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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Events, Volunteers

If you volunteered even just one hour of your time for CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration, you are invited to join a few hundred of your fellow CONvergence volunteers at the CONvergence 2019 Volunteers Party!

logo for Volunteers Party featuring Connie wearing a party hat, and confetti

“Backyard Garden” finger foods and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided free for all CONvergence 2019 volunteers from 7:00pm until 9:00pm or until gone, and the hotel will have a cash bar.

Backyard Garden Menu

  • Crudité Shooters with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese and Truffle Salt
  • Heirloom Tomato and Basil Shooters
  • Grilled Shishito Peppers, Garlic Aioli
  • Zucchini Bread with Rooftop Honey Butter

In a nearby room to the main party, there will be an informal music circle. Please feel free to share some tunes or just hang out and watch.

So bring your instrument, bring a game to play, bring CONvergence 2019 stories to share, and most importantly, bring yourself!

When: Saturday, July 20, 2019, 7:00pm until 10:00pm
Where: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 2nd Floor in Northstar A & B (the Art Show room)
Why: Because it’s fun to party with CONvergence volunteers, of course!

Click here to join the Facebook event.

Get Your Volunteer Thank You Gifts

If you didn’t have a chance during CONvergence 2019 to pick up your volunteer t-shirt, uber volunteer reward, or other CONvergence 2019 Volunteer Thank You Gifts, you will be able to do so on Saturday, July 20, 2019 from 5:00pm – 7:30pm at the Hyatt.

If you are unable to make it during the times when gift redemption will be available, or if you have any questions regarding your volunteer hours that were logged for 2019, please contact the CONvergence Volunteers Department.

Get 2019 CONvergence Merchandise

Due to popular demand, CONvergence yarn and stickers will also be on sale from 5:00pm – 7:30pm at the Hyatt. Please contact CONvergence Merchandise if you have any questions. Please contact CONvergence Merchandise if you have any questions.

Prize Drawings

CONvergence 2019 members with 10 or more CONvergence 2019 volunteer hours logged are eligible to enter the Volunteer Raffle for one of the following awesome prizes! You need not be present to win. Winners will be drawn at 8:00pm during the party and prizes may be picked up if you are present. If you are not present, we will contact you and make arrangements to get you your prize.

  1. Kitchen Geek: 6 Star Wars-themed kitchen accessories and Kitchen Overlord cookbook
  2. Tech Geek: Canon IVY Mobile Mini Photo Printer and Canon Zink Photo Paper with hard travel case
  3. Garden Geek: AeroGarden Harvest Model with accessories
  4. Museum Geek: One-year duel membership at the Science Museum of Minnesota and one-year individual membership at the Bell Museum
  5. Board Game Geek: 5 board games (Hanai, Ninja Raja, Love Letter Premium Edition, Terraforming Mars, and Arkham Horror The Card Game)
  6. Crafty Geek: 3 skeins of CONvergence yarn, a project bag and toolkit from Slipped Stitch Studios, and a set of Harry Potter stitch markers

See pictures of all of the prizes on the Volunteer Raffle page!

In addition to the prizes listed above, we will hold drawings for many, many other door prizes for which you must be present to win. These drawings will be held throughout the night!

We hope to see you at the CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration. It should be a blast! If you have any questions about volunteering at CONvergence, Volunteer Thank You Gifts, or the Volunteer Raffle, please contact the CONvergence Volunteers Department.

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Announcements, Panels, Programming

CONvergence 2018 Member Survey Poster

With yet another CONvergence behind us, we have already begun looking to the future and CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration! As part of the transition process, we would like to invite each end every CONvergence 2019 member to take the CONvergence 2019 Member Survey and to evaluate any CONvergence 2019 panels you attended.

2019 Member Survey

Click Here to take the CONvergence 2019 Member Survey.

Tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like, what you thought worked well, and what you felt didn’t work at all. We want to hear all about your experiences, your priorities, and most of all, your ideas for improving the convention. Every single response will be looked at. Survey responses are a cornerstone as plans for CONvergence 2019 begin to take shape.

The CONvergence 2019 Member Survey will be open until 11:59pm on July 19, 2019.

Evaluate Panels

Did you attend any panels at CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration? Maybe you were a panelist? Either way, the CONvergence Programming department wants to hear how every panel went!

Click Here for the CONvergence Panel Evaluation Form.

If a panel went very well, please take a moment to tell us why. If a went off the rails for any reason at all, we want to hear about that too! Panel evaluations are CONvergence’s primary year-to-year tool for improving panel programming. Your evaluations can influence who gets asked back as a moderator, as a panelist, and what panel topics end up on next year’s schedule.

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Programming, Publications

2019 Souvenir Guide CoverThe CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration Souvenir Guide is now available for download in a handy PDF format to read on your computer, tablet, or mobile phone. Print copies of the guide are available at the convention during Badge Pick-Up.

The Souvenir Guide features Guest of Honor perspectives and schedules, a programming guide, maps, information about sponsors and tons of other useful information for CONvergence 2019!

If you have any questions about the 2019 Souvenir Guide, please contact CONvergence publications. (You may not get a reply until after the convention.)

Programming Schedule PDF

You can download a PDF copy of the CONvergence 2019 Programming Schedule to print out or read on your tablet or mobile device. You may also be interested in the CVG2019 mobile app!

