Pyrkon

Coordinates: 52°24′11″N 16°54′15″E / 52.403091°N 16.904045°E / 52.403091; 16.904045

Multigenre Fan Convention Pyrkon
Pyrkon Logo
Status Active
Genre Speculative fiction
Venue Poznań International Fair
Location(s) Poznań
Country Poland
Inaugurated 1999
Attendance over 38 000
Organized by SF Club "Second Age"
Filing status Non-profit
Website www.pyrkon.pl
Pyrkon 2014
Cosplayers on Pyrkon 2014
Pyrkon 2013
Pyrkon 2011

Multigenre Fan Convention Pyrkon (pol. Festiwal Fantastyki Pyrkon) (commonly known as Pyrkon) is a Polish fan convention held annually in Poznań on the first weekend after the spring equinox and dedicated to an integration of Science fiction fandom and a promotion of science-fiction/fantasy literature, comics, film, television, video games, RPG, LARP, board games, collectible card games and miniature wargaming.

History

Pyrkon has been held by the Second Age Science Fiction Club (Klub Fantastyki "Druga Era") every year since 2000, except 2005 when they held Polcon. (In 2011 they organised both Pyrkon and Polcon.) Pyrkon has been a non-profit convention from its beginning, and all organizers, lecturers and gofers are volunteers.

Initially Pyrkon was held at the Dębiec district of Poznań in the following places

Due to the increasing number of visitors, in 2011 the convention moved to the present location, the Poznań International Fair and the Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań (Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 w Poznaniu).

On 6 March 1999, Second Age organised "Science Fiction Day" in the "Sun" District House of Culture in the Przyjaźni (Polish for friendship) district in Poznań.[1] It was the direct predecessor of Pyrkon.

The tradition of holding Pyrkon on the first weekend after the spring equinox started in 2006. Usually it is also the weekend when Daylight saving time begins – participants are informed in a convention guide book and on posters of the need to adjust their timepieces.

Etymology

According to one theory,[2] the name "Pyrkon" comes from the 10th Book of Pausanias' "Guide to Ancient Greece", where he quotes "Eumolpia", a hexameter poem attributed to Musaios, a son of Antiophemos, which states that Delphic Sibyl belonged to Poseidon and Gaia (Earth) in common, and that Gaia gave her oracles herself, but Poseidon used Pyrkon as his mouthpiece in giving responses.[3]

According to the other theory, the name "Pyrkon" is derived from pyra ("potato" in Poznań's dialect) and the suffix -kon, which is added to names of all Polish fan conventions.

Program

Main Attractions

Pyrkon's goals are realized in

Other Attractions

The following also take place on Pyrkon:

Program Sections

Attractions (lectures, discussion panels, meetings with guests, contests, concerts etc.) on Pyrkon are divided into thematic sections. Most attractions are held in Polish, since 2013 however Pyrkon has an English language section, intended for English speaking attendees.[5]

Pyrkon 2013 had 14 program sections, which are listed below:

  • English Section – all kinds of attractions held entirely in English language, intended for attendees with no knowledge of the Polish language
  • Film Section – lectures about films and film-making, amateur film shows, lessons of creating YouTube content
  • Computer Games Section – computer games contests and tournaments, lectures about game design, creating Let's Play
  • Literature Section – lectures and discussion panels about science-fiction and fantasy literature and meetings with authors
  • Science Section – popular science lectures
  • RPG Section – lessons on making good role-play sessions, presentations of new RPG systems, meetings with role-playing games creators
  • LARP Section – LARP games, contest for best LARP on Pyrkon, presentations of LARP systems, lectures about making LARP costumes, improving larping skills
  • Comics Section – lessons of comics drawing, meetings with comic book artists, lectures about comics
  • Manga & Anime Section – lessons of manga style drawing, lectures about Japanese comics, animation and culture in general
  • Contest Section – competitions about every part of pop culture
  • Board Games Section – Games Room – presentations of new board games, games' rules lessons, lending board games
  • Beginners' Section – short introductory lectures about every aspect of Fandom for beginners who have never visited any convention, played a board game, seen science-fiction film etc.
  • Kids' Section – science-fiction and fantasy related attractions for children younger than 10 years old
  • Exhibitions, Shows, Workshops – dance lessons and shows, concerts, Lego exhibitions etc.

