Fuzzy’s Travelogue is the newsletter of LAcon V: The 84th World Science Fiction Convention. This is Volume Thirteen of the series, June 2026 edition. A downloadable PDF version of the newsletter can be found here.
Issues of Fuzzy’s Travelogue will be distributed on a regular basis, to our members and on our website & social media, throughout the lead-up to our August 2026 convention. Previous issues can be found here: Vol 1 (May 2025), Vol 2 (June 2025), Vol 3 (July 2025), Vol 4 (August 2025), Vol 5 (September 2025), Vol 6 (October 2025), Vol 7 (November 2025), Vol 8 (January 2026), Vol 9 (February 2026), Vol 10 (March 2026), Vol 11 (April 2026), Vol 12 (May 2026).
You can read all about Fuzzy, LAcon V’s mascot, here.
Events
Jazzing Up Friday Night with the South Side Symphony
Join us Friday August 28, 2026 in the evening in the Anaheim Convention Center Arena as LAcon V proudly presents a special performance by the South Side Symphony: their Anime Juke Jam.
Anime Juke Jam is a celebration of the cultural exchange between Black American and Japanese cultures, specifically in the realms of anime music, hip hop, Japanese jazz, funk, house, and soul.
Led by composer and conductor Dr. Marcus Norris, the program explores the powerful cultural connections between Black American music and Japanese anime—from soulful jazz harmonies and hip hop rhythms to iconic anime sound worlds. Featuring live, soul-fusion orchestra, dynamic dance, and engaging storytelling, Anime Juke Jam transforms beloved anime themes from Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, The Boondocks and more into a high-energy concert experience that feels as more like a live jam session as a symphonic performance.
Perfect for anime fans, hip hop heads, orchestral music lovers, and curious newcomers alike. Whether you’re discovering the music behind your favorite anime or simply looking for a concert experience unlike anything else, Anime Juke Jam is where fandom meets the symphony.
Programming Update
Our Program Has Something For Everyone!
We are still busily pulling together an amazing program that brings together fans, specialists, and creatives from across the world. It’s looking incredibly exciting and we wanted to share a few tasty tidbits with you. Our on-site program starts at noon on Thursday and runs until the Closing Ceremony on Monday at 3pm, with programming most days from 9am until 11pm (Pacific). Three of our Guests of Honor, Stan Sakai, Colleen Doran and Tim Kirk will be in conversation about their art, their creative process and inspiration, and what art means to them on Thursday. Saturday will include the Anaheim Poet Laureate Camille Hernandez interviewing our Special Guest Terese Mason Pierre. In between we’ll feature a fan favorite, Improbable Research: Ig Nobel Award Dramatic Readings with toastmaster Ursula Vernon (also known as T. Kingfisher) and fan guest of honor Geri Sullivan. Last year’s Poet Laureate, Brandon O’Brien, will interview Special Guest Tracey Baptiste. The schedule is jam packed with science in panels like Voyager at 50, fan favorite game shows given a Worldcon twist including Taskmaster and Just a Minute, and from Thursday to Monday there will be speculative fiction media favorites with items such as the Star Wars Mostly Original Slide Show.
We also have an amazing list of Featured Participants that we can’t wait to share with you next month once their schedules are all locked down.
But that’s not all!
There will be art workshops and demonstrations in our Maker Space. We will offer specific programming for Children and Teens. There will be gaming of all sorts, and we are featuring the Artemis Bridge Simulator experience. You can hob-nob with your favorite creatives at readings, table talks, and autograph sessions.
Not able to make it in person? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered with a robust Virtual Program which will include a large number of live streamed convention sessions, alongside online sessions. We will also offer virtual-only sessions, running several hours earlier and later than the at-con convention hours to accommodate our members in other parts of the world. Where possible, and permitted, everything will be then available for catch up viewing as soon as LAcon’s amazing virtual team can make it so!
We are always still looking for volunteers to be part of our virtual program operations and virtual infrastructure teams. It’s a great way to help out from the comfort of home and make sure this amazing program really is as robust and accessible as possible. Please do get in touch!
