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Arisia Abbreviated History
Arisia was founded as a non-profit in 1989 to hold conventions and to promote science fiction and fantasy in all forms. Arisia '09 will be our 20th convention.
| Date | Venue | Guests of Honor & Special Guests | ConChair & Officers | Theme/Notes | Reg. |
| Arisia '90 Feb 23-25, 1990 | Lafayette Swissôtel Boston, MA | WGoH: Richard Bowker AGoH: A.C. Farley FGoH: Spike McPhee | Chair: Matthew Saroff Pres: Mary Robison VP: Kim Van Auken Treas: Tom Fish Clerk: Adria Crum | 1990 was Arisia's second year of existence; officers from the first year were: Pres: Cris Shuldiner, VP: Mary Robison, Treas: Tom Fish, Clerk: Brian Cooper | 842 |
| Arisia '91 Feb 1-3, 1991 | Vista International Waltham, MA | WGoH: Jack L. Chalker AGoH: Bob Walters FGoH: Richard Hill & Laurel Cunningham Media GoH: Larry Ross | Chair: Matthew Saroff Pres: Mary Robison VP: Robert Bazemore Treas: Marshall Ellis Clerk: A. Joseph Ross | The "Vista International" is now the "Waltham Westin" hotel | 1050 |
| Arisia '92 Jan 3-5, 1992 | Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers Boston, MA | WGoH: Craig Shaw Gardner AGoH: Robin Wood Filk Guest: T.J. Burnside Clapp Guest Editor: Ginjer Buchanan, Shoshanna Green Media Guest: Lynne Stephens Tech GoH: Alex Latzko | Chair: Kimberly S. Van Auken Pres: Patrick McCormack VP: Jeffrey Jordan Treas: Marshall Ellis Clerk: A. Joseph Ross | Ginjer and Shoshanna were each listed as "Guest Editor" in different sections of the Program Book. No one (including the chairman) remembers what really happened. | 1094 |
| Arisia '93 Jan 15-17, 1993 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Ellen Kushner AGoH: Charles Lang & Wendy Snow-Lang FGoH: Monty Wells Tech GoH: Carl Zwanzig | Chair: Robert "Insanity*3" Bazemore Pres: A. Joseph Ross VP: Heather Coon Treas: Allan Kent Clerk: Mark Dulcey | 1670 | |
| Arisia '94 Jan 21-23, 1994 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Spider & Jeanne Robinson AGoH: Michael Whelan FGoH: Dave Kyle | Chair: James S. Belfiore, Jr. Pres: A. Joseph Ross VP: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Treas: Allan Kent Clerk: Edward Dooley | The "Park Plaza Castle" (formally the armory for the First Corps of Cadets National Guard Unit) was used for the masquerade and several other events, due to an outside wedding being scheduled in the hotel main ballroom. | 1513 |
| Arisia '95 Jan 13-15, 1995 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: C. J. Cherryh AGoH: Jael FGoH: Walter Kahn Filk Guest: Michael Longcor Tech Guest: Deryl Burr | Chair: Sheila Oranch Pres: Joelll Herda VP: Jim Stevenson Treas: Eric Bunce Clerk: Edward Dooley | DIVERSITY--we are not one-dimensional beings! | 1810 |
| Arisia '96 Jan 12-14, 1996 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Emma Bull & Will Shetterly AGoH: Lissanne Lake FGoH: Rob Bazemore a.k.a. "Insanity*3" Musical Guest: Boiled In Lead | Chair: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Pres: Cris Shuldiner VP: Walter Kahn Treas: Randall Cohen Clerk: Robert Fairburn IV | Minneapolis Music The Fan Guest of Honor got married in the hotel ballroom as his "GoH Event." Arisia '96 was the last year under the old family owned Park Plaza management. The hotel sale closed the Monday after the convention. | 1826 |
| Arisia '97 Jan 10-12, 1997 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: R. A. Salvatore AGoH: Bob Eggleton FGoH: The Gang of Five (Arisia's Founders: Brian Cooper, Tom Fish, Mary Robison, Matthew Saroff, Cris Shuldiner) | Dictator: Pat McCormack Pres: Cris Shuldiner VP: Brendan Quinn Treas: Marshall Ellis Clerk: Glen Goodwin | Exploring Tyranny In Our Literature and In Our Lives a.k.a. "The Iron Boot of Tyranny" | 1874 |
| Arisia '98 Jan 16-18, 1998 | Westin Hotel Waltham, MA | WGoH: James P. Hogan AGoH: Cortney Skinner FGoH: Marty Gear | Exec Director: Glen R. Goodwin Pres: Jeffrey L. "Hunter" Jordan VP: Brendan Quinn Treas: Skip Morris Clerk: Paul Selkirk | Freedom: Stories of The Revolution! The "Westin Waltham" is the former "Vista International". Arisia '98 had a strict membership cap of 1500 due to hotel function space limitations. The cap was raised to 1550 and no one was turned away. | 1538 |
