Glasgow to Host 2024 World Science Fiction Convention

Glasgow has won the right to host the 2024 World Science Fiction Convention – the third time the city has been selected to stage the prestigious event.

Glasgow Convention Bureau, part of Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture and sport in the city, has worked in partnership with the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) to support the official bid team and volunteers to help bring the global gathering, known as Worldcon, to the city from 8-12 August 2024.

Having hosted the Intersection and Interaction Worldcons in 1995 and 2005 respectively, Glasgow was today (Sunday 4 September) confirmed as the home of the 82nd version of the event during Chicon 8, the 80th Worldcon, currently being held in Chicago, US.

Glasgow 2024 – A Worldcon for Our Futures is expected to attract around 5,000 science fiction fans to Scotland’s largest city and boost its local economy by some £13 million in attendee spend.

Visiting a different city every year, Worldcon began Stateside and was first held in New York in 1939. Among the highlights of the five-day conference are the Hugo Awards for works of science fiction, fantasy and horror; the Masquerade; and a programme of more than 1,000 events, including autograph sessions, films, panels, talks and workshops.

The Glasgow Worldcon in 2024 will be graced by guests of honour ranging from artists to writers and beyond, including British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)-nominated artist Chris Baker, who has worked on numerous films for visionary directors such as Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and Stanley Kubrick.

Scottish science fiction author Ken MacLeod, a winner of multiple BSFA and Prometheus Awards, will also be in attendance, along with others like novelist and comics writer Nnedi Okorafor, whose work includes contributions to Marvel’s Black Panther series.

Aileen Crawford, Head of Tourism and Conventions, Glasgow Life, said: “The return of the World Science Fiction Convention is fantastic for Glasgow and demonstrates the city’s status as a global conference destination. Credit and congratulations must go to the dedicated UK team who have worked tirelessly over a number of years on this bid. We look forward to welcoming science fiction fans back to our city for what is sure to be a fabulous return of the Worldcon community in 2024.”

Esther MacCallum-Stewart, Glasgow 2024 Worldcon Chair, said: “It’s a huge honour to host the Worldcon, and our team have worked incredibly hard to get here. We can’t wait to bring our blend of inclusion, caring and imagination to the Glasgow 2024 Worldcon, and create an event that is both exciting and innovative. This really is a Worldcon for our futures!”

Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales, SEC, said: “It's wonderful to be welcoming back Worldcon to the Scottish Event Campus. We had the pleasure of hosting this event in 1995 and 2005, and it's always an incredibly exciting and memorable experience for everyone. We can't wait to see what the team come up with when they return again in 2024 and look forward to supporting them in bringing this wonderful event to life.”

Helping to secure Glasgow’s Worldcon host status for a third time is just the latest piece of positive convention-related news for the city. Financial year-end results for 2021/22 revealed Glasgow recorded successful bids for 71 new conferences between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022, which collectively will bring more than 36,000 delegates to the city and deliver some £53m in delegate spend.

During the 2022/23 financial year, Glasgow will host over 200 conferences, bringing in an additional £100m to the local economy.

For more information on Glasgow 2024 – A Worldcon for Our Futures