# Date Location
all in MA		 Chairman Guests1 Boskone Book Size2 Membership35 Notes
The First Series: These conferences (or fan gatherings) were initially sponsored by The Stranger Club3, the first stf organization in the greater Boston area. More details about them can be found in All Our Yesterdays by Harry Warner, Jr. (Advent: Publishers) and in the Noreascon 3 Souvenir Book. Canonicity for the Boskone numbers is found in Warner and in Fantasy Fiction Field for November 8, 1941, which specifically mentions Boskones I and II. Boskone II had the fannish skit "Legions of Legions." Reference to the fourth Boskone (with attendance) is from Fanewscard #111, dated February 14, 1945.
I late Feb 1941 R. D. Swisher home, Winchester Art Widner

25   4
II 22 Feb 1942 Ritz Plaza, Boston Art Widner

25  
III 28 Feb 1943 Ritz Plaza, Boston Suddsy Schwartz Claude Degler
14  
IV 3-4 Feb 1945 R. D. Swisher home, Winchester
Milt Rothman, Jack Riggs, Art Widner, N. F. Stanley, R. D. Swisher
5   5
V 2 Sep 1945 Hotel Hawthorne, Salem Doris Currier

9   6
 
Present Series: The current series of Boskones was started by the Boston Science Fiction Society (BoSFS) as part of its bidding strategy for "Boston in '67." BoSFS ran Boskones 1, 2, and 4. Boskone 3 was actually run by Erwin S[heehan] Strauss but, because of its venue, it was officially sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science Fiction Club (MITSFS). The New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) has run all Boskones starting with Boskone 5. Each Boskone had a different Program Book cover.
1 10-12 Sep 1965 Statler-Hilton, Boston Dave Vanderwerf Hal Clement, Dr. Robert Enzmann
66   7, 8
2 11-13 Mar 1966 Statler-Hilton, Boston Dave Vanderwerf Frederik Pohl, Dwight Wayne Batteau, Prof. Igor Paul, Prof. Oliver Selfridge
71   8
3 1-3 Oct 1966 MIT, Cambridge Erwin Strauss John W. Campbell, Oliver Selfridge
68   9, 10
4 1-2 Apr 1967 Statler-Hilton, Boston Paul Galvin GoH: Damon Knight, Marvin Minsky
72   8
 
