Ravencon convention returning to Henrico in 2021

While the list of events cancelled or delayed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, there is at least one bright spot on the horizon for Henrico residents. Ravencon, Virginia’s largest science fiction and fantasy convention, has announced that it will be held in Henrico in 2021, with hopes to relocate here permanently.

Ravencon, named for Richmond’s own Edgar Allen Poe, was held in Richmond for a decade in Midlothian, before a change in ownership in 2015 forced it and several other local events to relocate. Ravencon moved to Williamsburg, where it has been for the past five years. This year’s event was canceled as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, but there was a silver lining to that announcement: that next year’s event, to be held April 16-18, will be held at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Convention Center in Henrico.

According to Ravencon convention chair Michael Pederson, the homecoming to the Richmond area was something he and other convention volunteers had been working on for a while.

“Coming home to Richmond is very important to us,” he said. “We started here, our Poe connection is here, we work with a lot of high schools across the metro area, and it will be good to return to all of that. Playing around with the kind of space we had in Williamsburg was nice, but this is where we started, we have a wonderful location, and if all goes well, we’d love to make this our permanent home.”

While Ravencon currently is only contracted for 2021 so far, with an option for the same dates in 2022, Pederson said attendance numbers will play a big part in determining whether Henrico will be Ravencon’s final roost. One thing that gives him optimism about those numbers is that Marscon, typically held in Williamsburg in January, and Mysticon, typically held in Roanoke in February, both already have announced the cancellations of their 2021 events. That means Ravencon will be the first convention since the COVID-19 outbreak began.

“By the time Ravencon rolls around next April, we will be the first convention in 14 months, and while that’s a little daunting, we’re excited as well,” Pederson said. “God willing, we’ll have a vaccine by then, or have contained it, but we’re still planning on taking every precaution we can, and we’re doing what we can to keep everybody safe.”

Another source of optimism for Pederson is the Virginia Crossings hotel, and the vast potential he and other volunteers see for the location.

“We’ve been looking at Virginia Crossings as a host location for years trying to find an opening with the dates we wanted,” he said. “It’s one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever seen for a convention, and there are a lot of features we’re excited about. The Jefferson architecture, the underground tunnels that connect the buildings have a lot of potential, and I can’t wait for people to see the rooms we’ve reserved for readings.”

Those readings are no small thing, with mid-sized conventions like Ravencon playing an important role in speculative fiction, allowing publishers to promote upcoming books, and authors to do readings, signings and meet-and-greets with fans.

Few know this more than author Charles E. Gannon, whose debut novel Fire with Fire, the first book in his Caine Riordan series, made its debut at Ravencon 2013. The fifth book in that series, Marque of Caine, came out last year and was a Nebula Award finalist, while Gannon himself has published more than a dozen novels since then and has established himself as a best-selling author of speculative fiction.

“Ravencon holds a special place in my heart for many reasons,” Gannon said. “It was where I launched the first book of the Caine Riordan series and first met my collaborator, Steve White, as well as a lot of the Baen authors who I work with and call friends. The guy who runs it, Mike Pederson, he’s one of the nicest guys in the con business, and it was the first con I got to meet so many of my fans and readers, which is particularly special to me.”

Though an Annapolis, Maryland resident himself, the move to Henrico is exciting to Gannon not only because it’s closer to home, but because the area is home to a lot of friends who have retired here.

Of course, the move is just as exciting to locals like Cameron King, a Varina-resident who frequently attends conventions as a cosplayer, fans who dress up as various figures from pop culture.

“Cosplay is great community to be a part of, almost like a family,” King said, “and going to events like this, you get to make a lot of people happy. They could be having just an awful week but see someone dressed as one of their favorite character and it turns into a wonderful memory. I’ve gone to Ravencon when it was in Williamsburg, but it’s really nice that it’s going to be a lot closer to home.”

For Pederson, next year’s event coming to Henrico represents potential but also a symmetry of sorts.

Terry Brooks, author of the New York Times-bestselling Shannara series, was Ravencon’s first guest of honor in 2006, and he will be returning as the guest of honor for next year’s event. That year’s event was also held in Henrico, so this is a homecoming in more ways than one.

“We were able to squeeze ourselves into the DoubleTree by Richmond International Airport back then,” Pederson said. “I think he will be impressed with how much we’ve grown since then.”

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