Glasgow has won the right to host the 2024 World Science Fiction Convention – the third time the city has been selected to stage the event.
Glasgow Convention Bureau, part of Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture and sport in the city, has worked in partnership with the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) to support the official bid team and volunteers to help bring the global gathering, known as Worldcon, to the city from 8-12 August 2024.
Having hosted the Intersection and Interaction Worldcons in 1995 and 2005 respectively, Glasgow has been confirmed as the home of the 82nd version of the event.
Glasgow 2024 – A Worldcon for Our Futures is expected to attract around 5,000 science fiction fans to Scotland’s largest city and boost its local economy by some £13 million in attendee spend.
Glasgow Life’shead of tourism and conventions, Aileen Crawford said: “The return of the World Science Fiction Convention is fantastic for Glasgow and demonstrates the city’s status as a global conference destination. Credit and congratulations must go to the dedicated UK team who have worked tirelessly over a number of years on this bid.”
Visiting a different city every year, Worldcon began Stateside and was first held in New York in 1939. Among the highlights of the five-day conference are the Hugo Awards for works of science fiction, fantasy and horror; the Masquerade; and a programme of more than 1,000 events, including autograph sessions, films, panels, talks and workshops.
Glasgow 2024 Worldcon chair, Esther MacCallum-Stewart said: “It’s a huge honour to host the Worldcon, and our team have worked incredibly hard to get here. We can’t wait to bring our blend of inclusion, caring and imagination to the Glasgow 2024 Worldcon, and create an event that is both exciting and innovative. This really is a Worldcon for our futures!”
Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales, SEC, said: “It's wonderful to be welcoming back Worldcon to the Scottish Event Campus. We had the pleasure of hosting this event in 1995 and 2005, and it's always an incredibly exciting and memorable experience for everyone. We can't wait to see what the team come up with when they return again in 2024 and look forward to supporting them in bringing this wonderful event to life.”
Helping to secure Glasgow’s Worldcon host status for a third time is the latest piece of positive convention-related news for the city. Financial year-end results for 2021/22 revealed Glasgow recorded successful bids for 71 new conferences between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022, which collectively will bring more than 36,000 delegates to the city and deliver some £53m in delegate spend.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
