The Road to LAcon V: LA in 2026

It’s been a long road, getting from there to here… LAcon V is a reality because of the tireless work of the people behind the LA in 2026 Worldcon Bid (which was housed at lain2026.org until this website was launched.)

This is a quick look back at our bid: announced by the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI) in 2022, kicked into high gear in 2023, and eventually leading to Site Selection at the Glasgow Worldcon in August 2024.

The Members of Our Expedition

The Los Angeles in 2026 bid committee was chaired by Joyce Lloyd, who is also the chair of LAcon V.  Joyce is regularly involved in conventions with attendance ranging from 100 to over 30,000, including many Worldcons since 2006, including LAcon IV, Nippon 2007, Denvention 3, Chicon 7, LoneStarCon3, MidAmeriCon II, Worldcon 76 in San Joes, Dublin 2019, Discon III, Chicon 8 and Glasgow Worldcon 2024.  Her other events include being Vice Chair of Anime Los Angeles, Facilities Director for Gallifrey One, Co-Chair of Loscon 35, and Facilities Second for FanimeCon. She is a member of the Board of the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI) Inc., the Institute for Specialized Interests (ISI) Inc., and the Science Fiction Outreach Project (SFOP).

The Los Angeles in 2026 Worldcon bid committee included many seasoned participants at all convention levels, including seven prior Worldcon chairs and vice chairs and many members who chaired local and regional science fiction conventions.  The members of the Bid Committee included Bobbi Armbruster, Sherri Benoun, Bert Boden, Steve Cooper, Linda Deneroff, Taylor Deatherage, Genny Dazzo, Don & Jill Eastlake, Bruce & Lea Farr, Sara Felix, Cathy Green, Elizabeth Klein-Lebbink, Shaun Lyon, Karin May, Craig Miller, Christian McGuire, Helen Montgomery, Elayne Pelz, John Platt, Jerome Scott, Randy Shepherd, and Elizabeth Upchurch.

We also gratefully acknowledge the support for the LA in 2026 bid from these additional members of the Board of Directors of the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests (SCIFI) Inc.: Kim Marks Brown, Sandy Cohen, Shawn & Colleen Crosby, Cathy & Dean Johnson, Alec Orrock, and Noel Wolfman.

Above: stickers for our pre-supporters; Europa image source: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory-Caltech; Arrakis image courtesy Shawn Crosby; Glasgow design by Sara Felix.

The banner of the LA in 2026 Worldcon Bid website, suggesting an old world/voyage of discovery…

Adventure Awaits! was the theme of the LA in 2026 Worldcon Bid

The LA in 2026 logo, designed by Sara Felix

A Photo Journey Across The World

Some moments along the way that we wanted to share, at our fan tables and more… with our thanks to those who helped us throughout the past two years.

Journeys to Faraway Places

The LA in 2026 Worldcon Bid committee made our presence known at the following events, beginning with the 2023 NASFiC in Canada. We had a physical presence at most of these events; for the others, we sent promotional materials to the convention. Our special thanks to everyone who sat at our tables throughout each weekend, and to the conventions themselves who arranged fan table space for us.