What is "vericon"

Vericon is an annual science fiction convention at Harvard University, organized by the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association. Lasting over a three-day weekend, for the first nine years of its existence it took place on the last weekend of January; for 2010, however, it was moved to mid-March to accommodate changes in Harvard College's academic calendar. It has been described as the largest college-based science fiction convention in the United States.

The convention features anime, boardgames, cosplay, Human Chess, dances, LARPs, and RPGs. The convention is unusual for a college science fiction convention in that in addition to gaming, a number of prominent people involved in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, game design, and comics are invited each year to host panels and readings. Guests have included:

• 2016 (March 18–20): Ann Leckie, John Chu, Wesley Chu, Pamela Dean, Seth Dickinson, Greer Gilman, Malka Older, Ada Palmer, Jo Walton, Fran Wilde
• 2015 (March 20–22): Ken Liu, M. L. Brennan, Carl Engle-Laird, Greer Gilman, Mary Robinette Kowal, Andrew Liptak, B. L. Marsh, Will McIntosh, Daniel José Older, Ada Palmer, Luke Scull, Alex Shvartsman, Jo Walton
• 2014 (March 21–23): Patrick Rothfuss, Max Gladstone, Jo Walton, Scott Lynch, M. L. Brennan, Saladin Ahmed, Luke Scull, Greer Gilman
• 2013 (March 22–24): Tamora Pierce, Jeffrey Carver, Greer Gilman, N. K. Jemisin, Shira Lipkin, Seanan McGuire, Jennifer Pelland, Jo Walton
• 2012 (March 16–18): Vernor Vinge, Greer Gilman, Lev Grossman, Jennifer Pelland, Thomas Sniegoski, R.L. Stine, Aaron Diaz, Christopher Hastings, Michael Terracciano
• 2011 (March 18–20): Brandon Sanderson, Austin Grossman, Holly Black, Catherine Asaro, Sarah Smith, Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman
• 2010 (March 19–21): Timothy Zahn, Katherine Howe, Resa Nelson, Paul Tremblay, Greer Gilman, John Crowley, Randall Munroe, Dorothy Gambrell, Michael Terracciano.
• 2009 (January 23–25): Kim Stanley Robinson, Elizabeth Bear, Paul Di Filippo, Allen Steele, Robert V.S. Redick, Catherynne Valente, Don D'Ammassa, Marie Brennan, Brad Guigar, Kristofer Straub
• 2008 (January 25–27): Orson Scott Card, Lois Lowry, M.T. Anderson, Elizabeth Haydon, James Patrick Kelly, Kelly Link, Donna Jo Napoli, Sharyn November, Cassandra Clare, William Sleator, Pete Abrams, Jeph Jacques, Randall Munroe
• 2007 (January 26–28): Guy Gavriel Kay, R. A. Salvatore, Jeffrey Carver, Sharyn November, Shaenon Garrity, Jeffrey Rowland
• 2006 (January 27–29): George R. R. Martin, Greer Gilman, Elaine Isaak, Marie Brennan, Sarah Smith, Tim Buckley, Randy Milholland, Jeph Jacques, Michael Terracciano
• 2005 (January 28–30): Jacqueline Carey, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, James Morrow, James Alan Gardner, Debra Doyle, James D. Macdonald
• 2004 (January 30 – February 1): Mike Carey, Brian Clevinger, Peter David
• 2003 (January 24–26): Catherine Asaro, Julie Czerneda, Ellen Kushner, Charles Vess
• 2002 (January 25–27): Henry Jenkins, Scott McCloud, Terry Moore, Susan Shwartz
• 2001 (January 26–28): Pete Abrams, James Ernest, Paul Levinson, Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, Michael A. Burstein, Jeffrey Carver, Esther Friesner, Peter Heck, James Morrow, Donna Jo Napoli