Jun 26, 2007 - Archived - This is the archive of the I-CON 26 website, it will no longer be updated. For the latest I-CON news, please visit the main I-CON site at http://iconsf.org

Apr 30, 2007 - Indie Movies - The final list of indie movies shown at I-CON26 has been updated, check it out at the films page.

Apr 17, 2007 - AeroSith at I-CON 26 on Youtube - You can find a video of AeroSith performing at I-CON 26 on youtube here. Enjoy!

Apr 3, 2007 - Charity Auction - A video of Spat doing some creative auctioning for charity at I-CON 26 can be found on youtube here. Our charity auction this year benefited Breast Cancer Help, find more info here!

Mar 25, 2007 - I-CON 26 Photo Highlights - A small photo gallery has been added here. It will be updated as frequently as possible. Enjoy the pics!

News Archive

Hotel Info | Directions to: Official Hotel, Campus

Hotel Information

The Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma is the official hotel of I-CON 26

There is a special I-CON 26 rate that must be asked for when calling to make your reservation. Space at the hotel is limited so be sure to make your reservations as early as possible.

The Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma is sold out. In an effort to get the best deals for our members, we have arranged for three other hotels in the area to offer a "special I-CON rate", the Hampton Inn Islandia, Hilton Garden Inn, and the Radisson MacArthur Hotel. Please see below for more information:

• The Hampton Inn Islandia is located at:
  1600 Veterans Memorial Highway
  Islandia, NY 11749
  (631)234-0400
  Besides a special rate, they offer a complementary hot breakfast and high speed internet service. They have a large parking area and can accommodate large vehicles. Remember to ask for the I-CON rate when making a reservation

• The Hilton Garden Inn
  3485 Veterans Memorial Highway
  Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
  (631)738-7800
  In addition to the special rate, this hotel has a fridge, microwave and coffeemaker in every room. There is the 24 hour Pavillion Pantry for all kinds of snacks. They offer high speed internet access. And there is an indoor pool. You must ask for the ICON rate when you call.

• Radisson MacArthur Hotel
  1730 No Ocean Avenue
  Holtsville, NY 11742
  1-631-758-2900
  All rooms have sleep number beds and coffe makers. Refrigerators and microwaves upon request and availability. shuttle bus can be arranged if needed. Ask at the hotel. Ask for the I-CON rate which they have lowered just for I-CON members.

• Hyatt Regency
  1717 Motor Parkway
  Hauppauge, NY 11788
  (631)784-1234

• The Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma, the official hotel of I-CON, is located at:
  3845 Veteran Memorial Highway
  Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-7643
  (631)585-9500
  Fax (631)585-9550
  

  It is located off Exit 60 on the LIE east.

Travel Information

Directions to Official Hotel

• Main Route - Nichols Road (Suffolk County Route 97) south to Long Island Expressway (I495). Take the LIE west to exit 60. Once on the Service Road, take the second left onto Ronkonkoma Ave. Turn left (south) onto Ronkonkoma Ave., which becomes Smithtown Ave., and continue until it ends at Lakeland Ave. (SC rte 93). Turn left onto Lakeland Ave., then make the first left onto Veterans Memorial Highway (NY rte 454) eastbound. The hotel will be on the left. Go past it and turn around. If you reach the entrance to Islip MacArthur Airport, you've gone too far.
• Variation #1 - Take Stony Brook Road south from campus instead of Nichols Road. Stony Brook Road becomes Hawkins Ave. when it crosses Middle Country Road (NY Route 25). Continue south on Hawkins Ave. You will come to a five-corner intersection, take the left fork to remain on Hawkins Ave. At the next fork, take the right fork to get onto Ronkonkoma Ave. If you miss the fork, turn right onto the LIE Service Road and then make the first left onto Ronkonkoma Ave. Continue as per Main Route.
• Variation #2 - Take Nichols Road south to Nesconset Highway (NY Route 347). Turn right (east) onto 347, and turn left (south) at second traffic light onto Stony Brook Road. Continue as per Variation #1.
• Alternative Route - Nichols Road south to Sunrise Highway (NY Route 27). Take the exit for westbound Sunrise Highway, and stay in the right lane of the service road. The service road will fork. Take the right fork for Veterans Memorial Hwy. Continue northwest on Veterans Memorial Highway past Islip MacArthur Airport. The hotel will be on the right, between the airport entrance and the next traffic light.

