The Brits love a festival it would seem. Hardly a month goes past without another one being spawned. Here’s a better list than you’ll find most places for UK scifi, fantasy and horror conventions and festivals.
- EM-Con, 5-6 May 2018, Notts: the East Midlands scifi and fantasy convention: the focus is mainly TV and film, mind you, http://www.em-con.co.uk/
- Follycon – EasterCon, 30 March-2 Apr 2018: 69th British National Science Fiction Convention, https://www.follycon.org.uk/
- Sci-Fi Weekender 9, 22-25 March 2018, Wales: formerly known as the ‘SFX Weekender’, http://www.scifiweekender.com/
- Walker Stalker Con, 10-11 March 2018, London: a horror con, with stars from The Walking Dead, etc, http://walkerstalkercon.com/london/
- LarpCon, 2-4 March 2018, Leicester: the UK’s biggest ‘Live Action Role Playing’ convention, https://www.facebook.com/events/1670962933168976/
- SF Ball 24, 2-4 Feb 2018, Southampton: proper big scifi event, albeit mainly TV and film, etc. http://www.sfball.com/
- Weekend Of Hell, 9-10 Dec 2017, London: one monster of a horror convention, with stars from The Walking Dead, Friday 13th, Halloween, etc, attending, cosplay and stalls, http://www.weekendofhell.com/weekendofhell_uk/
- For The Love Of Sci-Fi, 2-3 Dec 2017, Manchester: TV and film, props, cosplay and guests like Dirk Benedict (Starbuck in Battlestar G, Face in the A-team) and Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss), http://fortheloveofsci-fi.com/
- Dragonmeet, 2 Dec 2017, London: UK’s biggest fantasy gaming convention, http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/
- Whitby SciFi & Comic Con, 18 November 2017, Whitby Pavilion: tables, signers, photo opps and costumers, http://www.whitbyscifiandcomiccon.com/index.php
- Novacon 47, 10-12 Nov 2017, Nottingham: the UK’s longest-established regional (operating out of Birmingham) science fiction convention, held every autumn since 1971; has a definite focus on scifi literature rather than anything else, http://www.novacon.org.uk/n47/
- World Fantasy Con, 2-5 Nov 2017, San Antonio TX, USA: http://www.worldfantasy.org/
- Weekend of the Dead, 4-5 Nov 2017, Manchester: guests from various zombie films, cosplay, etc, http://www.weekendofthedead.co.uk/
- Out of This World, 29 Oct 2017, Sheffield: a one-day city-centre festival for horror, magic and scifi, https://www.facebook.com/digiconevent
- Horror Con Birmingham, 28-29 Oct 2017: guests from tv and film, writers, etc, http://www.horrorfan.co.uk/
- Whitby Goth Weekend, 27-29 Oct 2017: it all goes on in Whitby. Why? Cos that’s where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, where much of the novel is set, and where the dark lord arrived in the UK to boot, http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/
- BristolCon, 28 Oct 2017, Bristol: a one-day convention organized by the Bristol Fantasy and SF Society, http://www.bristolcon.org/
- The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, 12-15 Oct 2017, Kendal: a festival for comicbook art, basically, http://www.comicartfestival.com/http://www.comicartfestival.com/
- Film and Comic Con Exeter, 14-15 Oct 2017: Colin Baker and K-9 in attendance, http://filmandcomicconexeter.com/
- Irish Discworld Convention, 6-9 Oct 2017, Cork: all things from the Pratchett universe, http://2017.idwcon.org/
- Nor-Con, 7-8 Oct 2017, Norwich: scifi convention for Star Wars, Batman, Doctor Who, Star Trek and so on, http://www.nor-con.co.uk/
- Exhibition of Mythic Arts and Crafts, 30 Sept-1 Oct 2017, Glastonbury: mainly pagan style fantasy art, http://www.emacart.co.uk/
- FantasyCon, 29 Sept-1 Oct 2017, Peterborough: UK national fantasy convention, run by the British Fantasy Society, https://www.facebook.com/events/198598523929291/
- Doncaster Super Sci-Fi Festival, 30 Sept 2017, Doncaster: https://www.facebook.com/digiconevent
- MCM Scotland Comic Con, 23-24 Sept 2017, Glasgow: http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/scotland/
- Preston Comic Con, 23 Sept 2017: taking place in Preston Guild Hall, http://www.prestoncomiccon.co.uk
- Oxonmoot, 21-24 Sept 2017, Oxford: run by The Tolkien Society, for fans, scholars and students, https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2017/
- Festival Number 6, 7-10 Sept 2017, Portmeirion: a music, arts and culture festival in the home of The Prisoner, surely one of the coolest and most surreal of festivals, http://www.festivalnumber6.com/
- TitanCon, 8-9 Sept 2017, Belfast: scifi and fantasy literature and TV, with a Game of Thrones focus recently, http://www.titancon.com/
- Dragon Con, 1-4 Sept 2017, Atlanta, USA: pretty much the world’s biggest fantasy and scifi convention, http://www.dragoncon.org/
- FantastiCon, 2-3 Sept 2017, Hull: SF/Gaming/VR/RPG/Authors/Readings/Cosplay/Stage shows/Live Music/Holographic tech… they’ve got it all, https://www.facebook.com/FantastiCon2017/
- Scifi Wales, 2 Sept 2017, Llandudno: mainly a tv and film focus, http://www.scifiwales.uk/
- Stars of Time, 27-28 Aug 2017, Weston-super-Mare: the South West’s premier scifi and entertainment show, http://www.starsoftime.co.uk/
- The Asylum, 25-28 Aug 2017, Lincoln: the world’s largest and longest running STEAMPUNK festival, http://www.asylumsteampunk.co.uk/
- London Super Comic Con, 25-27 Aug 2017, London: what it says on the tin, http://www.londonsupercomicconvention.com/
- FrightFest, 24-28 Aug 2017, London: horror film festival basically, http://www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsevents.
