Our most beloved friends & family, with all that has happened over the last year we wanted to take a beat from our pre-show announcements, and share a deep breath with each and every one of you.

2024 was a challenging year. As we have entered 2025, there have been even more disappointments and heartbreaks, from natural disasters continuing to strike our communities, to people we looked up to letting us down. It can be a lot to process, and we – your friendly neighborhood allohistorians – want you to know we see you. Our community has always been so much more than just convention attendees; you are valued members of our little family, and all we do each year is try to build the best community space for every single one of you.

We know that this year’s show is going to feel a little different. We’ve lost friends this year, both to sickness and to relocating. Economic stress has gotten more intense, as has job insecurity, and many are still recovering from disasters in their areas. But on the flip side of that coin, our guests and volunteers have been hard at work building a cozy program of events, because we know now more than ever we need each other. We need a weekend getaway, where we can put all the troubles of the real world to one side and be with the people who get us and make us feel seen. If you are feeling burnt out, know you are not alone. Our community is woven from a rich tapestry of humanitarians, artists, teachers, and social workers, and we are all feeling it keenly. That is why we can’t wait to see you next month.

To that end, we have been asking groups and individuals to sponsor free memberships to this year’s CONpossible for individuals who were affected by Hurricane Helene, Milton, and other recent natural disasters, so that those who have been hit the hardest can still have a safe space at this year’s show. We have been so touched by the generosity so many of you have shown, and any individuals who would like to take advantage of this provision will be able to do so starting soon. Details will be posted to our website.

We know some of you may also be wondering if we intend to leave Facebook in the wake of their recent changes. The short answer is no, but we will continue to put more focus on building community spaces where people feel the most comfortable. Over the past year, we have reduced our Meta footprint as their privacy policies, AI policies, and so on have changed, because we value our artists’, guests’, and attendees’ privacy, and will continue to keep the lamps lit as the platform changes to ensure our members and their properties stay safe. We have built a community of more than 2.4 thousand followers, and many of our vendors, small businesses, and event runners still rely on Facebook to connect with each other. We know now, more than ever, it is important to keep those connections and community spaces strong. That having been said, for quite some time we have been building our community spaces on platforms such as Discord and BlueSky, and invite you to follow us there or on your other preferred social platforms.

Above all else, we know the most powerful thing we can do is listen. We grow as an event and as a community from your feedback, and we can’t begin to tell you how much your words have meant to us over the past few months. This community is special to so many of you, and it is just as special to all of us behind the scenes. How can we support you? That is what we are always seeking to know. So please, keep sending us your messages. Tell us what we can do to make each event better than the last. Point us to where you want to build your community spaces. We will include links to where you can follow us below.

Remember, you matter. We’ve seen a lot of people remark that it feels more and more like they are “shouting into the void” lately, but we see you, and we will continue to work just as hard alongside you to keep building welcoming community spaces for everyone. Don’t give up. We won’t.

We can’t wait to see you in February for another wacky weekend of friendship, shenanigans, and your favorite con escapades.

Find us on social media: https://linktr.ee/conpossible