We are particularly proud to be partnering with the African Speculative Fiction Society. ASFS presents the annual Nommo Awards, which honor outstanding works of speculative fiction by African writers across the continent and diaspora. This year, ASFS will be announcing the shortlisted works live at LAcon V via our Virtual Program! There will be introductions and contributions from the nominees, as well as a discussion about the evolution and global impact of African speculative fiction. In addition to this Celebrating African Speculative Fiction panel, ASFS will be presenting multiple panels and a couple of fantastic workshops as part of the LAcon V Virtual Program.
No matter your interests, you’re sure to find plenty of appealing content. We can’t wait to share our full schedule with you!
2028 Site Selection Now Open
All members of LAcon V (other than single-day members) are members of the World Science Fiction Society, and eligible to vote to determine the site for the 86th Worldcon in 2028. A $50 USD voting fee is required to cast a vote. Even if you don’t have a preference in the outcome, voting in Site Selection guarantees you a WSFS membership in the 86th Worldcon.
Brisbane in 2028 is running unopposed (Nuremberg regretfully withdrew their bid at the last minute). Voting is primarily done electronically, but there is also a paper option. Voting will remain open through 5:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on August 29.
For more information on how to cast your ballot, see our Site Selection Instructions page.
For more information on Brisbane in 2028, see www.brisbane28.org.
For information on Nuremberg’s withdrawal, see nuremberg2028.de
The Hugo Awards at LAcon V
The Hugo Awards® are the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy. First presented in 1953, they have been awarded every year since 1955 by the members of the (Worldcon members) at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon).
The Hugo Awards Ceremony
The Hugo Awards are the culminating event of the World Science Fiction Convention. It is where and when the members of the World Science Fiction Society recognize and honor the best works in the science fiction & fantasy field from the previous year. They stand at the heart of the convention and of the WSFS community.
This year’s Hugo Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 8:00pm PDT, in the Arena of the Anaheim Convention Center. It will be hosted by LAcon V’s toastmaster, Ursula Vernon (aka T. Kingfisher), herself the previous recipient of six Hugo Awards (and ten nominations) in a variety of categories over her career. Categories include awards for short stories and novels, comics, games & interactive works, and movies & television as well as work done by fans for fans such as fanzine and fancast. Also part of the ceremony is the presentation of the Lodestar Award for Best Children’s Book and the Astounding Award for Best New Author. In addition to the usual categories, LAcon V will issue a Hugo Award for Best Poem.
We welcome everyone to come and enjoy the show!
Hugo Award Voting & Packet Reminder
There’s just a few more weeks to vote in the 2026 Hugo Awards! Voting will close on August 8 at noon PDT. Access to the Hugo Voter Packet will be removed at the same time. Speaking of the packet, there have been a couple of additions since we first launched. In the Best Dramatic Presentation-Long category we have added links to watch the full movies of Superman and Mickey 17. In the Novella category, The Summer War was originally marked as an excerpt, but is actually the full novella in PDF format. Happy reading, watching and playing, and we look forward to counting your votes! For additional voting information, please go to our website or check your previous newsletter.
Hugo Award Base & Lodestar Award Designers
LAcon V is proud to announce that the 2026 Hugo Base designer will be Scott Lefton, and the 2026 Lodestar Award will be designed by H Emiko Ogasawara.
Scott Lefton is a multidisciplinary artist and consulting engineer whose work blends metal, glass, wood, electronics, photography, and digital design. He designed the 2004 Hugo Award bases and created the miniature Hugo Award rocket displayed aboard the International Space Station. “The trophy is the SFF community’s equivalent of the Oscar, given annually at the World Science Fiction Convention. The winners are chosen by the fans themselves. I’m honored to have been chosen to craft this year’s Hugo Award base design, and hope that it will remind people about LAcon V and about what our community values in creativity,” Lefton said.
H Emiko Ogasawara is a California artist and art instructor, and a long-time member of the SFF community. She works in various traditional media, including ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, and paper engineering. Much of her work emphasizes interactive, functional, and kinetic elements that invite people to become participants rather than mere viewers.
While the iconic Hugo Award rocket remains a constant, the base of the award is unique. It is redesigned annually to reflect the personality of the hosting World Science Fiction Convention, usually drawing on cultural, geographical, or historical themes of the convention’s host location (in this year’s case Southern California) as well as touches of the science fiction genre it celebrates.