And, of course, the schedule is also available online.

Restaurant and Store Guides

Check out our CONvergence 2019 Restaurant and Store Guides for dining and shopping options during CONvergence 2019!

More to Review…

As you embark upon your CONvergence 2019 journey, you may also want to review some of the following.

Additionally, the hours of operation for free services and activities at the convention can easily be found by navigating the “At The Con” section of our website! Just give it a try!

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Accessibility, Announcements, Policies, Venue

We know you are excited to be part of CONvergence’s reboot, rebirth, and evolution this year at CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration! Here is a list of things to keep in mind to ensure both you and everyone around you have a fantastic convention.

Getting to the Convention

In partnership with Metro Transit, CONvergence members can get free bus and train passes for Friday and Saturday of CONvergence 2019! Head over to the Bus and Train page to download your passes, plus get all the information you need to know about using public transportation to get to and from CONvergence.

Of course, the Metro Transit is not the only way to get to the con. You can also ride your bike and take advantage of one of the 6 bicycle racks surrounding the Hyatt, use ride sharing, or drive and park Downtown. Click here for a list of current and upcoming road construction projects in the Twin Cities Metro area that you should be aware of if you are driving, and head over to the Parking page for parking information.

If you utilize the e-scooters that are common in downtown Minneapolis, please be sure to park them in the designated area outside the Hyatt. This will help keep sidewalks clear and accessible for everyone, plus it will help people find scooters when they want to use them!

Connie Mark 2, Professor Max, and Connie as Firefly charactersPicking Up Your Badge

Your first stop at CONvergence 2019 will probably be picking up your badge. Head over to the Badge Pick-Up page for Registration’s hours of operation, and everything else you need to know about picking up your CONvergence 2019 membership badge.

Be Aware of Changes for 2019

With the change of venue to the Hyatt Regency, there will be many new experiences and tweaks to CONvergence, and some of them are pretty exciting. Here is a quick overview of some things to be aware of:

  • Poster hanging begins at 8:00am on Thursday morning.
  • Starting Friday, CoF2E2 Free Coffee Shop is open in the morning again! Due to circumstances outside or control, espresso and drip-brew coffee will be available starting Friday afternoon, but cold press coffee and the entire selection of tea will be available starting Thursday!
  • CONvergence 2019 will not have the Art of the Dress Runway show. Instead, anyone who wishes to show off their great costume without having to do a formal performance can participate in the CONvergence Masquerade by entering their costume as a new entry category called “Runway”.
  • During CONvergence 2019 you can enter the Hall Costume Contest via your Instagram account.
  • CVG-TV will be streaming events live as usual online, but not on a hotel TV channel. For information about watching CVG-TV on your hotel room’s TV, visit the CVG-TV page.
  • MainStage is now twice as large as it’s ever been. There is now more than enough room for everyone who wants to watch MainStage events to come down to MainStage and be right there in the action!
  • Cinema Rex, Theater Nippon, and the Teen Room have all their usual snacks again!
  • Official Mobile Parties will be roaming throughout the hotel during the convention!
  • CONvergence welcomes a new dedicated spoken word performance space, Wordslingers Way!
  • Connie’s Quantum Sandbox now has two whole rooms, and a new space called the Backyard Playhouse, featuring drop-in activities available for you to have some fun with whenever you stop by!
  • Per the CONvergence 2019 Costumes/Clothing policy, nipples and areolas of all members, regardless of gender presentation, must be completely covered by opaque material.
  • The list of Safe Spaces has been updated for 2019.

Lastly, it is a very good idea to look over the CONvergence Member Conduct Policies before you arrive at the convention, as they are revised every year and have had some significant revisions due to the change of venue.

Official CONvergence Media

Keep a look out for official CONvergence media during the convention! They photograph, video, and report on the convention to share online, on CVG-TV, on social media, and to create an archive of the event. You can always identify them by their media badges.Photos of the various CONvergence media badgesBy registering for CONvergence, you gave consent for the convention to record your image. Depending on the situation, official CONvergence media staff may not always ask before taking a photo or video. Please be understanding as they do their jobs for the convention. If you have any concerns about CONvergence media policy, please contact the Convergence Events Board of Directors.

Treat Everyone With Respect

CONvergence is serious about providing a safe environment for all members, and we enforce our Harassment Policy very seriously. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you don’t harsh anyone’s squee.

  • Costumes are Not Consent poster featuring ConnieAsk permission before you take a photo of another CONvergence member. (Not only is this polite, but it almost always results in a much better photo!)
  • Costumes are not consent to be hugged, touched, groped, grabbed, or sexually advanced upon. But this is also true for fancy dress, kilts, swimwear, or even just jeans and a t-shirt. It does not matter what gender a person is or what they are or aren’t wearing; harassment is harassment. If someone tells you they do not want to talk to you or do not want you to touch them, respect that and leave them alone.
  • A good rule of thumb is to just explicitly ask for permission before touching any person in any way. Examples include:
    • “May I put my arm around you for a photo?”
    • “May I hug you?”
    • “That fabric on your costume is so interesting. May I feel the texture?”
  • Volunteers are doing a job and it is important to recognize that. If someone is volunteering, it is definitely not an appropriate time to make sexual advances or try to touch them. Just let them do their job. This goes double for elevator monitors, as they are on their own in confined spaces.
  • If you’re not sure which pronouns to use for a new friend at CONvergence, check for a pronoun sticker on their membership badge. If they don’t have a sticker, it’s always OK to just ask. You do this by saying, “What pronouns do you use?” It really is just that simple! If you don’t have a good opportunity to find out a person’s preferred pronouns, you’re generally safe using the gender-neutral pronoun, “they”.
  • Restroom policing is very uncool. People know which restroom they belong in. Trust them to do their business in the place most comfortable for them and leave it at that.

