Starcon

Starcon
Festival logo
Status	Active
Genre	Science fiction Comics Fantasy Movie TV Video games Science Cosmonautics
Venue	“Expoforum” Convention and Exhibition Centre (2016)
Location(s)	Saint Petersburg
Country	Russia
Inaugurated	1999 (1999)
Organized by	Geekers
Website
www.starcon.pro

Starcon is the oldest^[1] and the largest festival of science fiction, fantasy, movie and science in the CIS and Baltic countries.^[2] Since 2012 takes place in St. Petersburg in the summer. In 2016 Starcon will be held on 8–10 July in EXPOFORUM Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Format

The festival consists of 3 main zones:

• Main stage, where people can see various show programs and cosplay competition.
• Exhibition area. Includes thematic stands, that represent decorations from books, comics, movies and etc. Participants of stands also wear costumes and organise different competitions, quests and activities.
• Science zone includes an exhibition and a conference, where people can attend lectures of scientists and experts from various fields.

History

Before 2013

The first Starcon was held in Moscow in 1999. At first, the festival was set to unite all the Star Wars` fans. In this form the festival existed from 1999 to 2010, gathering about 100-300 people.

In 2011 Starcon expanded the scope up to science fiction and was attended by over 350 people.

In 2012 the festival was given to Igor Pylaev and the team of organizers Geekers. Under their leading:

• The festival moved to Saint-Petersburg
• The scope of the event was expanded. Starcon became a festival dedicated to science fiction in pop culture: thematic TV series, films and animation, literature, games, and comics
• The scientific section was appeared. There people can attend lectures about modern robotic science and technologies, genetics, bioinformatics and spacecraft

2013

In 2013 Starcon changed location and took place in GARDEN CITY Expocentre, becoming the first event in such format in Russia. The first release of comics Adventure Time^[3] in Russian language and the premier of the first Russian Zombie movie “Meteletsa: Winter of the Dead” ^[4] were presented on Starcon.

In 2013 over 5 000 people have visited Starcon .

2014

In 2014 Starcon again changed location - this time the festival took place in Lenexpo Exhibition Complex.

For the first time festival had the movie section:

• special screenings of "The Avengers", "Thor: The Dark World", "Iron man 3", "Hunger games", "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" in RealD;
• the exclusive show from The Walt Disney Company: 9 minutes of the film "Guardians of the Galaxy" and a special video message from the film's Director James Gunn;
• the premiere of the film "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" from the Studio "Twentieth Century Fox"

Special guests:

Andrei Borisenko - cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, Hero of the Russian Federation

Dmitry Gromov and Oleg Ladydgenskiy - Ukraine fantasy writers, their pen name - Henry Lion Oldy

Maria Semenova - a writer, the author of legendary "Wolfhound"

Stas Davydov - the hoster of the Internet-show "This is Horosho"

In 2014 over 15 000 people have visited Starcon

2015

In 2015 Starcon again took place in Lenexpo Exhibition Complex, but for the first time It lasted three days and took all 3 pavilions, including street zone as well. The total festival area included 20 000 sq.m., and the number of participants was over 40 000 people.^[5]

Тhe movie section contained

• special screenings of "Interstellar" , "The Guardians of the Galaxy", "Mad Max : Fury Road", "Ant-Man", "Kingsman: The Secret Service" , "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Terminator: Genesis"
• the premiere of film "Fantastic Four" from the "Twentieth Century Fox" Studio

Special guests

• Elena Serova - cosmonaut, Hero of the Russian Federation
• Mark Serov - cosmonaut
• writers - Dmitry Puchkov, Dmitry Rus, Maria Semyonova
• bloggers - Stepan Pinzhin Tatorio, Mark Voronin Vendy, Alexander Sokolov Sokol[off], Vic Kisimyaka.

Festivals

Starcon 2016

In 2016 Starcon will be held in July 8, 9 and 10 in “EXPOFORUM” Convention and Exhibition Centre and will take in pavilions F, G and H, and also congress-center. The whole place will be 40 000 sq.m.^[6]

References