WinchesterCon

WinchesterCon, commonly known as Wincon, is an annual fan-run convention which first took place in October 2006 and was the first Supernatural Convention to be held. The organisers described it like this:

Wincon is a by the fans, for the fans operation. Our goal is to provide an annual gathering for Supernatural fans to come and meet, hang out, discuss the show and the fic written about it, party and have a good time. In other words, a giant slumber party where we can all do the fannish things we do online in person and in our pajamas. No one from the show is affiliated with this convention, nor will there be any appearances by any show actors, writers, or other personnel.

WinchesterCon features panels discussing aspects of the show and the fandom, big screen viewings of recent episodes, a fan vid show, and primarily plenty of opportunities for fans to meet and socialize in places like the Wincon Roadhouse. It's focus is particularly on the creative aspects of fandom, and the culture of online fandom. Each year the Convention supports a different charity through its raffle. It attracts attendees from the US and Canada as well as Australia, Europe and the UK.

In 2010, the convention became a panfandom event celebrating fan culture, and officially changed the name from WinchesterCon to Wincon.

First Annual Winchestercon 2006

Wincon 2006 icon by exsequar

Wincon 2006 icon by exsequar

Wincon 2006 icon by exsequar

The First Annual Winchestercon was held October 13-15, 2006 in Nashville, Tennessee. It was located at Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, 2025 MetroCenter Boulevard, Nashville, TN, 37228.

• Approximately 250 people attended.

Wincon 2006 Con Committee

Anna (lalejandra)
JJ (stone_princess)
Kassie (ethrosdemon)
Kate (antheia)
Nan (estrella30)

2006 Panels/Programming

Friday, October 13th

• 6:30am – 10:00am - Breakfast Buffet. Pralines Restaurant.
• 9:00am – 12:00pm - Registration. Grand Ballroom East.
• 12:00pm – 1:30pm - Lunch (Mingle!)
• 1:30pm – 3:00pm - Paley Disc Viewing
• 3:00pm – 4:00pm - PANEL: Beta/Criticism – You suck, but I can help! Panelists: Poisontaster, Femmenerd, Moosesal, Mona1347
• 4:00pm – 5:00pm - PANEL: Mythology & Urban Legends –...and he woke up in a tub full of ice! Panelists: Bozolostash, Apetslife, Researchgrrrl, Samedamnthing, Starkeymonster
• 7:00pm – 10:30pm - Dinner
• 10:30pm – Who Even Knows?! ROOM PARTIES!!!

Saturday, October 14th

• 6:30am – 10:00am - Breakfast Buffet. Pralines Restaurant.
• 11:00am – 12:00pm - PANEL: World Building and AlU – It’s Dean’s world, you just live in it. Panelists: Maygra, Calicokat, Trollprincess, Celli
• 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Lunch
• 1:00pm – 2:00pm - PANEL: Dear Dean – Dear Dean, Will you have my assbaby? Love, all of us. Panelists: Ladyjaida, Sevenfists
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm - PANEL: RPS – We have Jensen, we win! Panelists: Phaballa, Annalazarus, Monkiedude, Written214
• 3:00pm – 4:00pm - PANEL: Wincest/No Wincest – “They are SO DOING IT!” “Are not!” Panelists: Buhfly, tsuki_no_bara, sparky77, wolfling, candygramme, ethrosdemon
• 4:00pm – 7:00pm - Dinner
• 7:00pm – It’s Done Vid Show

Sunday, October 15th

• 6:30am – 10:00am - Breakfast Buffet. Pralines Restaurant.
• 10:00am – End of Day Conference Rom Open with DVD Player, TV – Dead Dog Day

First Annual Vid Show 2006

Click here to see the 2006 Vid Show playlist.

2006 Convention Reports

Attendees posted their convention reports here.

• The Meet and Greet! - Introduction thread
• Con Report by _sin_attract
• Con Report by affectingly
• Con Report by gigglingkat
• Con Report by moosesal
• Con Report by poisontaster
• Con Review by exsequar
• Dear Dean Q&A
• Dear Dean panel vids!
• RPS Board Pics
• Beta/Concrit Panel handout

Fourth WinCon, 2009

The fourth Wincon will take place from October 9-11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. Over 80 fans registered including four from Australia, one from Thailand, one from Germany and three from England. While the Con started officially on Friday, many fans arrived on Thursday night and hold room parties to view the show and stayed until Monday.
Friday October 9th

• 12pm-9pm: Check-in (Let us know you're here and what room you're in. Pick up your schwag.)
• 2pm-2:50pm: Meet n Greet RPS Tournament

Not the kind of RPS you're thinking. Come meet everyone at the Rock Paper Scissors Tournament. "Dean! Always with the scissors!" Prizes and more.
Host: girlguidejones

• 3pm-3:50pm: Panel #1 - Surviving the Apocalypse in Style
  

Fangirls are practical and resourceful. Come listen to a few of them discuss the "realities" of post-apocalypse living and how you can ride out Armageddon in style and comfort.
Host: brynwulf
Panelists: girlguidejones, coiledsoul, poisontaster

