Progress Report 2

Greetings From the Chair

April is upon us, and it’s hard to believe that in less than three months, we’re all heading over to Åland Islands for this year’s Eurocon! The Archipelacon 2 team is busy getting everything ready for our members (nearly 700 of us so far!). In this Progress Report, we’ve collected some reminders of upcoming deadlines as well as some more practical information about what to expect from Mariehamn in late June. And if you haven’t done so already, we highly recommend booking your accommodation and making your travel arrangements. We’ve got information about hotels and travel on our website!

Have You Booked Your Accommodation?

Our hotel deals and other accommodation info was included in Progress Report 1. If you haven’t booked your accommodation yet, you can also find the info on our hotels page. Some of the hotels are already fully booked during the convention weekend, but there are still rooms available in others.

Participate in the Programme

You still have time to sign up to participate in the programme. So, if you have a presentation that has been gestating for a long time and is almost bursting out, xenomorph-style, or a panel on a topic that finally needs to be covered, or anything else programme-related, please fill the programme form before the end of April!

All kinds of programme proposals are welcome, but – as a Eurocon – we are especially hoping to highlight the wide range of wonderful science fiction and fantasy made all around Europe and the world.

We have already got excellent suggestions, thank you all for that! Our programme volunteering form is still open until the 30th of April. We will start to go through the suggestions after that, and the final programme schedule will be ready at the start of June.

If you would like to be part of the programme, you can find more information on our programme page!

We’re Looking for Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of conventions. Non-profit conventions in particular are possible because of the passionate people who want to be a part of the convention. Many people who volunteer once end up volunteering frequently after that, for example all of the Archipelacon 2 committee.

Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose during the convention, and seeing your work make a difference feels amazing. Conventions thank their volunteers by offering them refreshments and merchandise (we will have some special merch just for volunteers). You can make new, lifelong friends by volunteering at a con, and it also looks great on a resume!

Read more on our volunteers page!

Vendor Table and Programme Book Ad Bookings Are Open

We have opened the vendor table bookings for the convention. The tables are in three categories: company/business, artist/artisan, and association/convention. The prices vary depending on the table type. For more details and a link to the booking form, head over to our vendors page.

We’re also selling ads for our programme book. For the price list, head over to our advertising page.

If you have any questions regarding vendor tables or programme book ads, please feel free to contact our sponsors team at sponsors@archipelacon.org.

Åland Tidbits

Long days and short nights

Mariehamn, late June – what to expect? Long days, short nights, variable weather. Sunrise at 04:18 on the first day of Archipelacon, sunset at 23:06 on Sunday.

Late June is usually sunny and warm by Nordic standards – but please note that in Finland, anything above 25°C is classified as a heat wave. Average temperature in Mariehamn in June is around 15–16°C, but sunny days will be warmer.

A light jacket for the days with a sea breeze or flurries of rain can be useful. Hotels usually have blackout curtains to keep the early morning sun out, but a sleep mask can be handy too.

Payments

Contactless debit and credit payments by card or phone will work everywhere. Cash euros are accepted in most places, but card payments are the default, both for smaller and bigger transactions.

For Nordic users, MobilePay and Vipps payments work between individuals across borders, but don’t count on using them to pay at a store or restaurant – even if they advertise accepting MobilePay, international payments are likely to be rejected.

Language

Åland is a popular tourist destination for people from mainland Finland, Sweden, and further afield. Everyone who works in customer service will be able to help you in English. If you want to impress the locals with your language skills, set your Duolingo to Swedish, as that is the official language spoken in Åland.

See you in Mariehamn!