Foreign guests

YearName and surnameProfessionNationalityResidence
2008Miroslav Žamboch[6]writerCzech Czech Republic
2009Wojciech Siudmak[7]painterPolish France
2011Adrian Tchaikovsky[8]writerBritish United Kingdom
2012Shane Lacy Hensley[9]game designerAmerican United States
2012Ian McDonald[9]writerBritish United Kingdom
2012Grzegorz Rosiński[9]comic book artistPolish  Switzerland
2013Eoin O'Doherty[10]programmerIrish United Kingdom
2013Graham Masterton[10]writerBritish United Kingdom
2013John Wick[10]RPG designerAmerican United States
2013Miroslav Žamboch[10]writerCzech Czech Republic
2014Tad Williams[11]writerAmerican United States
2014Sandy Petersen[11]RPG designerAmerican United States
2014Cameron Stewart[11]comic book artistCanadian Germany
2014Olga Gromyko[11]writerRussian Belarus
2014Charles Stross[11]writerBritish United Kingdom
2014Lauren Beukes[11]writerSouth African South Africa
2014Umberto Pignatelli[11]RPG designerItalian Italy
2014Guy Delisle[11]comic book artistCanadian Canada
2014Tony Swatton[11]blacksmithAmerican United States
2014Sergey Legeza[12]writerUkrainian Ukraine
2014Vladimir Arenev[12]writerUkrainian Ukraine
2015Ted Chiang[13]writerAmerican United States
2015Dmitrij Głuchowski[13]writerRussian Russia
2015Jasper Fforde[13]writerBritish United Kingdom
2015Joe Haldeman[13]writerAmerican United States
2015John Kovalic[13]comic book artistBritish United States
2016Mark Rein•Hagen[14]RPG designerAmerican United States
2016John Wick[14]RPG designerAmerican United States
2016Miroslav Žamboch[14]writerCzech Czech Republic
2016David Weber[14]writerAmerican United States
2016John Layman[14]comic book artistAmerican United States