- Film and Comic Con Glasgow, 19-20 Aug 2017, Glasgow: http://filmandcomicconglasgow.com/
- World Scifi Con 75, 9-13 Aug 2017, Helsinki, Finland: http://www.worldcon.fi/
- Nine Worlds, 4-6 August 2017, London: gaming, film, cosplay, fandom, literature, science and geek culture, http://nineworlds.co.uk/
- MCM Manchester Comic Con, 29-30 July 2017: one of the biggest comic cons in the north-west, http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/manchester/
- London Film and Comic Con, 28-30 July 2017: with guests from scifi/fantasy movies and TV series, http://www.londonfilmandcomiccon.com/
- EDGE-LIT 6, 15 July 2017, Derby: scifi, fantasy and horror writing, http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/film/edge-lit-6.aspx
- Flash Festival, 15 July 2017, Broadstairs: RPG, cosplay, art exhibition, steampunk designers, book signings, and literally everything else, http://draconis.uk/info.html
- Horror Con Swansea, 1-2 July 2017: guests from tv and film, writers, etc, http://www.horrorfan.co.uk/
- U-Con EuroCon2017, 16-18 June 2017, Dortmund, Germany: the annual scifi convention run by the European Science Fiction Society, held in a different European country every year, http://www.dortmund-in-2017.com/
- Utopia, 9-11 June 2017, Oxfordshire: big Doctor Who event, http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/events/Utopia2017/utopia_event.htmhttp://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/events/Utopia2017/utopia_event.htm
- Yorkshire Cosplay Con, 3-4 June 2017, Sheffield: pretty much as it says, http://www.yorkshirecosplayconvention.co.uk/
- Triple Six Horror Festival, 27-28 May 2017, Manchester: horror film festival! http://triplesixfest.com/
- Heroes & Villans Fan Fest, 27-28 May 2017, London: with guest appearances of stars from the Arrow and Gotham tv series, etc, http://heroesfanfest.com/london/
- MCM London Comic Con, 26-28 May 2017: one of the biggest comic cons, http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/
- HorrorCon UK, 13-14 May 2017, Sheffield/Rotherham: with guests and vendors, http://horrorconventions.co.uk/
- Folkestone Film, TV and Comic Con, 7 May 2017, Folkestone: Star Trek, Doctor Who, Star Wars, comicbooks, etc, www.planetfolkestone.co.uk
- Stoke CON Trent, 9 April 2017: guests from scifi tv series, including Doctor Who, http://stokecontrent.co.uk/
- Sci-Fi Scarborough, 8-9 Apr 2017: going from strength to strength, www.scifiscarborough.co.uk
- Wales Comic Con, 8-9 Apr 2017: a major convention, with cosplay and geek culture celebs (Buffy, etc), http://walescomiccon.com/
- Dimension Jump, 7-9 April 2017, Nottingham: official Red Dwarf convention, http://www.dimensionjump.info/
- Valiant 2017, 4 March 2017, Sheffield: Doctor Who event, http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/events/Valiant2017/valiant.htm
- Capital Sci-Fi Con, 18-19 Feb 2017, Edinburgh: cosplay and scifi culture, http://www.capitalscificon.co.uk/
- Bolton Comic Con, 18 Feb 2017, Bolton: the successful annual Bolton comic event, http://northwestcomiccons.co.uk/
- London Anime & Gaming Convention, 3-5 Feb 2017: lot of Japanese cosplay and so forth, http://winter.londonanimecon.com/
- InvictaCon, 4 Feb 2017, Chatham: new convention for scifi, geek culture, RPG, cosplay, etc, http://www.invictacon.co.uk/
- Wigan Comic Con, 3 Dec 2016, Wigan: a successful and popular comic con that is worth checking out, http://northwestcomiccons.co.uk/
- Bram Stoker International Film Festival, 27-30 Oct 2016, Whitby: http://www.bramstokerfilmfestival.com/
- Destination Star Trek, 7-9 Oct 2016, Birmingham: what it says on the tin, and Sulu will be attending! http://destinationstartrek.com/
- Regenerations, 24-25 Sept 2016, Swansea: one of the bigger Doctor Who conventions, with both Peter Davidson and Colin Baker in attendance, http://www.regenerationsswansea.co.uk/
- Global release of The Book of Angels, 23 Sept 2016, Scarborough: A J Daltons new book!