| Arisia '99 Jan 8-10, 1999 | Westin Copley Place Boston, MA | WGoH: Roger MacBride Allen AGoH: Gary A. Lippincott FGoH: Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden Science Guest: H. Paul Shuch a.k.a. "Dr. SETI" | Chair: Cris Shuldiner Pres: Elka Tovah Menkes VP: Glen R. Goodwin Treas: Skip Morris Clerk: Rachel Silverman | The 10th Arisia/Party Like It's 1999 There was actually no external theme for this convention, as the Chair does not believe in them. What is listed here is the internal theme designed for the staff to have fun with. | 1672 |
| Arisia '00 Jan 14-16, 2000 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Jane Yolen AGoH: Tom Kidd FGoH: Sharon Sbarsky Musical Guest: Echo's Children | Chair: Paul Selkirk Pres: Noel Rosenberg VP: Cris Shuldiner Treas: Skip Morris Clerk: Tom "Merv" Murphy | No official theme, but the "in joke" was that Arisia '00 was officially "Not Y2K Compliant," so the dates were printed as 1900. | 1965 |
| Arisia '01 Jan 12-14, 2001 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Lois McMaster Bujold AGoH: Wojtek Siudmak FGoH: jan howard finder a.k.a. "Wombat" | Chair: Elka Tovah Menkes Pres: Brendan Quinn VP: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Treas: Skip Morris Clerk: Tom "Merv" Murphy | Looking Back on the Future | 2082 |
| Arisia '02 Jan 18-20, 2002 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Katherine Kurtz AGoH: Tristan Alexander FGoH: Eugene Heller | Chair: Noel Rosenberg Pres: Brendan Quinn VP: Colette Fozard Treas: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Clerk: Paul Selkirk | So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: A Tribute to the Works of Douglas Adams | 2309 |
| Arisia '03 Jan 17-19, 2003 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Harry Turtledove AGoH: Victoria (Poyser) Lisi & Julius Lisi FGoH: Anthony R. Lewis, FN Gaming Guests: Looney Labs (Andrew Looney, Kristin Looney, Alison Frane) Costuming Guests: Pierre & Sandy Pettinger Filk Guest: Gwen Knighton | Chair: Skip Morris Pres: Joel Herda VP: Noel Rosenberg Treas: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Clerk: Paul Selkirk | Exploring Alternate Realities Through Literature | 2264 |
| Arisia '04 Jan 16-18, 2004 | Boston Park Plaza | Sculptor GoH: Arthur Ganson WGoH: Tim Powers FGoH: Kim Van Auken Freedom Guests: Eric S. & Catherine Raymond Filk Guest: Tom Smith | Evil Overlord: Carsten Turner Pres: Joel Herda VP: Noel Rosenberg Treas: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Clerk: Alex Latzko | The Future of Freedom Official Con Book: Powers of Two, from NESFA Press | 2283 |
| Arisia '05 Jan 21-23, 2005 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Barbara Hambly AGoH: John Picacio FGoH: Victor J. Raymond Media Guest: Harry Knowles Fannish Movie Guests: HiddenFrontier.org Filk Guests: Mary Ellen Wessels & Ed Stauff | Chair: Buzz Harris Pres: Carsten Turner VP: Rick Kovalcik Treas: Alex Latzko Clerk: Claudia Mastroianni | Through Alien Eyes | 2086 |
| Arisia '06 Jan 13-15, 2006 | Boston Park Plaza | WGoH: Allen Steele AGoH: Frank Wu FGoH: Barb Schofield Musical Guest: Heather Dale | Chair: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Pres: Rick Kovalcik Vice Pres: Lisa Hertel Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Rachel Silber | Focus | 2437 (reg'd) 2330 (attended) |
| Arisia '07 Jan 12-14, 2007 |
Hyatt Regency Cambridge, MA |
WGoH: Esther Friesner AGoH: Hilary Scott Filk GoH: Luke Ski | Chair: Joel Herda Pres: Rick Kovalcik Vice Pres: Lisa Holsberg Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Rachel Silber | Humor in Science Fiction and Fantasy A new home for Arisia | 2137 (reg'd) 2045 (attended) |
| Arisia '08 Jan 18-21, 2008 |
Hyatt Regency Cambridge | WGoH: Laura Anne Gilman AGoH: Marrus Fan Performer GoH: Eric "in the Elevator" Zuckerman |
Chair: September Isdell Pres: Nicholas "phi" Shectman Vice Pres: Crystal Huff Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Rick Kovalcik |
Pirates vs. Ninjas First four day Arisia |
2369 (reg'd) 2280 (attended) |
| Arisia '09 Jan 16-19, 2009 |
Hyatt Regency Cambridge | WGoH: Walter H. Hunt AGoH: Dave Seeley Fan GoH: Ricky and Karen Dick |
Chair: Jill Eastlake Pres: September Isdell Vice Pres: Crystal Huff Treas: Benjamin Levy Clerk: Nicholas "phi" Shectman |
Fabric of Science Fiction | 2523 (reg'd) 2410 (attended) |
| Arisia '10 Jan 15-18, 2010 |
Hyatt Regency Cambridge |
Artist GoH: Sarah Clemens Fan GoHs: Kevin Roche and Andy Trembley Musical GoH: SJ Tucker - Skinny White Chick Writer / Editor GoH: Gardner Dozois |
Chair: Rick Kovalcik | TBA | |
WGoH: Writer Guest of Honor
AGoH: Artist Guest of Honor
FGoH: Fan Guest of Honor