Don’t Forget! Hugo Nominations End Friday, March 14

Please remember that in order to nominate works for the Hugo Awards, your ballot must be received by 11:59 pm. on March 14, Pacific Daylight Time. As described on the How to Nominate webpage, members can access the nomination form via the Membership Portal or vote by a paper form. Don’t wait until the last minute—and don’t forget to nominate in the special category Hugo Award for Best Poem!

How to Request a Suite at the Sheraton, or Notify us of a Party

Seattle Worldcon has reserved a limited number of one-bedroom hospitality suites at the Sheraton Grand Seattle, our headquarters hotel, which may be requested by members for their use. These suites are ideal for throwing parties, and priority will be given to members who plan to host a party or event which is open to the convention membership. The suite rate is $459/night (plus taxes and fees). The convention cannot provide or guarantee additional rooms.

A suite request form is now posted on our website. Please also use this form to notify us if you are planning an open party/event during the convention, but do not need a suite from us.

Hotel Room Blocks are Sold Out!

We are glad to have so many of you coming to Worldcon. Unfortunately our hotel room blocks, which initially seemed large and were subsequently increased, have sold out. It is possible some of these blocks may reopen from time to time on our hotel page, but in the meantime please be aware there are 14 hotels inside of a five-block, half mile radius of the Seattle Convention Center Summit Building where rooms can be secured using a common booking service, such as Google, hotels.com, bookings.com, or kayak.com.

Many of these are just as close, or closer, than our room block hotels. It may also be possible to secure rooms at our room block hotels, but outside the room block. Here is a list of hotels by proximity to the nearest Convention Center entrance, according to Google Maps:

• WorldMark/The Camlin (<0.1 mile)
• Grand Hyatt Seattle (0.1 mile)
• Hyatt Regency Seattle (0.1 mile)
• Hyatt at Olive 8 (0.1 mile)
• The Paramount Hotel (0.1 mile)
• Residence Inn Seattle Downtown Convention Center (0.1 mile)
• Hilton Garden Inn (0.2 miles)
• Hotel Theodore (0.2 miles)
• Sonder at Pivot (0.2 miles)
• Hotel Max (0.3 miles)
• The Westin Seattle (0.3 miles)
• Sheraton Grand Seattle (0.3 miles)
• Hilton Motif Seattle (0.4 miles)
• Mayflower Park Hotel (0.4 miles)
• Sonder the Boyleston (0.4 miles)

All members, with a hotel room or not, will have access to nightlife activities at the Sheraton Grand Seattle.

Take Me Out to the Holosuite… or T-Mobile Park

Want to know what plans are taking shape for Worldcon Fringe? Check out our new Fringe webpage!

The entries listed now include several which need RSVPs, even at this early stage. The most time-sensitive item is the Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays game on August 10 at 1:10 p.m. The higher the head count we give them, the more discounts we get, so please RSVP by April 1 if you can!

Another fabulous Fringe activity planned is two unofficial tours of the science fiction and fantasy exhibits at The Museum of Popular Culture (MoPOP), offered by a former curator. These exhibits contain memorabilia from shows and movies, videos of SFF authors, original manuscripts, and much more. They are well worth visiting any day, but if you want to get the inside scoop from a former curator, you should know there are only 20 spots available for each tour. Purchase of admission to the museum is required.

You can also find details about:

• A midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show during the convention
• A hiking trip to Mount Rainier National Park
• Three separate visit days to Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle, MoPOP, and much more, via the Seattle Monorail

There will be more to come later, so please check the webpage regularly!

Thank you to everyone who responded to the previous newsletter article with suggestions and tips. They were very helpful! If you have any more, please feel free to email fringe@seattlein2025.org.

Bringing the FUN for Kids, Tweens, and Teens at Worldcon

Are you bringing newer fans to Worldcon, and are wondering what we will have on the schedule just for them? The full schedule isn’t set yet, but here’s a preview of some of the fun activities we’re planning for the under-21 set. Our kid program room for ages 11 and under will have some static activity areas that you can drop into any time for unstructured play or crafts. Do you need a few minutes for your littles to let off some steam, without boring adults talking all the time? We will have toys and books specifically for them, with a comfy spot for a parent to sit while the kids are engaged. Additionally, on the official program expect a full schedule of craft projects, story times, music, creative classes, and other entertaining mayhem for youth of all ages, including Drag Queen Story Hour, Poetry Mad Libs, and painting rocks. Teens and Tweens can expect activities targeted to their interests, including crafts, games, panels, and teen-only meetups. Teens and Tweens will also have use of a lounge just for them—no boring adults allowed!—to decompress and hang out during the convention.

Reminder: Virtual Business Meeting Dates and Times

As we announced last month, the main sessions of the WSFS Business Meeting will be held virtually before the convention this year, at the following dates and times (Pacific Daylight Time):

• Friday, July 4, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• Sunday, July 13, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 25, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

More information about the business meeting may be found on the website.

https://seattlein2025.org/2025/03/13/newsletter-march-2025-hugo-nominations-end-soon/

Christianity

Once a maligned cult

Labeled by the main stream
keepers of the faith
as a lunatic #fringe

Of course this missive
brought down the hammer
of self righteous persecution
as only religious bigotry can do

Blood was spilled
on the martyr assembly line

Cranking out the saints
who would one day
have their names
attached to lofty cathedrals

Where robed hypocrites
preached the gospel
of intolerance against those
who sing from a different
hymn book

and so it goes...

All the saints and sinners
now congregate in the same place

With stained glass eyes
behind dark glasses
that conceal
their unyielding hate

Same as it ever was

Gens Perversa