Mythcon 52 - Progress Report #1
July 29 - August 1, 2022
Mythcon 52
The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien
Albuquerque, New Mexico
July 29 - August 1, 2022 (in-person and virtual attendance options)
July 29 - August 1, 2022 (in-person and virtual attendance options)
Progress Report #1 for Mythcon 52 (downloadable PDF)
Call for Papers-- updated with extended deadline and virtual presentation options!
Mythcon 52 Registration -- both in-person and virtual
Mythcon 52 Banquet -- in-person only (obviously)
NEW VENUE! Book your hotel reservations now!
Notes from Mythcon 52 Organizing Committee Co-Chairs
Megan Abrahamson and Leslie Donovan
Global pandemic, social and political unrest, day-jobs, family needs, planning and running the first virtual Mythcon, and
unexpected changes in the local Albuquerque conference provider scene have delayed this year’s Mythcon Progress Report
way too long. We as Co-Chairs are painfully aware of this. But, as a post shared with Leslie by a friend not too long ago said,
“instead of writing ‘sorry for the delayed response’ say ‘darkness took me and I strayed out of thought
and time,’ as it’s more exciting and suggests that you recently had a rumble with a Balrog, or Morgoth.” So,
we will acknowledge darkness, time straying, and won’t apologize! Instead, we will say that planning this year’s Mythcon has been as molten and ever flowing as Mount Doom’s lava. Despite this, we are striving to plan an event that will be welcoming, warm, and full of the best kinds of fellowship. Although we compromised and retrenched often, we have put together plans we feel good about and hope you will enjoy.
Although you may not agree with us on some of its details—as is true at any Mythcon—we invite you to attend to help us rebuild and reconnect with each other in the best and most healing ways possible. Join us as we start the process of recovery from all the challenges so many of us have faced these last few years. Help us work toward a new and renewed future for our beloved society and conference that is as vibrant and beautiful as each person reading this message. Please read on!
Conference Registration
Registration rates through May 30, 2022, are as follows. On June 1, rates will increase by $25 in all categories. Registration payments for Mythcon 52 (in-person and virtual) and banquet tickets may be made through PayPal from the Mythcon 52 registration page.In-Person Conference Registration
Mythopoeic Society Members - $75 until May 31; $90 June 1 and after
Nonmembers - $90 until May 31; $115 June 1 and after
Students* - $65 until May 31; $70 June 1 and after
* Students are those taking 12 or more credit hours per semester/quarter at an accredited college or university.
Must present a current, active student ID at check-in. For children attending with parent(s) or legal guardian(s),
12 and under are free, 12 to 18 pay the student rate.
Day passes will be available at the conference. A one-day pass will be $45, and a two-day pass will be $75.
Please note: You can join the Mythopoeic Society and then register for Mythcon 52 at the Society Members rate to save money and receive other member advantages. See the Mythopoeic Society’s website for details. If you are uncertain of your membership status, please contact our Membership Secretary, Lynne Darga, at membership@mythsoc.org.
New Virtual Option
Those who cannot or do not wish to attend Mythcon in person are invited to participate remotely in our virtual option. Our virtual option (via Zoom and Discord, as with Online Midwinter Seminar 1 and Mythcon 51) will include livestreaming Guests of Honor speeches from David Bratman and Rivera Sun and one track of paper and panel presentations on Saturday and Sunday. The cost of “attending” Mythcon 52’s virtual option is $20 until May 31, $25 June 1 and later. You can register here
REVISED Call for Papers/Panels — Deadline Extended!
Because we have had to delay updating MythSoc members about our plans for Mythcon 52, we are extending our deadline for paper and panel proposals to May 15, 2022.There are now two format options for presentations and panels: in person, and virtual. See the printable and shareable CFP (PDF) for further details, including instructions for the submission process, time constraint guidelines, etc.
All presenters and panelists must register for either the full conference or the virtual option; see the Mythcon 52 Registration page for information and rates.