- G-Con UK, 24-25 Sept 2016, York: Gundam/scifi Mecha event, with Japanese geek culture cosplay, stalls and events(!), www.g-con.uk
- GollanczFest, 16-18 Sept 2016, London: range of online and face-to-face events with the Gollancz stable of scifi and fantasy authors: http://www.gollancz.co.uk
- Global release of The Book of Orm, 1 April 2015: A J Dalton’s new book!
If you run or know of a convention you’d like included in the above list, just give me a shout.
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Hello! Sorry to be a pain, but BristolCon is organised by the Bristol Fantasy and SF society, not the British one. We don’t like to give ourselves airs down in the West Country!
Thanks, hierath. Now amended. No offence. Keep your ‘airs’ on. Poor joke, sorry, too much caffeine. Adam
Hehehe, cheers for that!
Microcon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcon
Longest running convention in the South West.
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Hi! Could you update your entry for BristolCon? The 2013 event takes place on 26th October at the DoubleTree, Bristol City Centre. Many thanks.
A convention in swansea, well just outside
https://www.facebook.com/events/1428004037443044/
just heard about it
Wow an up to date list 😀 this is what I like to see.
I’m Sam, captain of StarBase Leicester, and every year we get together with a local cinema called Phoenix Square to run ScifiFest. A movie festival perfect for geeks! with a quiz, gaming, book launch, and even a nerf shooting gallery and a 3d printing display with a chance to print stuff!
http://www.phoenix.org.uk/index.php?cms_id=615
this is the event May 10th, wish I’d found you sooner… Keep up the good work
Sam
Hello, Scardiff will be hosting their 2nd horror convention at Cardiff masonic hall in October.http://scardiff.co.uk/.
A slightly eclectic convention in Cambridge is happening in a few days’ time including some fantasy writing and storytelling, might just be worth adding it:
http://www.exilian.co.uk/ExiliCon
One off event on the 25th October…
Greenwich Time Symposium: Objects in Time
A day of enquiry, tinkering and questioning, examining the facts and fiction behind everyday objects.
With panel discussion, talk on writing by sci-fi novelist Robert Adam, and you can get involved in a clockwork workshop with steampunk artist Jemma Hewitt.
25 October
12.00-16.00
£15 / £10 members and concessions
http://bit.ly/NMMobjctstime
Hiya I was wondering if you would add Whitby Sci Fi & Comic Con to your list. It is on the 28th of November 2015 at Whitby pavilion and will be bringing tables, signers, photo opps and a great environment for costumers of all levels to get together. It’s going to be a fun day raising money for a great cause, early detection of cancer.
Thank you.
Hi was wondering if you could add our event to your list for 2016, its INVICTACON and takes place on the 7th August 2016 at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel, Rochester Kent. We will have traders, signers and gaming tables as well as props and displays
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Well I am all but booked for the Fantasy Con by the sea in Scarborough. I am particularly looking forward to seeing Scott Lynch. It’s great that there are so many conventions taking place in the UK, we are really flying the flag, it’s just a shame there aren’t many up here in the North East. Joe Abercrombie is making his way up to Waterstone’s in Newcastle in April (27th) so I suppose that’s something.
PS I’ll be blogging the evening with him as well if anyone is interested 🙂
Cheers
DC
Fantasy Con in Scarborough – a 50/50 chance I’ll be there. The issue is the cost of the whole thing – day tickets, hotel, travel, food, beer… you can easily part with 500 quid. And writers really aren’t the richest of people. In fact, they are paid less in real terms now than they ever have been in history. I did a great panel debate at the Fantasy Con last year (on religions in fantasy), but not sure about this year. Oh well.
Hi, is it possible to add Flash Festival? It’s a new event in Broadstairs that will have author talks, art exhibitions, cosplay, gaming expo and more:)
Sure thing, Katrina!