Time and place

TimePlaceVisitorsOfficial guests
March 6, 1999District House of Culture "Sun", "Friendship" district in Poznań[1]~400Jacek Inglot, Robert Lipski, Marek Oramus, Romuald Pawlak, Andrzej Sapkowski, prof. Antoni Smuszkiewicz, Przemysław Truściński, Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, Andrzej Zimniak[1]
March 11–12, 2000Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań~580Eugeniusz Dębski, Marek S. Huberath, Jacek Inglot, Witold Jabłoński, Feliks W. Kres, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Andrzej Sapkowski, Jacek Sobota, Andrzej Zimniak
March 9–11, 2001Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań~650Eugeniusz Dębski, Mirosław Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Marek Oramus, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Bogusław Polch, Jacek Sobota, Andrzej Zimniak, Maciej Żerdziński
March 15–17, 2002Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań~600Anna Brzezińska, Lech Jęczmyk, Feliks W. Kres, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Marek Oramus, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Bogusław Polch, Andrzej Ziemiański, Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, Andrzej Zimniak
March 28–30, 2003Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań~700Anna Brzezińska, Jacek Dukaj, Lech Jęczmyk, Jacek Komuda, Dominika Materska, Marek Oramus, Jacek Sobota, Wojciech Szyda, Andrzej Ziemiański, Andrzej Zimniak
March 12–14, 2004Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań[15]~750[16]Artur Baniewicz, Dawid Brykalski, Anna Brzezińska, Tomasz Budzyński, Witold Jabłoński, Darek Jasiczak, Lech Jęczmyk, Marcin Mortka, Maciej Parowski, Romuald Pawlak, Andrzej Sapkowski, Wojtek Sedeńko, Jacek Sobota, Wojciech Świdziniewski[17]
March 24–26, 2006Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań[18]867Jarosław Grzędowicz, Maciej Guzek, Marek S. Huberath, Witold Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Jacek Komuda, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Marcin Mortka, Staszek Mąderek, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Jacek Piekara, Krzysztof Piskorski, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Wojciech Szyda, Szczepan Twardoch[19]
March 23–25, 2007Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań[20]1080Ewa Białołęcka, Piotr W. Cholewa, Jakub Ćwiek, Jarosław Grzędowicz, Maciej Guzek, Marek S. Huberath, Witold Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Magdalena Kozak, Marcin Mortka, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Wojciech Szyda, Szczepan Twardoch, Andrzej Zimniak, Paweł Zych[21]
March 28–30, 2008Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań, Gymnasium nr 42 in Poznań, Cezamet Hotel[22]2131[23]Ewa Białołęcka, Anna Brzezińska, Elżbieta Cherezińska, Michał Cetnarowski, Jakub Ćwiek, Rafał Dębski, Jacek Drewnowski, Jarosław Grzędowicz, Maciej Guzek, Marek S. Huberath, Witold Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Barbara "Maskotka" Karlik, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Jacek Kowalski, Magdalena Kozak, Paweł Majka, Paweł Matuszek, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Dominika Oramus, Marek Oramus, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Magda Parus, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Piotr Rogoża, Wit Szostak, Wojciech Szyda, Łukasz Śmigiel, Szczepan Twardoch, Konrad Walewski, Robert M. Wegner,[24] Miroslav Žamboch[6]
March 27–29, 2009Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań, Gymnasium nr 42 in Poznań, Cezamet Hotel[25]2876[26]Marek Baraniecki, Ewa Białołęcka, Anna Brzezińska, Jakub Ćwiek, Bartosz Grykowski, Maciej Guzek, Marek S. Huberath, Witold Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Jacek Kowalski, Magdalena Kozak, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Piotr Rogoża, Edyta Rudolf, Wojciech Siudmak, prof. Antoni Smuszkiewicz, Wit Szostak, Wojciech Szyda, Szczepan Twardoch, Milena Wójtowicz, Andrzej Zimniak[7]
March 26–28, 2010Elementary School nr 21 in Poznań, Gymnasium nr 42 in Poznań, Cezamet Hotel, High and Technical Schools Complex nr 19 in Poznań[27]3023[28]Ewa Białołęcka, Michał Bogacki, Elżbieta Cherezińska, Michał Cetnarowski, Jakub Ćwiek, Rafał Dębski, Jacek Drewnowski, Jarosław Grzędowicz, Maciej Guzek, Marek S. Huberath, Witold Jabłoński, Lech Jęczmyk, Barbara "Maskotka" Karlik, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Jacek Kowalski, Magdalena Kozak, Paweł Majka, Paweł Matuszek, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Dominika Oramus, Marek Oramus, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Magda Parus, Agnieszka Piechnik, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Piotr Rogoża, Wit Szostak, Wojciech Szyda, Łukasz Śmigiel, Szczepan Twardoch, Konrad Walewski, Marcin Wolski, Robert M. Wegner[29]
