My very first ChattaCon (updated)

[thatcrazycajun]

Okay, so I broke down and decided to bomb up from Atlanta in the Songbird's black Honda for a day's worth of ChattaCon 34. (Thanks, sweetie, for letting me take the car. Have I mentioned lately how much and dearly I love you?)

The first thing you should understand about this con that has been entertaining fans since 1976 is that it is held in a hotel called the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Yes, that is its full real name, and it is housed in an actual rehabbed old train station that almost had a date with the wrecking ball instead. And in addition to the historic real steam train that gives the place its name, there are several more trains parked permanently on header tracks behind the lobby (formerly the Terminal Station central ticketing area) that are used as restaurants and sleeping rooms. The function space is housed in outbuildings surrounding the train yard and alongside, some of it cheek-by-jowl with kitsch-laden touristy shops and a model railroad exhibit, and is tricky to find and get to if you aren't familiar with the layout.

The second thing you need to know is that this con is way frakkin' spread out; if you are a paraplegic or just have low/no tolerance for doing lots and lots of walking in a single day, ChattaCon may not be your mug of Klingon bloodwine. The property, girded by a circular train track. encompasses the aforementioned former train station and headers (the Art Show is here, as is the main restaurant), plus a largish parking lot, three more buildings containing normal-style sleeping rooms and an indoor heated pool, a fourth containing the very large Con Suite (the farthest out to the back; you may actually need the yellow shuttle trolley that runs on the rails to go back and forth to it), and the Centennial Center, where the Dealers' Room and most panels are. I've been to college-campus cons and Worldcons that weren't this much of a schlep-fest.

The wait at on-site registration was longer than it should have been despite there only being about eight people ahead of me, and the con does not sell partial (i.e., one-day-only) memberships; it's an all-or-nothing proposition. (This surprises and annoys me; most cons that have been around this long and are popular at all will offer one-days.) So far, I have seen only one person I know, but I am aware that quadrivium and filkertom are lurking about somewhere (Tom is Toastmaster and has a concert tonight). I will take pictures and post them with further reports later, as I have my digicam with me; this is beyond doubt the most unique facility in which I've attended an SF/fantasy con in my over three decades of fanac. Stay tuned...

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Heh! Did you know about the Choo-Choo before this? I actually ate there many years ago; for a Holiday Inn, it's pretty good. :) (Did not stay there, though, though I hear tell you can book a Pullman room...)

I do believe that is one of the more unique facilities for holding a con... aside from, say, Burning Man... :)

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

Hadn't heard of the Choo-Choo before this, no. And I'm not sure I could survive attending a con at Burning Man, from what I've heard about that festival.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Still wanna go to LunaCon I in 2069, though. Hilton Tranquility Base. I hear it'll be a blast. :)

[mshollie.livejournal.com]

I went to Chattacon back when it was at the Read House. Very old hotel, but it was nice and I had fun.

Enjoy!

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, It was a lot of fun at the Read house...until we caused a 'Rule 14' to be made...*sigh*. Still, it was a lot of fun at the Choo-Choo this year. Never did catch up with Steve Jackson for some autographs, but spent too much in the Dealer room and the art show to make up for it. The band Saturday night (Arc Attack) was right up my alley. I love techno, so the extra bonus of barely-contained lightning made it easily worth the trouble to stay in the Con Suite for the show. The craft parts of the show I'd never been to, but having 2 pre-teen girls in tow this year made those a must, and we really enjoyed it.

All-in-all, an very enjoyable weekend, and well worth the price of admission for me. My sister and I have some really fond memories of going with my Dad to Chattacon, and it was nice for the two of us to revisit with our children, and introduce them to the con environment... Also, somewhat of a shock at times to view that environment from a parent's eye, instead of a teenager heheh. Quite the distressing feeling to look at some of those costumes, and try to shield your daughter from them, at the same time trying not to drool noticeably :)