The Lodestar award, first given in 2018, celebrates the beauty and variety in the previous years YA fiction. It is also designed to reflect the personality of the hosting Worldcon as well as reflecting the ‘guiding light’ that the name suggests.
“One of my favorite traditions of the Hugo Awards ceremony is that each year’s trophies tell a story about the place and people hosting Worldcon,” LAcon V chair Joyce Lloyd said. “Scott and Emiko are artists whose work combines technical excellence with a sense of wonder. I am incredibly excited about their designs and cannot wait to share what they’re creating with you at LAcon V in August!”
The final base designs will be revealed as part of the convention’s Opening Ceremony in Anaheim on August 27.
Disneyland Resort Discounts
LAcon V is pleased to announce that, in cooperation with Disney Destinations, we are able to provide our attending members with special discounts for the Disneyland Resort. These discounts for the Disney parks can be accessed through the Benefits area of our Member Portal for registered attendees. To access the portal, you can follow the instructions given in the previous section or go to our website, click on the Disney page, and click the button to visit the Member Portal. The Disney page of the website will also provide more information about this discount.
These discounted tickets are valid from Sunday, August 23rd through Thursday, September 3, 2026, so attendees can purchase tickets for a theme park visit during this twelve day window. The LAcon V discounted Disney ticket store closes at 9:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, so you will need to complete your purchase BEFORE the start of the convention. They will not be available for purchase on site or during the convention.
Additionally, the Disneyland Resort Kids’ Summer Ticket Offer is now available. For a limited time, children ages 3 to 9 can visit both theme parks for $50 per child with the purchase of a special 1-Day Park Hopper Ticket. You can also choose 2-Day and 3-Day ticket options. This special offer is good for visits at any time for May 22 through September 7, 2026. Park reservations are required and this offer is only valid for child tickets for ages 3 through 9.
IMPORTANT: To utilize this discount, you must enter through the Member Portal and log in with your LAcon V credentials. Please go to our website to read additional information about these tickets or to access the portal via that page.
LAcon V Exhibits Hall
Our exhibit hall promises to have something for everyone. If you are a Star Wars fan, check out Shawn Crosby’s (Obi-shawn) Star Car decked out with R2-D2A, rebel coloring, and dual side mounted cannons. More Star Cars will also be in the hall. If you are interested in previous Worldcons, there will be a costume display of prior ‘master class’ costumes, a Hugo Awards history exhibit, and a history of the Worldcons held in Los Angeles.
We will also be displaying the Battlebot classic ‘bots and an IEEE exhibit demonstrating an audio animatronic robot.
Let your creative juices flow in our LEGO™ exhibits and play area or our Photo-op backdrops with interstellar scenery for a fantastic selfie or group photo.
What else will you find in the Exhibit Hall?
- A Fanzine lounge and FANAC area – come get your fanzines scanned for posterity or examine some rare fanzines and books.
- A ray gun collection and other SF toys.
- The Western Travelling Museum’s natural history exhibit.
- 100th anniversary displays for a growing list of authors and artists, not to mention our Guest of Honor and Special Guest displays.
The exhibit hall also contains the Art Show, Dealers’ Room, and Sales to Members (convention merchandise).
The Art Show will have special exhibits for Tim Kirk’s ‘The Last Dangerous Visions‘ never before seen art collection, Vincent Villafranca’s bronze robot sculpture garden, a Frank Kelly Freas retrospective, and the usual outstanding art in the Art Show. We have also just started booking space for our Artist Alley. Visit our website for the complete list of participating artists, as well as detailed information about how you can book space in the Artist Alley (four hour blocks, one or two per day; space is limited so reach out to us ASAP!)
Our amazing Dealers Room will dazzle you with a huge selection of your favorite fannish goodies. There will be art, games, clothing, jewelry, books, books, books, and so much more. We will have close to 125 dealers at this year’s Worldcon, with the complete list of dealers being announced in the days to come (we’ll announce this on our website when it’s public!)
Sales to Members is our convention-themed merchandise concession, and will feature a number of items related to LAcon V. Did you miss the limited run online of our Fuzzy the Channel Island Fox plushie mascot sales? We should have a very limited number available at the convention but you’ll need to check in as soon as possible at the door.