5 23-24 Mar 1968 Statler-Hilton, Boston Paul Galvin GoH: Larry Niven, Warren McCulloch
155   11
6 22-23 Mar 1969 Statler-Hilton, Boston Leslie Turek GoH: Jack Gaughan
A: Stephen Fabian
Louis Sutro
262  
7 27-29 Mar 1970 Statler-Hilton, Boston Tony Lewis GoH: Gordon R. Dickson
A: George Barr
SS: Donald Menzel
383  
8 12-14 Mar 1971 Sheraton Rolling Green, Andover Bill Desmond GoH: Larry Niven
211   12
9 14-16 Apr 1972 Statler-Hilton, Boston Fred Isaacs GoH: L. Sprague de Camp
A: Don Simpson
SS: Richard Rosa		 Scribblings 403  
10 9-11 Mar 1973 Sheraton Boston Suford Lewis GoH: Robert A. W. Lowndes
A: Frank Kelly Freas
SS: Phyllis Brauner		 The Three Faces of Science Fiction 405  
11 1-3 Mar 1974 Sheraton Boston Don & Jill Eastlake GoH: Isaac Asimov
OA: Eddie Jones
SS: Dr. Isaac Asimov		 Have You Seen These? 701   13
12 28 Feb-2 Mar 1975 Sheraton Boston Ann & Terry McCutchen GoH: Anne McCaffrey
OA: Bonnie Dalzell
SS: Robert Enzmann		 A Time When 935   14, 15
13 13-15 Feb 1976 Sheraton Boston Ellen Franklin & Jim Hudson GoH: Poul Anderson
OA: Rick Sternbach		 Homebrew 900  
14 18-20 Feb 1977 Sheraton Boston Tony Lewis GoH: Ben Bova
OA: John Schoenherr		 Viewpoint 1010  
15 17-19 Feb 1978 Sheraton Boston Jill Eastlake GoH: John Brunner
OA: Arthur Thomson (ATom)
SS: Marvin Minsky		 Tomorrow May be Even Worse 1454   16
16 16-18 Feb 1979 Sheraton Boston Don Eastlake GoH: Frank Herbert
OA: Mike Symes
SS: Marc C. Chartrand		 Symes Art Portfolio 1950  
17 15-17 Feb 1980 Radisson Ferncroft, Danvers Chip Hitchcock GoH: Spider & Jeanne Robinson
OA: Victoria Poyser		 (none) 800   17
18 13-15 Feb 1981 Sheraton Boston Gail Hormats GoH: Tanith Lee
OA: Don Maitz		 Unsilent Night 1609  
19 12-14 Feb 1982 Boston Park Plaza Rob Spence GoH: Donald A. Wollheim
OA: Michael Whelan		 The Men from Ariel 2270  
20 18-20 Feb 1983 Boston Park Plaza Pat Vandenberg GoH: Mack Reynolds*
OA: Wendy Pini
SS: Jeff Hecht		 Compounded Interests 2420   27
21 17-19 Feb 1984 Boston Park Plaza Rick Katze GoH: Gene Wolfe
OA: Vincent Di Fate
SG: David Hartwell		 Plan[e]t Engineering 2718   18
22 15-17 Feb 1985 Copley Marriott, Boston Ann Broomhead GoH: Kate Wilhelm & Damon Knight
OA: Carl Lundgren
SG: Shawna McCarthy		 Late Knight Edition 3420   14, 19
Pastiche (game)
23 14-16 Feb 1986 Sheraton Boston Mark Olson GoH: Robert Bloch
OA: Bob Eggleton
SG: Tom Doherty		 Out of My Head 3919  
24 13-15 Feb 1987 Sheraton Boston Chip Hitchcock GoH: C. J. Cherryh
OA: Barclay Shaw
SG: Tom Clareson		 Glass and Amber 4200   20
25 29-31 Jan 1988 Sheraton Tara Springfield, Springfield Marriott Jim & Laurie Mann GoH: Greg Bear
OA: David Mattingly
SG: Ellen Asher		 Early Harvest 1327  
26 27-29 Jan 1989 Sheraton Tara Springfield, Springfield Marriott Claire & Dave Anderson GoH: Tim Powers
OA: James Gurney
SG: Tom Whitmore		 An Epitaph in Rust 1250  
27 16-18 Feb 1990 Sheraton Tara Springfield, Springfield Marriott Mike DiGenio GoH: Glen Cook
OA: David A. Cherry
SG: Charles Ryan		 Sung in Blood 970  
28 15-17 Feb 1991 Sheraton Tara Springfield, Springfield Marriott Rick Katze GoH: Mike Resnick
OA: Ed Emshwiller*
SG: Brian Thomsen		 Stalking the Wild Resnick 888   27
29 14-16 Feb 1992 Sheraton Tara Springfield, Springfield Marriott Priscilla Olson GoH: Jane Yolen
OA: Jody Lee
SG: Dave Langford
FF: Kathy Mar		 Storyteller 840   21
Let's Hear It for the Deaf Man
30 19-21 Feb 1993 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Greg Thokar GoH: Joe Haldeman
OA: Tom Kidd
SG: Beth Meacham
FF: Duane Elms		 Vietnam and Other Alien Worlds 851  
31 18-20 Feb 1994 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Ben Yalow GoH: Emma Bull & Will Shetterly
OA: Nicholas Jainschigg
SG: Patrick & Teresa Nielsen Hayden
FF: Cecilia Eng		 Double Feature 875
Full $40/$30/$27Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $20/$25/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
Making Book
32 17-19 Feb 1995 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Gay Ellen Dennett GoH: Diana Wynne Jones
OA: Ruth Sanderson
SG: Fred Lerner & Patricia Wrede
FF: Talis Kimberley		 Everard's Ride 902 / 1037
Full $40/$32/$28Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $20/$25/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
A Bookman's Fantasy
33 16-18 Feb 1996 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Tim Szczesuil & Ann Broomhead GoH: Lois McMaster Bujold
OA: Gary Rudell
SG: Bob Madle
FF: Musical Chairs		 Dreamweaver's Dilemma 829 / 983
Full $43/$33/$30Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$30/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
 22
34 14-16 Feb 1997 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Davey Snyder GoH: John M. Ford
OA: Ron Walotsky
SG: Jerry Kaufman & Suzanne Tompkins
FF: Tom Smith		 From the End of the Twentieth Century ~800 / 991
Full $43/$34/$30Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$30/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 23
35 13-15 Feb 1998 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Bonnie & Ted Atwood GoH: Walter Jon Williams
OA: Omar Rayyan
SG: Stanley Schmidt
FF: Joe Ellis		 Frankensteins and Foreign Devils ~800 / 991
Full $45/$34/$30Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$32/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 24
36 12-14 Feb 1999 Sheraton Tara, Framingham Deb Geisler GoH: Connie Willis
OA: Stephen Youll
SG: Teddy Harvia & Diana Thayer
FF: Ed Stauff and Mary Ellen Wessels		 (none) 759 / 986
Full $45/$35/$32Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$32/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
37 18-20 Feb 2000 Sheraton, Framingham Claire & Dave Anderson GoH: Michael Swanwick
OA: Rick Berry
SG: Peter Weston
FF: Jordin Kare		 Moon Dogs 790 / 960
Full $45/$36/$32Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$33/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 25, 26
38 16-18 Feb 2001 Sheraton, Framingham Priscilla Olson GoH: George R. R. Martin
OA: Charles Vess
SG: Jack Cohen
FF: Juanita Coulson		 Quartet 933/1093
Full $46/$36/$34Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$33/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
39 15-17 Feb 2002 Sheraton, Framingham Pam Fremon GoH: Neil Gaiman
OA: Steve Hickman
SG: Marv Wolfman
FF: Tom Holt*		 Adventures in the Dream Trade 1108/1266
Full $46/$38/$36Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$33/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 28
Expecting Beowulf
40 14-16 Feb 2003 Sheraton Boston Sharon Sbarsky GoH: David Brin
OA: Jim Burns
SG: Charles N. Brown
FF: Clam Chowder		 Tomorrow Happens 1154/1320
Full $48/$40/$36Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$35/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 29
41 13-15 Feb 2004 Sheraton Boston Rick Katze GoH: Stephen Baxter
OA: Richard Hescox
SG: Betsy Mitchell
FF: Brenda & Bill Sutton		 The Hunters of Pangaea 982/1145
Full $50/$41/$38Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$35/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
  
