USA: CALIFORNIA: ANAHEIM: 54TH WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION

(1 Sep 1996) English/Nat

Scientists may be unsure about life on Mars - but there are thousands of believers gathered in southern California to share their love for all things fact and fiction.

From as far afield as Croatia, science fiction fans have come to Anaheim for the 54th World Science Fiction Convention.

Three days of non-stop seminars were kicked off with a spectacular costume contest - a
competition uniting pirates, dragons and aliens.

If creatures from outer space and fair maidens in distress stir the wheels of imagination, southern California is the place to be this week.

Anaheim is host to the 54th World Science Fiction Convention - or "World Con" to those in the know.

From as far afield as Croatia, some four thousand science fiction and fantasy fans have come together to show off their "far out" creations to the press and other "believers".

Highlight of the first day of the convention was an inter-galactic haute couture parade - and there were plenty of contenders for the top prize.

Judges had to choose from a wide range of characters such as a fairy, father and son space warriors or a team of dragons - each with a fair maiden in tow.

All participants agreed winning was fun - but to some of the contestants there is far more to "World Con", science fiction and fantasy literature than meets the eye.

SOUNDBITE:
"It allows you to dream, to view a future that is not where you are now. To visualise things that are not - but could be - if you are good enough and your design concepts are good enough - you can make magic happen. And there are damn few other places you can do that. We're here tonight to create legend, that's what it's all about. That's what we set out to do."
SUPER CAPTION: Janet Wilson Anderson, Science Fiction enthusiast from California

SOUNDBITE:
"I came to the 'Con' to be a fairy and be a part of the masquerade and enjoy everybody else's costumes."
SUPER CAPTION: Judith Rauchfuss, Costume Designer from Albuquerque in New Mexico

On Saturday, any one was free to be a fairy, a junior - or a senior - space warrior.

After all, where ever you live, meeting up with visitors from another world can be tough.

SOUNDBITE:
"No, I don't have a wife. It's a very small town and I'm the odd man out in practically the whole county."
SUPER CAPTION: Joe Eibe, Science Fiction Enthusiast from Willows in California

For others, taking part in the masquerade was also part of an effort to win a bid for the 1999 "World Con".

SOUNDBITE:
"There are actually 14 of us here, no, 16 from Croatia. We planned this trip for a year and a half and we want to come again on the next World Con."
SUPER CAPTION: Maja Cetineo, Science Fiction Enthusiast from Zagreb in Croatia

While Saturday's events were focused on sequins, laser beams and space helmets, the sci-fi fans still have two more days of lectures and seminars to look forward to.

With talks ranging from "The Defence of Escapist Literature" to "RoboCop to Real Cop", there will be no shortage of things to do.

For some, the excitement of the evening proved to be a bit too much.

But if this emotional contestant just needed to escape the scores of princesses and dragons - she was facing quite a challenge.

After all, Disneyland is just across the road.

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