March 25–27, 2011Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań[30]3660[31]Ewa Białołęcka, Jarosław Błotny, Anna Brzezińska, Michał Cetnarowski, Elżbieta Cherezińska, Jakub Ćwiek, Dariusz Domagalski, Artur Ganszyniec, Jarosław Grzędowicz, Maciej Guzek, Agnieszka Hałas, Marek S. Huberath, Aleksandra Janusz, Lech Jęczmyk, Barbara "Maskotka" Karlik, Jacek Komuda, Piotr Koryś, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Jacek Kowalski, Staszek Mąderek, Paweł Majka, Michał Markowski, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Piotr Olszówka, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Magda Parus, Agnieszka Piechnik, Krzysztof Piskorski, Michał Protasiuk, Piotr Rogoża, Wit Szostak, Artur Szrejter, Wojciech Szyda, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jakub Żulczyk[8]
March 23–25, 2012Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań[32]6508Ewa Białołęcka, Jarosław Błotny, Karolina Burda, Michał Cetnarowski, Jakub Ćwiek, Dariusz Domagalski, Grzegorz Drukarczyk, Maciej Guzek, Agnieszka Hałas, Shane Lacy Hensley, Jacek Inglot, Aleksandra Janusz, Lech Jęczmyk, Barbara "Maskotka" Karlik, Tomasz Kołodziejczak, Rafał Kosik, Jacek Kowalski, Magdalena Kozak, Staszek Mąderek, Ian McDonald, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Marta Nowak, Piotr Olszówka, Maciej Parowski, Magda Parus, Romuald Pawlak, Krzysztof Piskorski, Michał Protasiuk, Maciej "Shushei" Ratuszniak, Piotr Rogoża, Grzegorz Rosiński, Robert "Bele" Sienicki, Artur Szrejter, Wojciech Szyda, Łukasz Śmigiel, Michał "Śledziu" Śledziński, Witold Vargas, Robert M. Wegner, Paweł Zych[9]
March 22–24, 2013Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań[33]12299[34]Ewa Białołęcka, Sylwia Błach, Michał Bogacz, Anna Brzezińska, Karolina Burda, Michał Cetnarowski, Elżbieta Cherezińska, Adrian Chmielarz, Jakub Ćwiek, Stefan Darda, Jacek Dukaj, Anna Głomb, Jakub Grudziński, Agnieszka Hałas, Sebastian Hetman, Marek S. Huberath, Marcin Hybel, Jacek Inglot, Aneta Jadowska, Aleksandra Janusz, Lech Jęczmyk, Igor Kaczmarek, Anna Kańtoch, Tomasz Kołodziejczak, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Mateusz Kowalski, Łukasz Malinowski, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Marcin Mortka, Ilona Myszkowska, Konrad Okoński, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Magda Parus, Wojciech Pazdur, Krzysztof Piskorski, Bogusław Polch, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Przybyłek, Andrzej W. Sawicki, Robert Jerzy Szmidt, Wojciech Szyda, Witold Vargas, Robert M. Wegner, Marcin Wełnicki[10]
March 21–23, 2014Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań[35]~24500[36]Katarzyna Babis, Ewa Białołęcka, Sylwia Błach, Michał Centnarowski, Jakub Ćwiek, Jakub "Dem" Dębski, Tomek "Quaz" Drabik, Kamil "CTSG" Popielski, Agata "dudsonowa" Rutkowska, Agnieszka Hałas, Jacek Inglot, Aneta Jadowska, Arkadiusz "Dark Archon" Kamiński, Anna Kańtoch, Tomasz Kołodziejczak, Jacek Komuda, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Iwona Michałowska-Gabrych, Ilona Myszkowska, Łukasz Orbitowski, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Krzysztof Piskorski, Michał Protasiuk, Marcin Rustecki, Robert Sienicki, Wojciech Szyda, Agata Wawryniuk, Andrzej Zimniak, Paweł Zych oraz Piotr "Ramel" Koryś, Maciej "repek" Reputakowski, Wojtek Rzadek, Maciej "lucek" Sabat, Michał "Puszon" Stachyra, Michał Sołtysiak, Rafał Szyma, Mateusz "Craven" Wielgosz
April 24–26, 2015Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań31 495[37]Anna Kańtoch, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Jakub Ćwiek, Robert J. Szmidt, Ewa Białołęcka, Robert M. Wegner, Jarosław Grzędowicz and lots more others
April 8–10, 2016 Poznań International Fair, Liceum Ogólnokształcące nr 2 in Poznań[38] 40 622[39] Michał Azarewicz, Michał Cholewa, Piotr W. Cholewa, Jakub Ćwiek, Christian Dumais, Michał Gołkowski, Marek Grzywacz, Kazimierz Kyrcz, John Layman, Marcin Mortka, Katarzyna Niemczyk, Wiktor Noczkin, Oksana Pankjewa, Maciej Parowski, Andrzej Pilipiuk, Mark Rein•Hagen, Małgorzata Saramonowicz, Agnieszka Stemalszyk, Aleksandra "Shappi" Tora, Witold Vargas, David Weber, John Wick, Paweł Zych, Miroslav Žamboch[14]