42 18-20 Feb 2005 Sheraton Boston Priscilla Olson GoH: Orson Scott Card
OA: Alan Pollack
SG: Mike Glyer
FF: Urban Tapestry		 (none) 1014/1186
Full $50/$42/$38Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$35/$17Fri/Sat/Sun
 30
43 17-19 Feb 2006 Sheraton Boston Pam Fremon GoH: Ken MacLeod
OA: Donato Giancola
SG: Cory Doctorow
FF: Steve Macdonald		 Giant Lizards from Another Star 1104/1284
Full $52/$43/$39Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $16/$36/$18Fri/Sat/Sun
  
44 16-18 Feb 2007 Westin Waterfront Tony & Suford Lewis GoH: David Gerrold
OA: Gary A. Lippincott
SG: Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ
FF: Lee & Barry Gold		 The Involuntary Human 1057/1268
Full $53/$44/$39Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $16/$37/$18Fri/Sat/Sun
 31
45 15-17 Feb 2008 Westin Waterfront Gay Ellen Dennett GoH: David Weber
OA: Dean Morrissey
SG: Bruce Coville
FF: Sean McGuire		 The One Right Thing (Bruce Coville) 1056/1263
Full $54/$45/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $16/$38/$18Fri/Sat/Sun
  
46 13-15 Feb 2009 Westin Waterfront Lis Carey GoH: Jo Walton
OA: Stephan Martiniere
SG: Irene Gallo
FF: Dr. H. Paul Shuch (Dr. SETI)		 Lifelode 959/1139
Full $56/$46/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $16/$40/$20Fri/Sat/Sun
Student $46Any Student
Student
Daily		 $11/$27/$13Fri/Sat/Sun
 30
Sibyls & Spaceships
47 12-14 Feb 2010 Westin Waterfront Jim Mann GoH: Alastair Reynolds
OA: John Picacio
SG: Tom Shippey
FF: Mary Crowell		 Deep Navigation 1065/1262
Full $57/$47/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$42/$20Fri/Sat/Sun
Evening $20Saturday Musical
Student $47Any Student
Student
Daily		 $12/$28/$13Fri/Sat/Sun
  
48 18-20 Feb 2011 Westin Waterfront Priscilla Olson GoH: Charles Stross
OA: Gregory Manchess
SG: Charlaine Harris
FF: Erica Neely		 Scratch Monkey 1047/1247
Full $58/$49/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$43/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
Student $35/$25College/K-12
Student
Daily		 $10/$25/$10Fri/Sat/Sun
 32
49 17-19 Feb 2012 Westin Waterfront Sharon Sbarsky GoH: John Scalzi
OA: Daniel Dos Santos
SG: Toni Weisskopf
FF: Tricky Pixie		 24 Frames into the Future 1201/1384
Plus 72
Full $55/$49/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$40/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
College $35/$30Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
K-12 $25/$20Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Student
Daily		 $10/$25/$10Fri/Sat/Sun
 34
50 15-17 Feb 2013 Westin Waterfront Rick Kovalcik GoH: Vernor Vinge
OA: Lisa Snellings
SG: John Hertz
Musician: Heather Dale		 (none) 1042/1262
Full $55/$50/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $15/$40/$15Fri/Sat/Sun
College $35/$30Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
K-12 $25/$20Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Student
Daily		 $10/$25/$10Fri/Sat/Sun
  