If You See Something, Say Something

Part of being a community is taking responsibility for protecting that community. We’ve all got to look out for each other, and it really is quite simple!

  • If you spot someone who looks like they are in distress, ask them if they would like you to contact Operations or First Advisors for them.
  • If you witness someone being harassed, do not stay silent. Speak up and defuse the situation. If that doesn’t help, please report the harassment.
  • If you witness someone breaking the rules outlined in the CONvergence Policies, try to educate them. It’s possible they are just ignorant of the policy. If that doesn’t help, contact Operations via The Bridge.
  • If you spot someone whose prop weapon has not yet been Peace Bonded, suggest that they head to The Bridge for “The Talk”. They get a badge ribbon for doing it!

And contacting Operations at The Bridge is easier than ever with their text number: 651.800.1.OPS (651-800-1677)

Getting From Floor to Floor

Connie and Mark 2 ride the escalators

At the Hyatt, CONvergence takes over the first six floors of the hotel. To get from floor to floor, you have to know what goes where. Here is a quick overview!

There are two banks of elevators and one set of escalators. There will also be one set of stairs open to floors with convention spaces. If you are able, please use either escalators or stairs to access floors 1–6.

  • The Conference Elevators (two elevators near the escalators) serve convention spaces on floors 1–6.
    • The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.
  • The Guest Elevators (five elevators near the front desk, and in various locations on upper floors) serve guest rooms on all floors, with indirect access to convention spaces on floors 1–5
  • The Escalators (centrally located) serve convention spaces on floors 1-5
    • When boarding the escalators, please leave a gap of 1-2 steps between riders.
    • Cosplayers or members with long articles of clothing should take care to avoid becoming entangled in the equipment.
    • When exiting escalators, step off promptly, and immediately move clear of the escalator exit area. Do not stop to talk or look around. Other passengers may be behind you.
  • The Open Stairwell (near the escalators and conference elevators, on the Nicollet Mall side of the hotel) provides access to all floors, but not the lobby; it exits onto the street.
    • The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.

Note that other stairwells will provide egress to the ground floor but will not allow access to intermediary floors.

If your wait time for an elevator ever exceeds 15 minutes, please text CONvergence Operations at 651.800.1.OPS (651-800-1677) and indicate your floor and elevator bank. An elevator operator will be contacted to get an elevator to you as soon as possible.

Remember the 6-2-1 Rule

The 6-2-1 Rule is:

  • 6 hours of sleep per night
  • 2 meals per day
  • 1 shower per day

Practice self care while at CONvergence, and try to remind your friends to do the same. Also, remember to wash your hands often to prevent the spread of con crud! If you’d like regular reminders to self-care, try following Professor Max on Twitter. He’ll be tweeting self care tips all weekend.

Wait To Post Photos of Your Badge Online

When you get your CONvergence 2019 membership‬ badge, please DO NOT post a close-up photo of it online or share a close-up photo of it with your friends until AFTER the convention is over. If you see your friends doing this, please ask them to take their badge photo(s) down until Sunday. Convention badge counterfeiting is real and this is something you can do to help prevent it at CONvergence!

Connie in a power wheelchairBe aware of Members with Disabilities

There are many CONvergence members with both visible and invisible disabilities. Here are a few simple things you can do to help make their CONvergence 2019 as awesome as yours!

  • Keep paths clear. Don’t stand in the middle of a hallway or doorway. Always ask yourself, is there room for a wheelchair to get through? If not, make some. If everyone does this, it makes a big difference!
  • Never assume ability. Many, many disabilities are “invisible”. This means that you can’t tell a person has the disability just by looking at them. It’s a good idea to never assume a person you don’t know is able-bodied. Don’t criticize them for their elevator, escalator, or chair use; they know their limitations much better than you do!
  • Bathroom policing is never ok! You cannot determine a person’s disability or gender just by looking at them.
  • Treat mobility aids as extensions of a person’s body. Never touch a person’s wheelchair, scooter, walker, crutches, or cane without their permission.
  • Keep your mouth visible while you are talking. This is especially important if you are on a panel. Many hard of hearing people lip read in order to understand what is being said, and more people are hard of hearing than you might think. Keeping your mouth visible while you are talking is a huge help!

If you want more information about accessibility at CONvergence, check out the Accessibility & Inclusion page.

Sign up for the Blood Drive

In the great tradition of blood drives at science fiction conventions throughout the country, the crew of the USS Nokomis is proud to host this year’s blood drive. Please make your appointment to save up to three lives with your donation at www.redcrossblood.org or call 651-283-6736 to choose your time. You can also sign up at the bar in the USS Nokomis party room (5121) on Thursday or Friday night, or Find the USS Nokomis at a table near the escalator on the 1st floor on Thursday or Friday afternoons, or all day on Saturday.