Check out the Fan Tables from all across the fannish community. Find your specific area of interest or talk with some new and exciting groups to spark your curiosity.
Our Freebies Book Lounge, located before you head down to the Exhibit Hall, will have free books and other fun items available. Help out – donate your unused books.
Volunteers
Worldcons have a proud tradition of being run by some incredibly hardworking volunteers. Yet it always takes a bit more to make the magic happen!
You could be a magic maker and help make this Worldcon the best ever, this is your opportunity to act as a volunteer while at the convention. There are so many things to do, and it is a great way to meet people and make new friends.
In order to volunteer, you need to be a member of the convention.
We are looking for individuals to work 2-4 hour shifts, daily or occasionally, not only in our physical convention spaces, but also in our virtual ones. We need people for the days leading up to the convention, as well as during and post convention.
We will have various tasks from which you can choose. Just sign up with Volunteers, either at the desk near Convention Registration at the Hilton Hotel, during the first couple of days of convention, or at our Anaheim Convention Center North location, on the second floor, outside of room 262B.
Getting Around Anaheim
As we reported in the last issue, the ART shuttle is no longer available in Anaheim. However, there is still local transportation that can be used to travel around the city to the various locales in the area. The OC buses carry passengers all over the county with routes that intersect to enable you to get to the places you want to go. Included in the service are mobile alerts that can notify you about the next bus coming to the nearest spot. For more information, go to octa.org.
If you like to plan in advance, you can also go to the website visitanaheim.org/plan-your-trip which can provide you with information on other means of getting around as well as points of interest that you can visit.
Uber, Lyft, and taxis will pick-up and drop-off at the Transit Plaza near Hall E as well as at the entrance of Convention Way by Morton’s Steakhouse. These are the only two places for rideshare pick-up and drop-off. For additional transportation information please visit the OC bus website octa.org
Some Important Reminders
The LAcon V Member Portal
Our Member Portal is now live at portal.lacon.org. The Member Portal is your one-stop destination, whether you’re attending in person or joining us virtually, to manage your LAcon V experience. Although options are limited at the moment, items such as the full schedule of events, maps, streaming events, online chat, and much more are coming in the near future. You can also reach the Member Portal through our website.
When you joined, you should have received an email from virtual-support@lacon.org with the subject “LAcon V Virtual Convention Access” or “Nominate for the 2026 Hugo Awards”; these include information on how to activate your account.
If you can’t find one of these emails, then contact virtual-support@lacon.org with as much information about your membership as possible and we will be able to look up and find your username for you.
LAcon V Masquerade
Want to be part of the LAcon V Masquerade or just show a costume onstage? Attendees should check out the information on our Masquerade page, and those of you interested in presenting your costume should visit our Masquerade Participant Info page.
To appear onstage yourself, you must be an attending member of LAcon V. If you want another person to display your costume, they must be an attending member and you must be at least a supporting (WSFS) member of the convention. Remember, the costume should also be related to a Science Fiction, Fantasy, Cosplay, Comics, Anime or related theme. For additional information and to register, please visit the link above.
Safer Spaces/Affinity Spaces & The Oasis
Our Safer Spaces/Affinity Spaces and the Oasis are here to give you a place to rest, connect, and be yourself during the convention. If you need a break or a place to connect with others who share your experiences? Our Safer Spaces/Affinity Spaces are designed to help you feel safe, supported, and at ease.
Social Media
LAcon V is up and running as @laworldcon on Facebook, X, Instagram and Threads, while on Bluesky, you can follow us @laworldcon.bsky.social or on Mastodon wandering.shop/@lacon. We’re always looking for content, so if you have anything you wish to share related to LAcon V, Anaheim or you think would be of interest to other attendees, please contact socialmedia@lacon.org and let us know!
Always remember… Adventure Awaits!
Fuzzy’s Travelogue: Volume Thirteen
The Newsletter of LAcon V: The 84th World Science Fiction Convention, May 2026 Edition
Edited by Genny Dazzo, with Katie Warren, Shaun Lyon and members of the LAcon V Committee
Fuzzy illustrations by Teddy Harvia, used with permission
Copyright © 2026, The Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI) Inc. All rights reserved.