Hotel
The Mythcon 52 planning committee is delighted to welcome you back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and back to conferencing in person! During the pandemic, many businesses and business models have changed, so we were forced to change venues at a late date—thus many of the delays! However, you can rest assured that Mythcon 52 is happening, the dates are set, and we have sleeping and conference locations confirmed.Mythcon 52 sleeping arrangements will be at the Hampton Inn University/Midtown. The room options of two queens or one king can currently be reserved by calling the hotel directly (Hampton Inn University Midtown, 505-837-9300) and telling them you want the Mythcon rate of $88 + tax rate per night. (There should be a link to the hotel's reservation page with special rates for Mythcon, but that link is currently broken. We are working with the hotel to get it fixed.) If you have any trouble making reservations at the Mythcon rate, let us know at chair@mythcon.org.
When booking the hotel, know that connecting rooms are also available. Hotel amenities include: Free hot breakfast, free parking, free WiFi, outdoor pool, and fitness center. Located in Albuquerque’s midtown, it allows easy access to the I-40 freeway and is a 14-minute drive, taxi, or rideshare from the airport.
Conference attendees are encouraged to room with family or close friends and to plan room sharing according to vaccination status and comfort level. Because the planning committee cannot commit to pairing up people according to their safety preferences, first-time attendees or those who want to share rooms are encouraged to reach out on Discord, Facebook, and our Mailing list on Groups.io to solicit roommates. For those who want to pack a room tight, rollaway beds can also be reserved.
Attendees will want to reserve rooms for the night of Friday, July 29 (half-day programming), Saturday, July 30, and Sunday, July 31, with half-day programming on Monday, August 1. The Hampton Inn will honor the reduced room rate for anyone who arrives earlier or stays later.
Conference Venue
The Hampton Inn, unlike more expensive hotel options, does not have meeting space that fits our needs. So, we have reserved 21st Century Public Academy, a local charter school for our conference panels and presentations.The school is .25 miles or a 5-minute walk from the hotel on a road with very little traffic. It’s a flat, easy walk for the able-bodied, even in the summer (it’s a dry heat!), but free transportation will be provided for those attendees who need or want assistance. Still, attendees are encouraged to consider their footwear and remember any needed assistive devices such as canes or braces when packing.
The school, whose mascot is a purple dragon, is a great fit for us, evoking past Mythcons held in university classrooms, but with the added perk of not sleeping in university dorm rooms!
Meals
The Hampton Inn includes free hot breakfast with their reservations. Although conference-organized communal meal options are still in the works, Mythcon 52 has not planned any communal meals at this point, apart from the Sunday banquet. Our reasons for this are to reduce cost to attendees, allow you full control of dietary needs, and encourage individual choice of comfort levels with COVID transmission risks. While we hope to offer some flavor of our usual gatherings, any such offerings we may add will certainly look different this year! Stay tuned for more information.The Hampton Inn is conveniently located near many fantastic local food options for lunches and dinners. Across the street (not even .1 miles) is Green Jeans Farmery, a local outdoor eatery, where Mythies are invited to take meals. In addition to having ample outdoor seating for safer, maskless interactions, Green Jeans has a wide variety of food options, plus craft beer and local wine.
Banquet tickets are now available on our website at $40 each. Our banquet will be held at the Daily Grind, a local favorite only .4 miles away (we will provide free transportation for any who wish it).
COVID Safety Policy
Our Organizing Committee has worked hard to ensure the safest possible environment for our presenters and attendees during this time when COVID variants are still a concern. Only in the event of an unavoidable circumstance (such as a state government ban of all gatherings over a certain number) would we consider canceling Mythcon 52. So, rest assured we are going forward. However, participating in any kind of gathering poses some risk of infection. With this in mind, and with input from members and the approval of the Council of Stewards, we have developed a COVID Policy for Mythcon 52 participants that requires:- — Proof of Vaccination or Negative COVID Tests;
- — Masks that fully cover the mouth and nose worn indoors during all presentations and panels, unless actively eating or drinking.