WisCon 40 is over, and it was a smashing success for all concerned. With enormous thanks to the committee, and the fabulous (unionized) staff at the Madison Concourse Hotel, the Tiptree Award is now looking back on our WisCon experience.

On Friday afternoon, we had an auction and direct sale display at The Gathering, WisCon’s opening swap/craft/exhibit market. People got a chance to pose with Leslie What’s fabulous Space Babe raygun in front of a space poster. (You can see our Tiptree winner E.J. Fischer taking his turn in the second picture above.)

Also on display at the Gathering was the amazing 2016 Tiptree cake made by Georgie Schnobrich (bottom left with E.J.). Note the beautiful way Georgie captured both Tiptree winning covers in one design.

On Friday night, one of the co-winners of the very first Tiptree Award crowned E.J. with his tiara-for-the-weekend (first picture above).

Saturday afternoon Darrah Chavey, ably assisted by various others, ran the Tiptree Bakesale.

Saturday night was the traditional auction, hosted by the inimitable Sumana Harihareswara. At one point, Sumana and E.J. both modeled the Superman (Supergirl!) pants which E.J. is wearing in the third picture above. Those pants were donated to Nicole, our delightful CART (“Communication Access Realtime Transcription”) transcriptionist, and her assistant Brit, who were thrilled to get them.

Other auction highlights included everything from a signed copy of Octavia Butler’s first book through getting to watch Sumana smash a Pilates for Weight Loss DVD with a hammer. Dr. Teresia Sauter-Baillet brought her hand-made James Tiptree Jr. outfit from Germany, and we passed the hat to send that to retiring auctioneer Ellen Klages.

And on Sunday, after unbelievably powerful speeches by WisCon 40 guests of honor Justine Larbalestier, Sofia Samatar, and Nalo Hopkinson, we celebrated this year’s winners and honor list. (Pat Schmatz could not attend WisCon and will be celebrated in person at 4th Street Fantasy in Minneapolis later this month.)

Now the auction materials are safely stowed for next year (or maybe sooner?) and we’re all catching up on sleep.