Visit the Blood Drive page for more information.

Don’t Forget Your Fuel

Remember that 6-2-1 rule? A very important part of that is eating. ConSuite is great for snacks throughout the day, but it isn’t a replacement for a real meal.

You may want to check out the Food and Shopping page for your full selection of dining options during the convention. Some are even offering discounts!

Connie as a space marineHave Props? Make sure to have “The Talk”

If you have a prop of any kind—even a fictional weapon—please bring it to The Bridge to be peace bound. An Operations volunteer will have “The Talk” with you, and you’ll walk out with a snazzy badge ribbon! Even if your prop weapon is just plastic and foam, getting it peace bound is a great signal to everyone around you that your weapon is safe. Your prop will not be damaged in the peace binding process!

Check out the CONvergence Props policies by clicking here.

Check the CVG-TV Schedule

CVG-TV, CONvergence’s television channel streaming live online during the convention, has posted their broadcast schedule. Head over to check it out so you can plan to catch rebroadcasts of MainStage events!

Member Advocates Have Your Back

Do you need ear to listen at CONvergence? Have you found yourself overwhelmed while at the con? Or do you need to connect to a department but don’t know where to go? CONvergence Member Advocates want to help!

Member Advocates are here for CONvergence Members and Convention Committee. They can guide you in the right direction to make sure that issues, ideas, and problems are addressed by the right department or be an ear to listen and connect you to the right resources for support. If you would like to utilize Member Advocates, simply stop by the Member Advocates table next to the Accessibility & Inclusion table in the DoubleTree by Hilton Lobby or email

memberadvocates@convergence-con.org. You can also request a Member Advocate any time by visiting The Bridge.

Lost & Found

Did you know CONvergence has an at-con Lost and Found? If you find something or if you lose something during CONvergence 2019, head over to The Bridge!

Have Fun!

Whatever epic destiny brought you to CONvergence 2019, be it overthrowing an oppressive galactic tyrant or simply a quest through the stars to rescue a space prince or princess, make sure that you have fun while you are here! Volunteer, get your geek on, and don’t forget to party to the max!

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Posted on by Liz Posted in Guests of Honor

CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration will be premiering shortly and we can hardly wait. This year we’re celebrating renewal, reinvention, and the reboot as members spend their first year at our new home in downtown Minneapolis, the Hyatt Regency. But before we kick off this year’s convention, we thought we’d check in with the CONvergence 2018 Guests of Honor to see what they’ve been up to since last July.

In late 2018, Eleanor Arnason’s short story Loft the Sorcerer was published in The Book of Magic, a fantasy anthology including short stories by fellow CONvergence 2018 Guest of Honor Elizabeth Bear and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin.

Elizabeth Bear has maintained a breakneck pace of short story, novelette, and book publishing since CONvergence 2018. Among her many accomplishments in the past year, a few include publication of The Red-Stained Wings, the second book in the Lotus Kingdoms series; the short story Bullet Point featured in the new anthology Wastelands 3: The New Apocalypse; and Ancestral Night, a story about space salvagers living just inside the law…usually.

Wesley Chu has been working on a new story in the Walking Dead comic world. In The Walking Dead: Typhoon Chu takes readers on their first journey (of the series) to China, where a group of survivors band together against a wave of walkers in the most populous country in the world.  He and his wife welcomed their second child, River, on June 17.

Paul Cornell’s fourth and penultimate book of the Witches of Lychford series, The Lights Go Out in Lychford, will hit shelves and e-readers this November. It’s been described by former CONvergence Guest of Honor Seanan McGuire as “Beautifully written, perfectly cruel and ultimately kind.”

CONvergence 2018 Guest of Honor Amal El-Mohtar. Photo from Twitter.

This is How You Lose the Time War, a riveting spy-v-spy/time lord/romance novel collaboration between former CONvergence Guest of Honor Amal El-Mohtar and author Max Gladstone, will be available for purchase mid-July of this year.

Video essayist and film critic Lindsay Ellis has stayed busy with her movie and television critiques on her YouTube channel. Recent additions to her repertoire include YouTube: Manufacturing Authenticity (For Fun and Profit!), Death of the Author, and How Aladdin Changed Animation (By Screwing Over Robin Williams).

Tor.com Senior Editor Lee Harris received a nomination for Best Editor (Short Form) for a 2019 Hugo Award, and saw several books he has edited receive nominations, including Artificial Condition by Martha Wells, Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor, and Beneath the Sugar Sky by former CONvergence Guest of Honor Seanan McGuire.

CONvergence 2018 Guest of Honor James Kakalios. Photo from Twitter.

James Kakalios—mild-mannered physicist by day; science consultant, public speaker, and Emmy-Award winner…also by day—co-authored an article published in the Journal of Applied Physics quaintly titled Photo-induced enhancement of the dark conductivity in nanocrystalline germanium/amorphous silicon composite thin films.

Kelly McCullough published Spirits, Spells, and Snark earlier this year, and has been regularly publishing three different microfiction series on Twitter and Facebook. Kelly is working on an illustrated book of one of these microseries, Dragon Diaries, and has launched a Patreon to support this and other works. He also continues to publish weekly Monday Meows cat blogs on his website.

