What to expect from MicroCon 2025?
In less than 130 days, micronationalists from around the world will converge in Montréal for what is expected to be the biggest micronational event of the year. With 42 micronations and organizations attending in 2023, the expectations are high on the hosts of MicroCon 2025.
The event marks a return to Canada, after the very successful MicroCon 2019, organized by the United Slabovian Empire in Hamilton, Ontario. It may not be the first in Canada, but it is still the first in Québec and this comes with an unexpected surprise : for the first time, MicroCon will be officially a bilingual event.
It is easy to forget that French is the only official language of this province, in a otherwise English speaking country. Even though not an official requirement for the event, it was deemed important, by the hosts, to respect the provinces’ language laws and to offer the possibility for participants to present in either French or English. This also meant having a bilingual website and bilingual announcements on social media. It is yet to be known how attendees will receive this bilingualism during the event, but it will surely inscribe this edition as a very special one.
Still, attendees will have to sharpen their French for most of the signage in the city of Montréal is in French only, same goes for the announcements in the public transportation system. Fortunately, most Montrealers are bilingual and will be able to help the micronationalist in need.
MicroCon 2025 offers a program which will seem familiar for regular attendees. The event, scheduled over four days, from Thursday to Sunday looks exactly like the ones at MicroCon 2022 and 2023. Even though it builds on the time proven activities, MicroCon 2025 still found some place to make it its own thing and innovate where possible.
The event start with a casual event that has become, over time, a favourite of attendees. Instead of meeting first in the most formal of venues, participants are invited to mingle, around a nice meal and a game of Micronational Trivia. The trivia, which has had a resounding success since its inception in 2022 will be the cornerstone of this first evening.
Once again, instead of creating a formal venue for micronationalists to meet, the MicroCon 2025 committee has planned a walking visit of Old Montréal for attendees. Knowing that most people are only going to be hopping for the weekend, the hosts have made it easier for first-timers in Montréal to enjoy the city without having to make their own arrangements. They have released a map of the walking tour and it will satisfy history nerds, political aficionados and general enjoyers of architecture.
Québec is renowned for one culinary dish : the poutine. Which is why the tour ends with a poutine tasting of one of the best poutine Montréal has to offer. Once again, instead of leaving attendees to find, by themselves, the best joint to taste it, MicroCon 2025 will feature a group tasting that is sure to make you fall in love with the dish.
Because poutine is such a heavy dish, it’s probable that its the reason it is followed by the Nemean Games, organized with the Micronational Olympic Federation. Participation in these games will be necessary to burn the calories ingested during the poutine tasting. Classical events are expected to make a comeback, such as tennis ball shot put, frisbee discus and the 50m dash. Other events may be happening, but we are certain that this will be, like in 2023, a highlight of this MicroCon.
This is the main event. Conferences will happen during the day, when micronationalists from around the world will share their knowledge and experience for the new and old micronations alike.
This day will also feature the different stands from micronations which are invited to exhibit what they have done in the past years and to showcase their accomplishments.
Building upon the successes of previous MicroCons and from the experience of MicroCon EU, presentations are expected to be slightly different and may feature different formats than what have been seen in previous editions. The hosts have announced their intention to highlight the 10th anniversary of MicroCon and this may already takes place during the presentations.
The conferences will, as in 2023, end with awards giving, before letting the attendees go and prepare for the Gala.
The Gala is the most formal and prestigious event of the event. Everyone is dressed to the nines and showcase their full regalia. This Gala will also be special for special activities are planned in order to highlight the 10th anniversary of MicroCon.
To end this wonderful weekend, for the attendees with late flights or extended stay, a small casual “sporting” event is planned. Nothing has been said so far as to the nature of the event.
Hopefully, MicroCon 2025 will be up to the standards established by 10 years of micronational conferences. At the very least, people should expect to meet old and new faces; micronations with decades of experiences as well as months-old micronations; but more importantly, attendees should expect to make new friendships, rekindle old ones and enjoy an atmosphere of camaraderie and family. That is the general feeling that is present no matter the location and no matter the hosts, and we can be certain it will present at this MicroCon too.
Still, we can be excited to see if the bets taken by this committee will pay off.
The author is a member of the MicroCon 2025 organizing committee and have had access to insider knowledge to write the article.