NecronomiCon Providence

The NecronomiCon Providence, also known as the NecronomiCon Providence: The International Conference and Festival of Weird Fiction, Art, and Academia, is a biennial convention and academic conference held in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] It explores the life and works of H. P. Lovecraft and other creators of weird fiction of the past and the present, and is billed as "the largest celebration ever of [Lovecraft's] work and influence".[2] The event is typically held on the weekend closest to Lovecraft's birthday of August 20th.[3]

NecronomiCon Providence
StatusActive
BeginsAugust 23, 2019 (2019-08-23)
EndsAugust 25, 2019 (2019-08-25)
FrequencyBi-annually
VenueBiltmore Hotel Providence and Omni Hotels
Location(s)Providence, Rhode Island
CountryUnited States
Years activeAugust 2013 - current
InauguratedAugust 2013
Websitenecronomicon-providence.com

Event programming is held primarily at the Biltmore Hotel Providence and Omni Hotels, with additional events held in downtown Providence, the John Hay Library, and adjacent College Hill sites.[4] The event is organized by the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council, which also runs the store Lovecraft Arts & Sciences.

History

The first NecronomiCon Providence was held in August 2013,[5] and was the successor to the earlier "NecronomiCon: The Cthulhu Mythos Convention"[6] that has been founded and organized by The Lovecraft Society of New England biannually from 1993–2001, led by Franklin Hummel (founder of the Gaylaxian Network), attorney Joan Stanley, and Necronomicon Press publisher Marc Michaud.[7] Funding to launch the event was partially raised through a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.[8] The first event was successful and attracted attendees from outside Rhode Island and the United States, and the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council reported an attendance of over 1300 attendees and guests.[5][7]

Programming

Programming for the event consists of academic talks, symposiums, panels, author reading, and showings of art, theater, and film works inspired by Lovecraft.[9] An art exhibition entitled Ars Necronomica is also held and contains artwork from contemporary and historical fine, commercial, and outsider art. Films shown at the event include the 2015 short film Innsmouth.[10] The event also hosts live gaming events and a vendor room.[11] Panels cover a wide range of topics, from influences in Lovecraft's work, its relevance in today's culture and racism in Lovecraft's work to "Forbidden Knowledge in 19th & 20th Century Modernism", "Poe, Lovecraft, and The Uncanny: The Horror of the Self" to "Xenophobia, Atheism, and Tentacles: The Slender Man Myth as Communal Lovecraftian Tale".

The convention hosts the "Dr. Henry Armitage Memorial Scholarship Symposium" where scholarly works on Lovecraft and his writings are presented. Articles based on the presentations are reprinted as the Lovecraftian Proceedings series by Hippocampus Press.

In addition to the regular convention program there are community events before, after and during the convention that are Lovecraft centered, which include walking and bus tours of Lovecraftian sites around Providence. Other special events include the Opening Ceremony, the Eldritch Ball (fancy dress and masquerade), and the Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast. The Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast is an installment from the previous NecronomiCons, hosted in Providence and Danvers, set up as a Prayer Gathering on Sunday mornings.[12]

References
  1. Matchan, Linda (August 21, 2015). "Fans Meet to Toast Horror Writer Lovecraft". The Boston Globe (Boston, MA) (subscription required). Archived from the original on February 20, 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  2. "NecronomiCon to celebrate horror writer Lovecraft". NewsTimes. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  3. "Lovecraft Fans and Scholars Gather for NecronomiCon Providence 2013". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  4. Rosenberg, Alan. "Tickets to NecronomiCon, the Lovecraft convention in R.I., go on sale Friday". Providence Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  5. "Media Kit - NecronomiCon Providence". NecronomiCon Providence. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  6. url = http://www.hplovecraft.com/popcult/necronomicon
  7. "Dziemianowicz, Stefan. "The Cthulhu Mythos: Chronicle of a Controversy". In The Lovecraft Society of New England (ed.) Necronomicon: The Cthulhu Mythos Convention 1993 (convention book). Boston, MA: NecronomiCon, 1993, pp. 25–31". Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  8. "NecronomiCon: The Premier Lovecraft Convention in Providence". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  9. "Lovecraft Alert! NecronomiCon Providence 2015 Running August 20-23". Dread Central. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  10. Vijn, Ard. "NecronomiCon Providence 2015 Review: INNSMOUTH Is Short But Shocking". TwitchFilm. Archived from the original on 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  11. "Waking the Old Ones: NecronomiCon Providence 2013". FANGORIA®. Archived from the original on 2016-02-05. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  12. Murphy, Stephanie Gorton (2015-08-27). "Croissants with Cthulhu". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
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