Coordinators

Pyrkon 2014: Vendors' Hall
YearName and surname (in alphabetical order)
1999Daniel Kosse
2000Piotr Derkacz
2001Maciej Witkowiak
2002Daniel Kosse
2003Tomasz Barczyk
2004Paweł Ostrowski
2006Paweł Matuszak
2007Paweł Matuszak
2008Paweł Matuszak
2009Paweł Matuszak
2010Anna Brożyna, Michał Karzyński
2011Anna Brożyna, Michał Karzyński
2012Anna Brożyna, Piotr Derkacz, Michał Karzyński
2013Piotr Derkacz, Michał Karzyński
2014Piotr Derkacz, Michał Karzyński
2015Michał Karzyński
2016Michał Karzyński

Awards

  • contest of "The Convention Guide-Book" Web Portal (Informator Konwentowy): "The Best Fan Convention of the Season"[40]
    • Pyrkon 2006 – 2nd place (Winter 2005/2006 edition)
    • Pyrkon 2007 – 1st place (Winter 2006/2007 edition)
  • contest of "The Convention Guide-Book" Web Portal: "The Best Fan Convention of the Year"[40]
    • Pyrkon 2008 – 1st place
  • contest of "The Convention Guide-Book" Web Portal: "Fan's Choice"[40]
    • Pyrkon 2006 – 2nd place (Winter 2005/2006 edition)
    • Pyrkon 2007 – 1st place (Winter 2006/2007 edition)
    • Pyrkon 2008 – 1st place (Year 2008 edition)
  • plebiscite of "The Cathedral" Web Portal (Katedra): "Science Fiction" in category "The best fan convention or other SF mass event", in year 2012 simply "Event"
    • Pyrkon 2007 – 1st place[41]
    • Pyrkon 2008 – 3rd place[42]
    • Pyrkon 2009 – 3rd place[43]
    • Pyrkon 2010 – 1st place[44]
    • Pyrkon 2011 – 1st place[45]
    • Pyrkon 2012 – 1st place[46]

References

  1. 1 2 3 (in Polish) Program of "The Day with Science Fiction"
  2. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2004 – History
  3. ↑ Pausanias, Description of Greece 10. 5. 5 (trans. Jones)
  4. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2012 – Retrogaming
  5. ↑ (in English) Pyrkon 2013 – Program Sections
  6. 1 2 (in Polish) Pyrkon 2008 – Program Archived 2013-05-24 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. 1 2 (in Polish) Pyrkon 2009 – Guests Archived 2013-05-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. 1 2 (in Polish) Pyrkon 2011 – Guests Archived 2013-05-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. 1 2 3 4 (in Polish) Pyrkon 2012 – Guests Archived 2012-06-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 (in English) Pyrkon 2013 – Guests Archived 2013-06-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 (in English) Pyrkon 2014 – Guests
  12. 1 2 (in Polish) Pyrkon 2014 – Guests
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Pyrkon 2015 – Guests
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pyrkon 2016 – Guests
  15. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2004 – Accreditation
  16. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2004 – News
  17. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2004 – Guests
  18. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2006 – Approach
  19. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2006 – Guests
  20. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2007 – Approach
  21. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2007 – Guests
  22. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2008 – Time and place
  23. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2008 – News 02.04
  24. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2008 – Guests
  25. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2009 – Time and place
  26. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2009 – News 01.04
  27. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2010 – Time and place
  28. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2010 – News 22.04
  29. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2010 – Guests
  30. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2011 – Time and place
  31. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2011 – News 07.04
  32. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2012 – Time and place
  33. ↑ (in English) Pyrkon 2013 – Time and place
  34. ↑ (in Polish) Pyrkon 2013 – News 02.04
  35. ↑ Pyrkon 2014 – When and where
  36. ↑ Pyrkon największy w Europie i wśród największych festiwali fantastyki na świecie - gazeta.pl
  37. ↑ Facebook 2015-04-29
  38. ↑ http://pyrkon.pl/2016/miejsce/ Pyrkon 2016 – Place
  39. ↑ Facebook 2016-07-28
  40. 1 2 3 (in Polish) Convention Guide-Book: Convention of the Year/Season
  41. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2007 Plebiscite
  42. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2008 Plebiscite
  43. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2009 Plebiscite
  44. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2010 Plebiscite
  45. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2011 Plebiscite
  46. ↑ (in Polish) The Cathedral – Science Fiction/Fantasy 2012 Plebiscite
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