RAIN Fore

A Science Fiction Weekend.

Dates: February 26^th-28^th, 1982
Venue: The Sands Best Western, Vancouver
Party Guests: Elinor Busby & Steve Fahnestalk

(Originally sponsored by the "Vancouver in '87" worldcon bid, and then – after the bid collapsed – by the Western Canada Science Fiction Convention Committee Association) to raise money for assorted convention bids "and, in equal proportion, to the Susan Wood Scholarship Fund.")

Chair: Gay Maddin
A/V equipment: Al Betz
TV & Movie Tapes: Jim Johnston & Al Betz
Program sheet: produced by Barbara Przeklasa, written by Fran Skene & G. Maddin
Dance Music: Stuart Cooper
Con Suite Host: Tom Waddell
Auctioneer: Georges Giguere
Other Concom members: Evelyn Beheshti, Jerry Gallant, Warren Oddsson, Jim Robinson, Martha Sanneman, & Neil Williams

Member's Card: depicts a space-suited Chuckie the Beaver hitting a golf ball. The cover of the program book shows him attempting to play golf on a tiny, divot-like asteroid. Progress report one portrayed him arguing with a giant insect-alien over the golf score. All this artwork by Warren Oddsson.

Friday, 26^th:

• Registration & Partying in the Con Suite, with do-it-yourself art show and a scavenger hunt.

Comments by:

Con Hiebner:

...a typical Friday night at Rain, meaning that all who were present milled around the con suite, socializing, drinking various intoxicants (including the infamous Blog), and partaking in the main con events of the evening: the amateur art contest (otherwise known as Warren Oddsson Presents), and the Scavenger Hunt (what do you mean designer underwear for hats?)

Saturday, 27^th:

• Panels:
  • The Joy of Apahacking: "About those who get a grim & morbid satisfaction out of living for a deadline."
  • How to Make it as a Fan Artist.
  • Bad SF I have Known: "The Written Blooper Reel."
  • The Fannish Network.
  • How to Make it a Great Con: "Panelists with differing opinions... We will announce winners of the scavenger hunt."
• The Bacchanal: "...roving incognito costume judges... Cash bar open at 8:30... winners announced at 9:30... will be rocking with the sounds of the newest 'made for Rain' dance tape..." "The absolutely fantastic music was courtesy of Stuart Cooper and his reel-to-reel tape deck..."
• Steve Party: " or, the Vancouver in '87 bid goes out with a splash!!... (modelled after the Bruce parties held at this year's Westercon & Worldcon)... All partiers will get a 'Steve' nametag, unless your name is already Steve, in which case you will become 'Elinor'!"

Sunday, 28^th:

• "Con Suite will be open early."
• The Banquet Brunch: "We couldn't duplicate the Rembrandt buffet but we think you'll enjoy this brunch regardless... we have to sell tickets ($10) for this and the limit is 60... you will be entertained by a variety of speeches..."
• After the brunch there were presentations to our guests of honour, Elinor Busby and Steve Fahnestalk. Elinor received a jade sculpture while Steve received something he had always wanted: an official Hoser Kit, complete with a package of Canadian Back Bacon, a toque, a six-pack of "Canadian" to play beer-hunter with. Oh yah. And a copy of the Great White North album.
• The Great Art Auction: "Maybe your great work of art will bring in 25, 50 or even 75 cents! Plus there will be a whole lot of other stuff, especially posters..." "... then the art auction was held, where worthless art, posters, buttons, and magazines were auctioned."
• "Sunday night a rather large group went to Kettle of Fish for dinner... The evening's dead beaver party went on til past 3 in the morning. The marathoners included Neil Williams, David George, Tim Hammel, Tom Wescott, Micki Vernetti, Tam Gordy, Shelly Lewis Gordy, Dave Wilson and Con Hiebner."

Comments by:

Con Hiebner:

On a scale of 10, I would have to rate RAIN FORE as 15."

Note: ...about the Rembrandt, our former Favourite Hotel: when they refurbished and changed the name to the Miramar they also priced themselves beyond our means. However, our relationship with the hotel remains excellent, and so the way is left open to go there another year if we can get together on price...

RAIN-drops: We set up a typewriter in the hospitality suite in the hopes of obtaining over the period of three days a sort of RAIN-APA. Here are some excerpts:

It was a stark and dormy knight... And then the sun went nova... But fortunately, everybody was facing the other way at the time... In the meanwhile, there is always the distant past: once upon a time, 80,000,000,000,000 years ago, two galaxies were colliding. As neither had insurance, the court claims went on forever and at last the owner of one was reduced to next to nothing.

Image credits: RAIN Fore program book cover by Warren Oddsson.