Necronomicon

Traditionally, Necronomicon takes place in mid to late October. Necronomicon 2008 will be Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12.

Hilton Bayfront, 333 First Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Stone Hill Science Fiction Association

• Three-Day Membership: $30 before Oct. 1, $50 at the door.
• One-Day Membership:
  • Friday, $25
  • Saturday, $25
  • Sunday, $20

Unless you're in the know, Tampa Bay area's annual science fiction, fantasy and horror convention might pass you by completely unnoticed. For area fans, however, Necronomicon is practically a religious pilgrimage.

For more than 25 years, members of the Stone Hill Science Fiction Association have organized this convention as a labor of love, with proceeds going to various charities such as the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, Wildlife Rescue, Francis House and Kids and Canines. All of the workers at the convention are volunteers, and guests generally appear at no charge.

Past guests have included:

• Andrew Offitt
• Marv Wolfman
• Larry Niven
• Andr Norton
• Piers Anthony
• Timothy Zahn
• Alan Dean Foster
• C.J. Cherryh
• Orson Scott Card
• Ben Bova

Necronomicon features a dealers room, art show and auction, a charity raffle, video rooms and live music. The convention is known for its extensive programming, offering a variety of panels with lively discussions. Other highlights include:

• Cthulhu Memorial Eye Scream Social: The social side of the convention gets under way with this annual social function which includes brain-freezing ice cream and a Fiendish Flea Market that benefits a local charity.
• The Ygor Party: This Friday night social event usually kicks off around 10 p.m. in the con suite and serves as a slightly more adult version of meet-and-greet.
• The Masquerade: A centerpiece of the whole convention, this shindig invites guests to strut their stuff dressed as a favorite genre character.
• Trivia Contests: Always a fan favorite, convention-goers match wits in contests such as "Movie One-Liners" and "SF Name That Tune."