51 14-16 Feb 2014 Westin Waterfront Ann Broomhead GoH: Seanan McGuire
OA: Dave Palumbo
SG: ???
FF: ???		 (Expected)  
Full $??/$50/$40Door/Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Daily $??/$??/$??Fri/Sat/Sun
College $35/$30Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
K-12 $25/$20Door&Pre-reg/Year Ahead33
Student
Daily		 $??/$??/$??Fri/Sat/Sun
  

Notes

  1. Abbreviations: A: Artist, GoH: Guest of Honor, OA: Official Artist, SS: Science Speaker, SG: Special Guest, FF: Featured Filker (not a GoH).
  2. Where a single number is given, it is the warm-body count (actual attendance). Where two numbers are given, the first is the warm-body count, and the second is the total membership including no-shows. (No-shows include lifetime members who have gafiated and many former GOHs, who all receive lifetime memberships.)
  3. The Stranger Club was the Fan Guest of Honor at Noreascon 3, the 47th World Science Fiction Convention, in 1989.
  4. This first series of Boskones had been completely forgotten when the second series of Boskones was started.
  5. Actually, the Guests list is the entire membership of the con.
  6. Called the "Northeast SF Conference" [claimed to be the first post-war SF con]. Currier was the MC.
  7. Guests were typically Guest of Honor, Official Artist and Science Speaker.
  8. Run by the Boston Science Fiction Society (mostly Mike Ward, Dave Vanderwerf, and Erwin "Filthy Pierre" Strauss, other members included Leslie Turek, Alma Hill, Ed & Paul Galvin, Andrew A. "Drew" Whyte, Hal Clement, and Ben Bova).
  9. Under the official sponsorship of MITSFS.
  10. Campbell was called "Principal Speaker."
  11. From here on all Boskones were sponsored by NESFA.
  12. A deliberately scaled-down, suburban Boskone to allow the committee to prepare for Noreascon 1.
  13. The Artist guest is now called the Official Artist.
  14. Ann Broomhead is the same person as Ann McCutchen.
  15. A Time When is the first part of The White Dragon.
  16. First Boskone T-shirt done.
  17. A deliberately scaled-down, suburban Boskone to allow the committee to prepare for Noreascon 2. Also known as BoskLone.
  18. From this point on, guests were Guest of Honor (a writer), Official Artist, and Special Guest.
  19. Boskone was probably the biggest SF convention in the world in 1985.
  20. Boskone blows up and moves out of Boston.
  21. Starting with this Boskone, a Featured Filker was added. The Featured Filker is not officially a Guest of Honor, but travel and room costs are picked up by the convention. MASSFILC helped pay for the first Featured Filker.
  22. The Great Boskone Blizzard finally happens with major snowfalls on both Friday and Sunday.
  23. FanHistoricon (a traveling fan history convention) was co-located with Boskone.
  24. A horrible database crash made it impossible to get exact registration and attendance numbers, but an examination of the Treasury income data showed that paid memberships were essentially the same as the previous year. There is no reason to think that the proportion of warm bodies on site was significantly different, either.
  25. Yet another Boskone Blizzard — 8" of snow between 3 pm and midnight Friday.
  26. The hotel changed its name from Sheraton Tara to Sheraton Framingham.
  27. Guest * died prior to the convention.
  28. Guest * was unable to attend the convention.
  29. Still yet another Boskone Blizzard — 27" of snow on Sunday-Monday stranding 50 members for Snokone.
  30. B42 was the first Boskone to offer rollover memberships to the following Boskone to volunteers who worked more than 16 hours. As of B46, the number of hours was dropped to 12.
  31. Pre-reg rate changed from $43 to $44 on 2006-10-10.
  32. Friday daily rate was posted as $17 on the web, but it was changed to $15 before the convention.
  33. Boskone Staff are also offered a prereg rate equal to the lowest available amount. Typically the "Year ahead" rate.
  34. 88 people attended the Magic-the-Gathering tournament, 16 of whom had attended the full convention.
  35. For most of Boskone history it was possible to purchase a lifetime membership to Boskone.
    Rates were:
    • Boskone 1-14: unavailable
    • Boskone 15-16: 10 x current prereg rate
    • Boskone 17-19: unavailable
    • Boskone 20-24: 20 x current prereg rate
    • Boskone 25-present: 14 x lowest prereg rate