• 4pm-4:50pm: Panel #2 - Wincon Art School
  

A panel about fan art, fan vids, and other fan media. Hosted by cathy, do we gotta say more?
Host: cathybites
Panelists: TBA

• 5pm-5:50pm: Replay 10/08 Episode
  

Host: tenaciousmetoo

• 6pm-7pm: Fourth Annual Wincon Vid Show
  

Host: tenaciousmetoo

• 12pm-10pm: Wincon Roadhouse

Comp drinks and snacks abound! Vid show replay and episode marathons will be happening throughout the weekend at the roadhouse this year. A separate schedule of events for this room will be posted closer to the con.

• 8pm-??: Room Parties and cathybites' annual Karaoke outing. It's really not Wincon unless she's doing "Bye Bye Bye" now, is it?

Saturday October 10th

• 9am-2pm: Check-in
• 10am-11:50am: Tin Hat Craft Time.
  

Come make your tin hat for the pageant! Tin hat crafting will continue through the afternoon in the back of our panel room until the pageant begins. So if you're hung over from karaoke Saturday morning, don't worry. You'll still have time to come make the tin tiara of your dreams.

• 12pm-12:50pm: Panel #3 How Not to Be a Jerk Online
  

A panel discussion of fandom etiquette and what to really do when someone is wrong on the Internet.
Host: spookshowbaby
Panelists: TBA

• 1pm-1:50pm: Panel #4 "Show us your kinks"
• 2pm-3:50pm: International Bad Fic Idol

Be prepared to laugh yourself to death as we read the crackiest of crack fic known to fandom, then judge it. Not that we're judgmental or anything. Well, maybe the mental part.
Hosts: sparkymonster and missyjack
Celebrity Judges: TBA

• 4pm-4:50pm: Second Annual Tin Hat Pageant
  

Let your freak flag fly, ladies! Parade your tin hat, join in the "How obsessed are you?" trivia quiz, win great prizes. Minions welcome.
Host: missyjack

• 12pm-9pm: Wincon Roadhouse
  

Comp drinks and snacks abound! Vid show replay and episode marathons will be happening throughout the weekend at the roadhouse this year. A separate schedule of events for this room will be posted closer to the con.

• 8pm-Midnight: WINPROM - Apocalypse Suite
  

Come in your trashy finest to celebrate the end of the world. The raffle will take place during the prom and you must be present to win, so if you have to come downstairs in your jammies to be there, we won't mind! DJ: Cathybites

Sunday October 11th

• 9am-5pm: Wincon Roadhouse

The Roadhouse will become our departure point on Sunday. Need a place to park your bags while you wait for your shuttle? This is the place. Come say your goodbyes and search the lost and found for your missing undergarments.

• 12pm-2pm: Panel #5 The Future of Wincon
  

Fandom is changing and we wanna roll with the times. Come lets talk about it.
Hosts: ethrosdemon and coiledsoul

Third WinCon, 2008

The third Wincon took place in Baltimore, Maryland on October 17-19, 2008, with about 130 fans attending. The following was the scheduled program of panels and events:

Friday October 17th

• 2pm-2:50pm: Rewatch 10/16 episode
• 3pm-3:50pm: Panel #1 - Crystal Balls to the Wall: Supernatural Spoiler Speculation (and Liver Corrosion)

- Host: cathybites
- Panelists: antheia, drvsilla, gray_light, and tjournal

• 4pm-4:50pm: Panel #2 - Don't Try to Deny Their Epic Romance - RPS in Supernatural Fandom"
  

- Featuring the Inaugral Wincon Tinhat Fashion Parade (dress code encouraged)
- Warning! This panel may contain surprise JDM and traces of CMM - Host: missyjack
- Panelists: amara_m beanside brynwulf, thenyxie and waterofthemoon

• 5pm-5:50pm: Third-annual Wincon Video Show - Host: tenaciousmetoo
• 6pm-8:30pm: Wincon Roadhouse
• 8pm-Midnight: Karaoke Party and Raffle (hot fangirls, karaoke DJ, complimentary snacks, and cash bar)

Saturday October 18th

• 9am-11am: Craft Time with Mistress brynwulf and her Happy Hookers Helpers (Come make your sock puppet for SP Theater, your tinhat or finish up your charity knitting projects. Materials provided for sock puppets.)
• 11am-11:50am: Panel #3 That doesn't go there does it?!