Mary Jo Pehl and co-star Bridget Nelson released special-edition Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Riff Trax this spring. She also performed at the Pay Gap Comedy Tour this June.

Tamora Pierce now has officially licensed merchandise! Themed pins, shirts and pendants from her fantasy works are now available at Dual Wield Studio. Plus, you can listen in as she shares insight into her inspiration and works in a multi-part vlog by student Angie Malkoun titled The Fiction Around Fantasy & YA.

You can catch Gordon Purcell signing a new Spidey print this July 2—shortly before CONvergence 2019—ahead of the Spider-Man Far From Home premiere!

Victor Raymond was recently on the Gaming and BS RPG Podcast to talk about the OSR, MAR Barker – author of Empire of the Petal Throne, and Tekumel! He also just finished up a Bundle of Holding for the Tekumel Foundation, and recently helped to move Madison Traditional Gaming from Pegasus Games to Noble Knight Games, noting that it has gotten even bigger.

CONvergence 2018 Guest of Honor Marina Sirtis playing Fairy Godmother in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Marina Sirtis spent the year starring in the London-based play Dark Sublime, portraying the fairy godmother of Bridlington Spa’s Jack and the Beanstalk, and cast in the major motion picture 5th Passenger starring other Star Trek greats like Doug Jones (Discovery), Tim Russ (Voyager), and Armin Shimerman (Deep Space Nine).

Multi-media artist Lisa Snellings has created a beautiful array of her signature “poppets,” which you can see on Twitter and Etsy.

Michael “Knightmage” Wilson with his CosBeacon award.

Melinda Snodgrass has been working on two TV series as executive producer, and the fourth book in her Imperials series, The Currency of War, is anticipated to be released later this year!

Artist and animator Vincent Truitner showcased a new series of paintings, Birth Stones, at the Beaumont Studios ArtSee in Vancouver, BC this spring.

Greg Weisman is excited to announce all-new episodes of Young Justice airing on DC Universe starting this July! Plus, he’s excited to see lots of fans later this summer at San Diego Comic Con.

Michael “Knightmage” Wilson received the CosBeacon award from Cosplay in America for his work in local cosplay communities that benefit charities.

Author and filmmaker Ytasha Womack participated in a conversation with synthetic biologist and astrobiologist Betül Kaçar titled Future Shaped by Pasts that Could have Been published this winter in the MIT Media Lab Journal of Design and Science. She also recently finished a successful kickstarter for a three-book series titled A Spaceship in Bronzeville. She was the keynote speaker at this year’s Design Futures Initiative Primer Conference in June, themed Futures for All.

Information Society recently released a new single, Bennington, featuring their signature freestyle synth-pop sound.

That wraps up our overview of OCNvergence 2018 Guests of Honor! We’re looking forward to another year of amazing Guests of Honor in just a few days. Be sure to check out their bios, then say hi to them from July 4-7, 2019 at CONvergence: The Next Celebration!

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Transportation

CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration starts on Thursday in downtown Minneapolis, MN and those of us without a Transporter or a Warp Drive may need to rely on overland travel.

Many CONvergence members will be using Metro Transit to get to the con. If you are planning on taking a bus or a train, be aware of reduced services on Thursday, July 4, 2019 in observance of the Independence Day holiday.  For more information on taking public transportation to CONvergence, head over to the Bus and Train page.

Of course, some people will be driving to the convention and parking Downtown. If you want to avoid flying right through a star or bouncing too close to a supernova, here is a list of current and upcoming road construction projects in the Twin Cities Metro area that my impede, obstruct, or otherwise complicate your vehicular travel to and from CONvergence.

Please refer to the MNDOT website for additional updates or closures or use the 511 app to plan your travel.

