winnipeg in 23 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