- A discussion about sex, kink, sexual subcultures, porn, and just where your other hand goes. Bring questions, ask for help researching your epic smut fic, and marvel at the things people do in pursuit of orgasm.
- Host/Panelists: sparkymonster and poisontaster

• 12pm-12:50pm: Panel #4 The Fastest Way to get SPN Fans to Throw Things at Each Other: A Discussion of Sexism and Misogyny in Supernatural
  

- Picking apart the narrative and discussing the differing views on the portrayal of women in the SPNverse.
- Host: the_ellcrys
- Panelists: amara_m, black_regalia and others tba

• 1pm-2:25pm: Sock Puppet Theater
  

- Host: ethrosdemon

• 2:30-4pm: International Bad Fic Idol
  

- Host: missyjack and celebrity guest panellists drvsilla, cathybites

• 6pm-10pm: Wincon Roadhouse

Sunday October 19th

• 9am-1pm: Open house, Yarn Swap, Goodbyes, Lost and Found

Second WinCon, 2007

The second WinCon took place in Los Angeles, Oct 12-14, 2007 at the Holiday-Inn - LAX. Contrary to last year, there were no all-inclusive weekend passes and Saturday night dinner tickets available. A limited number of day passes were available for purchase on Friday and Saturday at the registration desk. Around 175 fans attended.

The two day pass cost $45 and included access to all panels on Friday and Saturday, plus Friday night Karaoke party (with complimentary drink ticket) and Con Schwag Bag.

The one day pass for $25 included access to all panels on day of choice, and Con Schwag Bag (containing "planes crash, clowns kill pen, Supernatural puzzles, program and "salt and burn" flashlight).

Two raffles were drawn featuring a range of official merchandise, fan-produced goods and two production scripts for "Heart" and "Bloodlust" signed by Sera Gamble.

Proposed schedule of events (date: 24th of September):

Friday, October 12th:

• Registration 12-8pm
• Replay of 3.01 and 3.02
• Panels:
  Minor characters- brynwulf, clex_monkie89, txtequilanights;
  Writing erotica - starkeymonster, la_cspan;
  Non-Western mythology - starkeymonster, cathybites, antheia
• Wincon Roadhouse
• Vid show and karaoke party with complimentary snacks and one complimentary drink ticket per con goer.

Saturday, October 13th:

• Registration until 2pm
• Breakfast buffet for 3-day pass holders, 9:30-11am
• Panels:
  Het, Gen, MarySue fic - onelittlesleep, femmenerd, thepurpleswitch;
  Winchester Ethics - moosesal, azewewish, affectingly, littlewings04;
  American Fic Idol - technosage, mona1347, derryderrydown
• Replay of video show
• Cocktail hour and Wincon Family Supper for those holding Saturday dinner tickets (beer and wine will be complimentary for this event, liquor will be available, but not complimentary) starting around 7 pm
  - As yet to be disclosed super secret outing into the wilds of Los Angeles, starting around 10pm

Sunday, October 14th

• Breakfast buffet for 3-day ticket holders, 8:30-10:30 am
• Clothing and Yarn Swap, 9-11:30am
• Open House, 8am-12pm

Con officially ended at Noon on Sunday. (Source)

First WinchesterCon, 2006

The first WinCon took place in Nashville, Oct 13-15, 2006 at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. There were nearly 250 attendees.

Schedule of events (date: 2nd of October):

Friday, October 13

• 6:30am–10:00am Breakfast Buffet
• 9:00am–12 Noon Registration
• 12 Noon–1:30pm Lunch
• 1:30pm–3:00pm Paley Disc Viewing
• 3:00pm–4:00pm PANEL: Beta/Criticism – You suck, but I can help!
  

Panelists: Poisontaster, Femmenerd, Moosesal, Mona1347

• 4:00pm–5:00pm PANEL: Mythology & Urban Legends –…and he woke up in a tub full of ice!

Panelists: Bozolostash, Apetslife, Researchgrrrl, Samedamnthing, Starkeymonster

• 7:00pm–10:30pm Dinner
• 10:30pm–Who Even Knows?! ROOM PARTIES!!!

Saturday, October 14

• 6:30am–10:00am Breakfast Buffet
• 11:00am–12 Noon PANEL: World Building and AU – It’s Dean’s world, you just live in it.
  

Panelists: Maygra, Calicokat, Trollprincess, Celli

• 12 Noon–1:00 pm Lunch
• 1:00pm–2:00pm PANEL: Dear Dean – Dear Dean, Will you have my assbaby? Love, all of us
  

Panelists: Ladyjaida, Sevenfists

• 2:00pm–3:00pm PANEL: RPS – We have Jensen, we win!

Panelists: Phaballa, Annalazarus, Monkiedude, Written214

• 3:00pm–4:00pm PANEL: Wincest/No Wincest – “They are SO DOING IT!” “Are not!”
  

Panelists: Buhfly, tsuki_no_bara, sparky77, wolfling, candygramme, ethrosdemon

• 4:00pm–7:00pm Dinner
• 7:00pm–It’s Done Vid Show

Sunday, October 15

• 6:30am–10:00am Breakfast Buffet
• 10:00am–End of Day Conference Rom Open with DVD Player, TV – Dead Dog Day

(Source)

Links

• WinchesterCon at LJ
• @Wincon on Twitter
• WinchesterCon Merchandise at Cafe Press
• Wincon website