  • Hennepin Avenue: Utility Construction and Resurfacing
    Hennepin Avenue Utility Construction has begun from 12th to 7th. Traffic is down to one lane in both directions. This work will continue throughout 2019.
    Comment: For additional information on this project click here.
  • MN 55: Road maintenance operations
    Between I-35W and East 32nd Street (Minneapolis). Road maintenance work is in progress. Until July 31, 2019 at about 5:00am.
    Comment: No permit restrictions. City of Mpls. trail project. Lake Street ramp will be closed during daylight working hours. Detour will be in place for traffic. Ramp will be open at night but a lane shift on the ramp will be in place. 
  • MN 55 eastbound: Roadway reduced to one lane
    Between County Road 6 (Plymouth) and Theodore Wirth Pkwy (Golden Valley). The roadway is reduced to one lane. Night time construction work is in progress. From 9:30pm to 5:00am until Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at about 5:00am.
    Comment: No OSOW restrictions.
  • I-35 southbound: Construction work
    Between Exit 36 (Circle Pines) and Lake Drive (Lexington). Look out for construction work. Expect changing traffic patterns. Until November 14, 2019 at about 11:45pm.
    Comment: There will be a bypass in place. Southbound traffic will cross over to the northbound side of I-35W at Sunset Ave., and then cross back over to the southbound side at Lake Drive Bridge. For additional information on this project click here.
  • I-35W in both directions: Roadway reduced to two lanes
    Between Exit 132: US 8 (near Forest Lake) and Exit 129: MN 97; Lake Drive (near Columbus). The roadway is reduced to two lanes. Major road construction work is in progress. There is a width limit in effect. Width limit 12’0″. Until October 31, 2019 at about 5:00pm.
    Comment: Northbound width restriction of 12 feet. Expect non-peak lane closures. For project information click here.
  • I-35W in both directions: Bridge construction
    Between Cliff Road (Burnsville) and Exit 5: 106th Street (Bloomington). Bridge construction work is in progress. A lane is closed intermittently. The exit ramp is closed. Until June 30, 2021 at about 5:00pm.
    Comment: For project information click here.
  • MN 65 in both directions: Right turn bay closed
    At 93rd Lane Northeast (Spring Lake Park). The right turn bay is closed. The left turn bay is closed. Until July 19, 2019 at about 2:30pm.
    Comment: No turns; construction on 93rd.
  • MN 65 northbound: Exit ramp closed
    At I-94 (Minneapolis). The exit ramp is closed. Major road construction work is in progress. Until September 30, 2021 at about 11:59pm.
    Comment: Ramp from northbound I-35W to westbound I-94 closed through the fall of 2021. For detour map click here. For more information click here.
  • MN 3 in both directions: Road closed to traffic
    Between 70th Street East and 60th Street West (Sunfish Lake). The road is closed to traffic. A detour is in operation. Until November 1, 2019 at about 11:45pm.
    Comment: Closed at CSAH 26 to all traffic. CSAH 26 is closed to all traffic at Mn3.
  • MN 95 in both directions: Road closed to traffic
    Between 70th Street South (near Cottage Grove) and US 61 (near Hastings). The road is closed to traffic. Major road construction work is in progress. The road is being repaved. A detour is in operation. Until September 2, 2019 at about 6:00am.
    Comment: For more information click here.
  • MN 120 in both directions: Road closed
    Between Holloway Avenue and County Road B East (North Saint Paul). The road is closed because of utility work. Follow the detour signs. Until July 8, 2019 at about 3:00pm.
    Comment: Closure is for the replacement of a large gas line.

We strongly recommend that you consider not driving to the convention if that is an option for you, and instead take a taxi, ride share, bike, scooter, Metro Transit, or carpool. Find more information about all of your options on the Getting to the Convention page.

Save travels to CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration!

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Hotel

 

Posters at CONvergence 2017

At the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, CONvergence members may hang family-friendly signage advertising parties, panels, performances, events and more in CONvergence event spaces, and in room party hallways on floors 3, 4, and 5. CONvergence members may begin hanging posters at 8:00am on Thursday, July 4, 2018.

DO NOT Hang Posters:

  • At the Hyatt front desk, Hyatt Marketplace, Fireside Lounge, the Prairie Kitchen & Bar, or from railings overlooking any of these
  • In stairwells, escalators, elevators, or elevator doors
  • In the Skyway bridge connecting the Hyatt with the Millenium
  • On storefronts or in businesses co-located with the Hyatt, including the Fedex, Vitali’s Cafe, and Salon Blu
  • On glass surfaces
  • On doors or door frames
  • Anywhere outdoors, including Smokers Paradise, the Loring Greenway, or any parking ramp

DO Hang Posters:

  • Virtually anywhere around CONvergence function space, as indicated on the maps
  • In room party hallways on floors 3, 4, and 5
  • On the walls of your own party room

If you are unsure whether you should hang your poster in a particular location, please find a CONvergence Operations volunteer or stop by The Bridge and ask!

One True Tape Poster   Blue Tape poster in the style of Blue Sun Corporation from Firefly
Remember to use the One True Tape! Anything affixed to the wall or other surfaces at the Hyatt Regency Hotel MUST be secured with low-tack blue painter’s tape. All brands and models of true blue tape are permitted.

Any posters found to be secured using other kinds of tape will be taken down without notice. Low-tack blue painter’s tape can be found at most hardware stores. If you run out of tape during the convention, stop by The Bridge—they may have some available.

Any posters you hang must be removed no later than 8:00pm on Sunday. Members who hang posters are expected to also remove them.

Posted on by Liz Posted in Fun Stuff, Hotel, Programming

As we gear up for the CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration, many of us are also trying to envision what it will be like to attend the convention we know and love so much in a new-to-us space: the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis.

What can we expect in this space? Will all the things we love about CONvergence be the same? Will they be better? What will be different?

There is a reason CONvergence’s 2019 theme is all about the reboot. CONvergence is still happening with all the CONvergence things that make CONvergence unique and special, but in a new space that better accommodates our membership, with public transit options, downtown restaurants and food trucks, and more exhibition and programming space than ever in the convention’s 20-year history.

Here is an overview of CONvergence’s new home to help you get hyped up for the convention at the Hyatt Regency!

Hyatt Regency lobby lounge overlook

Overlooking the Hyatt Regency fireplace lobby lounge. Photo courtesy Anime Detour

About The Hyatt

The Hyatt Regency sits at the gateway to downtown Minneapolis, backed by Loring Park, the Minneapolis Convention Center, and the Nicollet Avenue “Eat Street” corridor. The hotel sits on a high-frequency, no-fare downtown bus route that connects to nearly every other bus line in the city, and is a short walk from some of the city’s grandest sights and features. Plus, the Hyatt Regency is part of the extensive Minneapolis Skyway system, providing members a safe, relatively seamless, elevated pedestrian experience spanning downtown Minneapolis that’s complete with restaurants, shops, and ample photography opportunities.

