HawaiiCon is a new convention centered in Hawaii that takes place September 12-14 and it promises to deliver a convention experience unlike any other. The idea is that instead of witnessing a panel with a celebrity, perhaps you’d prefer snorkeling on a beach in Hawaii. It seems like they’re trying to blend the best parts of Cons and vacations into one thing with all of your favorite stars.
To get to the bottom of things, I spoke to GB Hajim, the founder of the convention, and Tyler Murray, their marketing specialist.
To register for the show, here’s their website.
Big Shiny Robot! Tell me about the event, what makes this stand out from other cons around the country?
GB Hajim: Like other conventions, we have star-filled panels full of guests from hit series as well as cosplayers, scientists, and comic book writers. We wanted to create a con that felt more intimate for the fans with less lines and less stress. One thing that makes HawaiiCon so special is the Adventure With The Stars events. Attendees have the opportunity to go on tours with their favorite celebrities. For example, Patricia Tallman from Babylon 5 will be joining attendees for a Manta Ray Dive and Snorkel in the middle of the ocean. Take a sunset sail with Torri Higginson from Stargate Atlantis, go riding on a submarine, a helicopter – so many inspiring experiences await! Even the con venue is unique. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel sits right on top one of the most beautiful white sand beaches on the entire island. This isn’t just a con. It’s an entire island experience.
BSR!: Tell me about your involvement with the event, what do you do for the con?
GB: As the Chief Overlord Octopus, I have my tentacles in everything, but mostly I keep my great team chugging along towards the goal line which is providing fans with the best and most amazing convention experience they will ever have.
Tyler Murray, Marketing: I was hired in April to run Marketing for the event. In the beginning, my team focused on creating objectives and strategies to reach fans. We completely redesigned the website and unified the HawaiiCon brand. Now, we spend a lot of time writing press releases, adapting our strategies, creating ads, and engaging with fans on Social Media. If you follow us on Facebook and Twitter, say hello!
BSR!: What made you feel like Hawaii would be right for a convention?
GB: Conventions have grown and we thought it was time some conventions grew up, in a good way! Hawaii is an excellent place to get away from the crowds and have a unique experience and besides our island is perfect for a science fiction convention because it is like visiting another planet. Every beach is unique. There’s white, black, peppered, and even green sand beaches. The landscape changes drastically within just a few miles. You’ll feel like you’re going warp speed around the Earth traveling from one side of the island to the other since the climate changes so much in between. Lava still breaks out on the surface creating new land. Even going to the top of Mauna Kea is an experience of its own. Up there, some of the world’s top observatories look deep into space. Also, a con on the Big Island gives local communities the opportunity to attend a convention when they’d normally have to fly to the mainland or another island.
BSR!: Who can we expect to see at the convention?
GB: Stars from shows like Star Trek, Game Of Thrones, Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, and Stargate: Atlantis and more will be coming. Scientists and Astronomers like NASA’s Bobak Ferdowsi from the Mars Curiosity mission will have panels of their own. Coplayers from SyFy’s hit series Heroes Of Cosplay will be discussing what they do. We even have a Writers panel with guests like Jane Espenson who helped create Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon a Time, Firefly , and more!
BSR!: Will there be regular panels? Or just these experiences with celebrities?
GB: There will plenty of regular panels with each guest in their respective field. Scientists, writers, actors and actresses, comic book artists, cosplayers, and other experienced professionals will talk about their current and past projects. Each panel runs around 50 minutes, and there will be time allotted for question an answer sessions.
BSR!: What event are you most excited about?
GB: Split between going scuba diving with Patricia Tallman from Babylon 5 and attending Walter Koenig’s 78th Birthday party. Walt and Star Trek were such a fixture of my childhood. I really can’t believe I’m going to be hanging with him at his birthday!
TM: This is actually pretty hard to decide. I’m a huge fan of food, so the Gala Dinners might be my favorite event. At one of the dinners, we’ll even be throwing a birthday celebration for Walter Koenig who played Chekov in the original Star Trek series. The Gala Dinners are going to be a blast because we have so many surprise guests and entertainment happening.
BSR!: What is the goal or mission of the convention?
GB: HawaiiCon is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase public awareness of science, the science fiction genre, and mythologies, past and present, which guide humanity. HawaiiCon will emphasize education and uniquely Hawaiian contributions to science, including navigation, and ensure that Native Hawaiian culture is accorded an honored place in the conversation of science and science fiction.
BSR!: What do you expect attendance to be? Should people sign up now?
GB: We are expecting around 2500 attendees. If we get more to sign up, we’ll adapt to make sure that the con still has that intimate, stress free feeling. People should definitely sign up as soon as they know they are coming. Since this is our first year for HawaiiCon, the more people that sign up early, the more events we are able to plan!
BSR!: What experience are you looking forward to most?
GB: We’re looking forward to seeing all of the attendees and guests spending time with one another at the pool and on the beach. It’s like a dream come true for a lot of people. We know it is for us.