How to get to OzCon International (2018 edition)

One of the things about going on a vacation to a specific location is getting there. It's one thing if you're driving, and another if you're flying or taking a Greyhound bus or an Amtrak train. Because while these get you very far from home and in a short distance to the site, they don't take you right there.

OzCon International is no exception. During the Asilomar years, I was able to take a public transit bus from the Greyhound station in Salinas to Asilomar in Pacific Grove. In San Diego and Portland, the convention sites were very close to public transit trolley cars.

But this year, I'm flying at last, and there's a few options.

Our site this year is Kellogg West, a little hilltop conference center and hotel on the Cal Poly campus in Pomona, California. Getting to Kellogg West can be tricky if you're not following directions.

If you're flying into Ontario airport, you're in luck as Kellogg West will—with at least 48 hours advance notice—send a shuttle to pick you up. But note, this is only for Ontario. If you are arriving at Ontario, call (909) 869-2222 to arrange a shuttle.

LAX and John Wayne International airport aren't too far, and while it's possible to arrange shuttles to get to Kellogg West, you will have to pay for those. (One convention goer informed me that flying to LAX and paying for a shuttle to Kellogg was cheaper than flying straight to Ontario in his case.) For a shuttle from or to other airports, Kellogg West suggests Super Shuttle, which can be called at (800) 258-3826.

Public transportation is also an option, however, Kellogg West is not on any stops, resulting in at least a 23 minute walk from the nearest stop. Google Maps is helpful in finding your specific route. Just enter where you need to go in the directions bar. Fares in Pomona appear to be $1.25 for a ticket with a $.50 charge for a transfer, or $5 for a day pass.

I can't say I recommend it as a budget friendly option, but if you want, there's the option of calling a taxi, or using ride share services such as Uber or Lyft.

If you're a local to the area or are renting a car for the weekend and driving to the site, here's some instructions from the Kellogg West website. Make sure to follow them as missing a step can get you a little lost. I have been informed that a driver using a GPS discovered that his system lumped Kellogg in with the Cal-Poly university, so it's best to take some notes. Kellogg West also provides a PDF map on their website, click this link to download/view. The Google Maps mobile app is suggested for getting there, but please remember to not look at your phone instead of the road while driving!

Kellogg West will have free open parking on the days of the convention, but if you're arriving Thursday or staying after Sunday, make sure to register your car at the check in desk so you don't get a ticket.

From Downtown Los Angeles

Take Interstate 10 east; exit at Kellogg Drive.  Right at University Drive.   Take Horse Hill Drive, staying to your left at the fork, to the Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel.

From San Bernardino/Ontario
Take Interstate 10 west to Route 57 south. Exit Temple Avenue and make a right hand turn. Take Temple Avenue to University Drive and make a right hand turn. Take University Drive to Horse Hill Drive and make a right hand turn. Take Horse Hill Drive, staying to your left at the fork, to the Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel.

From Orange County/Anaheim

Take Route 57 north. Exit Temple Avenue and make a left hand turn. Take Temple Avenue to University Drive and make a right hand turn. Take University Drive to Horse Hill Drive and make a right hand turn. Take Horse Hill Drive, staying to your left at the fork, to the Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel.

From Pasadena

Take Interstate 210 east to Route 57 south. Exit Temple Avenue and make a right hand turn. Take Temple Avenue to University Drive and make a right hand turn. Take University Drive to Horse Hill Drive and make a right hand turn. Take Horse Hill Drive, staying to your left at the fork, to the Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel.

I hope this information proved useful and I hope to see you at OzCon International!

OzCon International
August 10-12, 2018

Registration and information at

http://ozconinternational.com

Kellogg West Conference Center and Hotel 

3801 W. Temple Avenue
Pomona, CA 91768
1-800-KWEST-76 or 909-869-2222 

OzCon International: Some reminders!

We're nearly down to about four weeks until OzCon International! So I have some reminders.

One is that if you're planning to eat your meals with your fellow attendees in the dining room, you need to purchase your meals in advance. The final day to purchase your meals is July 25th.

The hotel's catering staff needs to know how many people to prepare for and time to make sure they have enough food on hand. Hence the deadline. We won't be able to sell meals onsite at the convention.

There are some restaurants in a short driving distance away, but outside food won't be allowed on the convention site. Please keep any such items in your hotel room.

We wanted to offer sit down meals for all attendees in one area at the same time as this was a pretty favorite way to do meals in years past but hasn't been possible for a bit. It's a great time to chat with your fellow fans. So I highly encourage going ahead and getting your meals paid for.

If you register for all three days of OzCon International or get a supporting membership, you automatically get two collectible souvenirs: the program book and the tote bag. These are made in limited runs specifically for the convention and are thus very collectible.

The tote bag is dual-sided and features full color artwork by W.W. Denslow and John R. Neill. The bags are sponsored by Cindy Ragni of Wonderful Books of Oz.

This year's program book is full color and features essays by many Oz fans, as well as a poem and two short Oz stories, and a guide to Ozzy locations in the greater Los Angeles area with original photographs. The front cover is a beautiful original piece by Maurine Starkey.

If you donate extra to the convention with the $50 upgrade option, you also get a poster and the hardcover edition of the program book, which is in a larger format and has a back cover illustration by Eric Shanower not on the standard paperback.

EDIT: If you want to upgrade to the hardcover program book, you have until midnight July 14, this upcoming Saturday.

To get your book and tote bag, make sure you're registered for a 3-day membership at the convention, or if you can't attend, simply get a supporting membership and you'll get a tote bag and program book mailed to you.

To register or purchase a supporting membership, go to http://ozconinternational.com/registration.html