The Inside Scoop

As our new CONvergence host hotel, the Hyatt Regency’s first six floors hold the convention’s primary programming space. Guest rooms begin on floor three and continue all the way up. Even though they are not pool-side cabanas, room parties will still be in full swing on floors three, four, and five in larger rooms, and roaming Mobile Parties will be popping up throughout the hotel. ConSuite’s new space is well-suited to the task of keeping 6,000 members supplied with a steady flow of snacks; it is located in a former restaurant! And the Dealers Room will be bigger than ever, encompassing an entire exposition hall on the first floor.

Skyway cosplay

The skyways offer countless opportunities for cosplay photography. Photo courtesy Anime Detour

The Hyatt Regency is connected by Skyway to the Millennium Minneapolis hotel, and from there, to the rest of downtown Minneapolis. More than nine miles of Skyways connect 80 city blocks and 140 restaurants and cafes above the streets, and offer incredible bird’s-eye views of the city. Plan your trip around the Skyways, and prepare for amazing photo opportunities! They also mean you don’t need to worry about the weather or the heat to grab a bite to eat, run an errand, or just escape the convention for a little while to go for a walk.

Like any new house or apartment, we’ll have to rearrange our furniture (and programming and traffic flow) to fit our new CONvergence space. But be prepared for new and improved vantage points, overlooks, photo ops, party rooms, and amenities galore.

But How Big IS It?

One of the most significant benefits CONvergence members will see is the vast amount of programming space at CONvergence 2019—the Hyatt Regency has 50% more programming space than former CONvergence host hotels, offering over 100,000 square feet of programming options. This means more room for concerts, panels, performances, dances, exhibitions, gaming, activities, and relaxing. Have a look at the maps and watch the video overview below to get a feel for it!

Hotel Room Availability

When you bought your 2019 CONvergence membership, you may have noticed there was no hotel room lottery option. That’s because the Hyatt Regency and its neighboring hotel, Millennium Minneapolis, have 116 more sleeping rooms than the former CONvergence host hotels. The Minneapolis Skyway system also connects to three additional CONvergence hotels, Hilton Minneapolis, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Northstar, and Holiday Inn Express & Suites. And there are even more hotels within a short walk (or e-scooter ride) from the Hyatt. Check out hotel availability and CONvergence room rates on the Hotel Rooms page.

Worried about getting lost in the Skyways, or schlepping long distances with bulky costumes? Free CONvergence shuttles will also be available during the convention to bring members from offsite hotels to the Hyatt Regency for the duration of the convention.

Geek Homecoming

The Hyatt Regency has warmly welcomed CONvergence and our members to its programming and guest space. Hotel staff are no stranger to Twin Cities geeks — the Hyatt also hosts local conventions Anime Detour, 2D Con, and Furry Migration conventions. So CONvergence members should expect a staff who is not a stranger to geek culture or the convention scene. The Hyatt Regency is now the premiere convention hotel for the Twin Cities.

Cosplayers dancing at the Anime Detour rave

CONvergence MainStage is front and center at the Hyatt, making your favorite activities easily accessible. Photo courtesy Anime Detour

Prepare to experience living history as an attending member of the 21st CONvergence in a new hotel and one we hope to call home for many years to come. We’re excited to celebrate with you as we reboot CONvergence on July 4-7, 2019 at our new home in Downtown Minneapolis.

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Posted on by Liz Posted in Hotel, Transportation

CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration is all about reboots and re-imagining. This is no coincidence as CONvergence is re-imagined in a brand new, upgraded venue. Get ready to experience the convention you know and love in a dynamic, diverse, new-to-us downtown hotel on July 4-7 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

What can you expect from this 2019 reboot of our now 21-year-old convention?

Convention registration

The Hyatt offers more programming and hotel space than CONvergence has ever had before. Photo courtesy Anime Detour

Better Transportation

One of the biggest advantages of CONvergence’s move to downtown Minneapolis is the availability of public transportation to get you to and from the convention, or even just to easily get around downtown to grab supplies or enjoy a meal. The Hyatt Regency is located on several major bus routes, a few blocks from the green and blue light rail lines, steps from a Nice Ride bicycle rental dock and several more bike racks, near major interstate highways, and just 30 minutes from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) by car or light rail.

On top of that, in partnership with Metro Transit, CONvergence members can get free bus and train passes for Friday and Saturday!  You can easily plan your trip using Metro Transit’s trip planner, or download the free app. Visit our Bus & Train page for more information and to download your free Metro Transit passes.

Better Food Options

Once cut off from the greater Twin Cities community, CONvergence now sits at the doorstep of downtown Minneapolis—on Eat Street, no less. This means members have more food options than we could possibly sample in the next 20 years of the convention.

  • On-site: The Hyatt Regency and next-door Millennium Minneapolis feature several restaurants, cafes and coffee shops within their walls, ensuring you can stay well-fed and highly caffeinated without straying far from panels, party rooms or programming.
  • Off-site: Venture out of CONvergence space and you’ll find restaurants abound in the downtown area. From the city’s finest like Brit’s Pub, the Melting Pot, and the Capital Grille, to the coolest food experiences like Hell’s Kitchen, Fogo de Chao, Crave’s downtown rooftop, and Glam Doll Donuts, to nearby bites including Lotus Vietnamese Restaurant, Eggy’s Minneapolis, and the Nicollet Diner, options are nearly limitless.
  • On our doorstep: What’s more, moving to downtown Minneapolis means having food trucks at our doorstep—literally. Steel your stomach for the savory schedule of food trucks planned to visit us during CONvergence 2019.

