DrakCon
Site: DrakCon  | |
| Category: Clubs and Conventions | |
| Sub Category: Conventions | |
Status: Approved | |
| Submitted by: Wyrdmaster | |
| Google Deskbar Link: http://www.gamewyrd.com/tools/cyber901/{1} [ explain ] Firefox Gesture Search: DrakCon search (LDR) [ explain ] | |
Description: | |
| In 1986 a group in London, led by Liz Holiday, decided that there should be a response by members of the role playing hobby to the already successful efforts of Band Aid and Live Aid to raise funds for relief of the dreadful situation in Africa. Thus was born Dragon Aid. As well as organising their own fundraiser - a successful sponsored attempt to set the world record for continuous playing of AD&D - they put out a fanzine calling on other gamers to join in with their own events. On holiday I picked up a copy of this, came home, asked the staff behind the counter of the local games shop what they thought. A few hours later I was being interviewed by local newspapers and radio. Letters were sent to games companies, paper manufacturers, soft drinks firms, etc. and then a local postal strike started! Three weeks later, we had a hall (at Aberdeen University, normally the scene of graduation ceremonies and the like), reams of high quality glossy paper, clingfilm, a promise of trophies and several pounds of paté. With only two days to the event I was also getting worried. At this point the manager of the local ODEON came to the rescue with the use of a card for a local wholesaler and a sale or return order of coke, etc. on our behalf. A carrier delivered a box of prizes from Games Workshop and we were on our way. That first event was in two parts, we started with a 36 hour sponsored marathon followed by a nights rest. The next day we re-opened for a weekend of gaming including a three round AD&D tournament. Despite the numbers attending being small we still raised £600. Eight months or so later, I started getting asked when I was going to hold another. The organisers of the original Dragon Aid event had decided that it was a one off and so, although we kept Dragon Aid, Aberdeen alive as an organisation, we had to come up with a new title for the event. After various suggestions and dreadfull puns we settled on DrakCon - to include Fantasy (Dragon!), Horror (DRACula!) and SF (the Drak from Enemy Mine). (This should give an idea of how bad the rejected puns must have been.) We found what was to become our regular venue, more people came and so it became an annual event. Over the last eighteen years Dragon Aid, Aberdeen has raised about £35000 for famine relief. At the same time DrakCon has built a reputation as one of the most friendly and fun events of its type. Although the common misconception that Aberdeen is somewhere near the Artic circle amongst those living to the south has limited the numbers travelling, those who have done so have kept coming back year after year. | |
Anima Mundi: Roleplaying Convention Accomodation
Three more Clubs and Conventions sites:
DragonCon - l-Con - Open Roleplaying Community, Edinburgh
Cyber Nexus:
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