Conventions
Fan conventions have been another way that the fandom have congregated. The conferences have maintained an academic emphasis, hosting professional keynote speakers. They have featured members of the fandom such as Jennie Levine, owner of SugarQuill.net (Phoenix Rising, 2007); Melissa Anelli, current webmaster of The Leaky Cauldron (Phoenix Rising, 2007); Sue Upton, former Senior Editor of the Leaky Cauldron (Prophecy, 2007); Heidi Tandy, founder of Fiction Alley (Prophecy, 2007), and Paul DeGeorge, guitarist of the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters (see below) (Prophecy, 2007). Lyrics for these bands can be found at http://www.realwizardrock.com. Still, the conventions try to attract the fandom with other activities, often more interactive, such as wizarding chess, water Quidditch, the watching of Harry Potter films, or local cultural immersions. Sometimes live podcasts have been held at conventions. These conventions are now incorporating into their itinerary the recently opened theme park The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, built inside Universals Island of Adventure. At the Harry Potter Fan Convention Infinitus 2010, a special event was held at the park. An after hours event for convention intendes to experience and explore the park by themselves. The event included talks given by creators of the park, free food and free butterbeer.
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Famous quotes containing the word conventions:
“Why does almost everything seem to me like its own parody? Why must I think that almost all, no, all the methods and conventions of art today are good for parody only?”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“What people don’t realize is that intimacy has its conventions as well as ordinary social intercourse. There are three cardinal rules—don’t take somebody else’s boyfriend unless you’ve been specifically invited to do so, don’t take a drink without being asked, and keep a scrupulous accounting in financial matters.”
—W.H. (Wystan Hugh)
“It is not human nature we should accuse but the despicable conventions that pervert it.”
—Denis Diderot (1713–1784)