The World Science Fiction Convention is notable not for the number of attendees but who they are. A huge percentage of the attendees are Big Name Fans (the plural is "fen" in the old tongue) as well as pros who aren't guests but paid their own way just to participate. This event is, after all, where such things as the Hugo Awards are given out.

In many cases, you can still talk to professional writers, artists, etc at conventions. This depends upon the type of convention. Note that the late Kelly Freas had a table in the dealer's room in at least one photo in this album. The late Forrest J. Ackerman (who attended the *first* WorldCon, back in the Thirties, and may have started the tradition of the hall costume) could often be found in the hospitality suites at California WorldCons, socializing. I remember one WorldCon where another fan and I sat in the hospitality suite and had a nice conversation with Larry Niven about how people who were good at designing weapons had a different mindset from his. (Which may be why he partnered with Jerry Pournelle on so many projects.)

Other truefen cons also promote socialization. I rode in an elevator with Harry Turtledove at one regional con and exchanged a few friendly words with him. I believe it was at one MarCon where several attendees (myself among them) sat on the floor of the consuite with the late Roger Zelazny. He showed us how he could bend his elbows backwards. :-) At one MarCon I rode in an elevator with Kevin Sorbo. (Like Doc Savage, he is so well proportioned you don't realize at first just how tall he is.)

At one MarCon I got to socialize some with Harry (Hal Clement) Stubbs (who also liked to take masquerade photos). At another I talked some with Lois McMaster Bujold. (I believe both were from the southern or central Ohio areas.)