congoer n.
one who attends conventions
SF Fandom
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[1941 Blast!! in Tellus (#2) Nov. 4 (editorial)
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But one of the stellar sinners in the matter of hacking is that prolific bird from Oakland, editor, writer, convention-goer and beer-buster, Joe Fortier. Under a score of pen-names in as many different fan magazines, Joe turns out enough material to swamp H. Bedford-Jones.]
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1950 in Postwarp Feb. 2 (letter)
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Bill Venable
Just frankly I can’t see anything against having the next convention site chosen by each crop of con goers…[ellipsis in orig.]
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1954 Outlander (#11) 21
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It was at the first train stop outside of Los Angeles that I saw my first fellow-congoer.
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1960 Profanity Feb. 33
It might not be a bad idea if one page of future con booklets were used for something along these lines—general guidance of the kind of behaviour expected from neos at their first con, including much of the kind of thing Len had to say here. 'Tis more than likely, were fen to know their work on behalf of the con-goer was appreciated, there might not be so much in evidence the reluctance to take on the duties of a committee.
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1964 Erg (#19) Apr. 9
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He is a very good actifan and congoer supreme.
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1992 Wealth of Fable 339
Harry Warner, Jr.
Alarm over the way attendance increased at worldcons in the 1950s inspired some committees in the 1960s to soft pedal or ban advance publicity for the worldcon in the host city, in order to minimize walk-in congoers.
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1996 Network News in Dragon Magazine Nov. 68/2
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Running the gamut of the role-playing community, we serve the young, the old, the hardened con-goers, the new players…and everyone who cares about role-playing games.
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2012 Queen of Wands 147
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John Ringo
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She’d spent the whole night in one corner or another watching the congoers. It was more or less how she’d spent high school, watching all the kids socialize around her and never being able to break in.
Research requirements
antedating 1950
Earliest cite
Postwarp
Research History
Enoch Forrester submitted a 1996 cite for the form "con-goer" from Dragon Magazine.Fred Galvin submitted a 1992 cite from Harry Warner Jr.'s "A Wealth of Fable".
Fred Galvin submitted a 1960 cite for "con-goer" from a letter in the fanzine "PROFANITY".
Jesse Sheidlower submitted a 1954 cite from the zine Outlander.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2012 cite from John Ringo.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1941 cite for the form "convention-goer". Jeff Prucher submitted a 1950 cite from Bill Venable in the zine Postwarp.
We would like cites of any date from other sources.
Last modified 2026-03-20 13:06:31
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