Want the full run-down on food options during the convention? Check out the Food and Shopping page.

Skyways

Designed to give pedestrians a safe way to traverse downtown Minneapolis, more than nine miles of skyways connect 80 city blocks and 140 restaurants and cafes above the streets, offering an incredible bird’s-eye views of the city. Avoid the hot and humid weather of summer in Minneapolis by getting where you need to go via Skyway. Plus, photo opportunities abound in these labyrinthine corridors! Visit our Getting to the Convention page for some more information about the Minneapolis Skyway system.

Cosplayers and convention attendees in the skyway connecting the Hyatt Regency and Millennium hotels

The skyways connect CONvergence to Downtown Minneapolis, and offer birds-eye views and photography opportunities. Photo courtesy Anime Detour

Don’t Miss The Parks

Named the country’s number one city park system by the Trust for Public Land six of the last seven years, Minneapolis offers CONvergence members countless opportunities to explore one-of-a-kind natural features. Within a short walk from the Hyatt, you can experience the unique way nature meets urban Minneapolis at the Loring Greenway, Loring Park, Walker Sculpture Garden, Mill Ruins Park, the Stone Arch Bridge, and more. Hop a bus, train, or rented bicycle or scooter and visit Shingle Creek Falls, Powderhorn Park, Minnehaha Falls, and the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes. This is a great option if you are ever feeling like you need a break from the convention for a few hours, so you can decompress and come back refreshed!

To Infinity and Beyond

If you are attending CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration, you will be part of CONvergence history by being part of the convention’s first year in its new downtown Minneapolis home. This is the year to forge new traditions and re-imagine what CONvergence is and can be for you. There is so much opportunity and so many new toys at our fingertips. This is a very exciting time, and very truly the next celebration.

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Posted on by Hal Bichel Posted in Events, Programming, Volunteers

The CONvergence 2019 schedule has been calibrated in the time stream, adjusted for laws of probability, and is ready and available to help you plan all quantum states applicable to your convention! You can view the schedule on your computer, mobile phone, or tablet by simply visiting schedule.convergence-con.org or navigating there from the Schedule page.

Make an account, connect with your CONvergence friends, and start planning all the cool things you are going to do at the convention before you even arrive at the hotels!

Mobile App

Screenshot of CONvergence 2019 App

Keeping track of your CONvergence schedule during the convention is still easier than ever with the  Native CVG2019 app or the Sched mobile schedule app for both iOS and Android!

Download the App

A new feature of the app for CONvergence 2019 is it downloads the schedule to your local phone storage, meaning it will no longer use your mobile data in the background. However, because of this, you will need to manually refresh the app data in order to see schedule updates. We recommend doing this at least once per day during the convention. Simply go to “My Account” and select “Refresh All Data” any time you would like to refresh the schedule.

CVG2019:

Sched:

If you are using the Sched app, search for “CONvergence 2019”. Use the “My Sched” link at the top to create or login to an account, connect with your CONvergence friends, and start planning all the cool things you are going to do at the convention before you even arrive at the hotels!

If your mobile device is something other than iOS or Android, you can still access the CONvergence 2019 schedule on your mobile device by navigating to schedule.convergence-con.org in your browser app.

If you have any questions about the Sched mobile app or the CONvergence 2019 schedule, please contact CONvergence Programming.

Cinema Rex LogoCinema Rex Schedule

Due to the license agreement bringing an amazing line-up of fine films our way at CONvergence 2019, Cinema Rex will not publish the entire movie schedule online.

The full Cinema Rex schedule will be printed in the CONvergence Programming Guide, and posted on Cinema Rex fliers around the hotel. You can also visit Superior Rooms A&B on the 5th floor of the Hyatt Regency at any time during the convention to see what’s playing for the day.

If you use the online schedule or app, you’ll notice that there are time blocks for Cinema Rex movies that do not list the movie name or description. This way, after you see the fun line up events and films slated for your viewing pleasure, you can still use the online schedule or app to add Cinema Rex to the legendary journey that is sure to become your convention weekend.

You can find a preview of the CONvergence 2019 Cinema Rex schedule on the Cinema Rex page!

Connie volunteering

Schedule Your Volunteering

While you are planning your CONvergence 2019 and all the fun things you want do during the con, don’t forget to schedule some time to volunteer at CONvergence. The entire convention is run by volunteers just like you, and it needs your help to keep everything running! There are lots of volunteer opportunities that you can sign up for online at CONvergence Volunteers SignUp Genius.

First time using SignUp Genius? Head over to the Signing Up for Volunteer Shifts page for video and text tutorials!

If you find yourself with down time during the convention and want to volunteer without having scheduled a shift, no problem! Just head over to the Volunteer Table and the volunteers there will connect you with a great way to help your fellow CONvergence members.

Food And Shopping

The CONvergence 2019 Restaurant and Store Guides are now available, as well as the Food Truck Schedule. Head over to the Food and Shopping page and you can start planning your meals during CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration!

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Connie reclining