• Main Route - Take the LIE to exit 60. Once on the service road, make the first right south onto Ronkonkoma Ave. Continue as per Main Route From Campus.
• Alternate Route - Take the Southern Parkway to exit 44E, eastbound Sunrise Highway. Sunrise Hwy east to exit 49. Take the service road to the second light, and turn left (north) onto Johnson Ave. (Suffolk County rte 112). Continue north to Veterans Memorial Highway, and turn left (west) onto Veterans Memorial Highway. The hotel will be on the right, before the next traffic light.

• Route #1 - Take the LIE to exit 60. Once on the service road, make the second left south onto Ronkonkoma Ave. Continue as per Main Route From Campus.
• Route #2 - Take Sunrise Hwy west to exit 51. Stay on the Service Road past Nichols Road and then enter the right-hand lane. When the Service Road forks, take the right fork for Veterans Memorial Highway and continue as per Alternate Route From Campus.
• Route #3 - Take the LIE to exit 62, and from the Service Road exit onto southbound Nichols Road. Continue as per Alternative Route From Campus.

Directions to Stony Brook University

By Car -

• Take the Long Island Expressway to Exit 62. Follow Nicholls Road North approximately 9 miles. The main entrance for the University will be on your left.
• Important Note for Sunday March 25, 2007: The Suffolk County Half Marathon will be taking place on Sunday, resulting in closures on Nichols Road between the Long Island Expressway (LIE) and Rt. 347. To get from/to Rt. 347 to/from the LIE, use Stony Brook Road south/north from/to campus instead of Nichols Road. Stony Brook Road becomes Hawkins Ave. when it crosses Middle Country Road (NY Route 25). Continue south on Hawkins Ave to get to the LIE.

Note - All prices below are current as of January 8, 2005.

Trains: - Please note: If one is traveling by train from Penn Station (LIRR, Long Island Rail Road), please note that there are two rail lines useful for getting to I-CON.

• Trains 1 of 2: Port Jefferson Rail Road Line - The Port Jefferson rail road line of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will take one directly to the Stony Brook University (SBU) campus at the penultimate (second to last) stop, Stony Brook. This is where I-CON is held, and as soon as one walks off the south side of the Stony Brook train platform one is on campus. The Indoor Sports Complex (ISC), where one gets all membership items needed for I-CON, is such a short walk from the Stony Brook train station that one can see the ISC from the Stony Brook train station. http://mta.info/lirr/
• Trains 2 of 2: Ronkonkoma Rail Road Line (near the Islip-MacArthur Airport) - The Ronkonkoma rail road line of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) or the Islip-MacArthur Airport will get one close to the official convention hotel, the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma. The official hotel operates a free (to guests) shuttle between the Ronkonkoma station of the LIRR and the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma as well as the Islip-MacArthur Airport. The shuttle operates at all hours except from 1am to 5am in the morning. The shuttle can be called at the hotel number, 631-585-9500. From the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma one can take another shuttle to the convention (schedule available at the hotel).
• See LIRR Discounts below for savings for individuals, families, groups of 4-10, 11-30, and 30 or more.

Campus Bus Service and Handicapped Access

• Free bus service to the central campus from the Stony Brook train station and all campus bus stops is provided by SBU's Parking & Transportation Services. All I-CON events on the campus are within easy walking distance of one another; however, campus bus maps are available at http://www.stonybrook.edu/transportation/campusbus/bus_map.shtml
• I-CON thanks Parking & Transportation Services for trying to have as many busses as are available during I-CON weekend that are equipped with wheelchair lift mechanisms on the LIRR/central campus route. Curb cuts, ramps, mechanical doors, accessible bathrooms, and elevators are almost universal on campus especially in those buildings where I-CON events are scheduled. Additionally, there is ample handicapped parking on campus. If a request is made in advance to handicapped_access@iconsf.org, a limited number of wheelchairs are available at no charge on a first come first serve basis.

Taxi Options

• Islip-MacArthur Airport Taxi Options - If one arrives at the Islip-MacArthur Airport the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma's LIRR/Airport Shuttle (free to hotel guests) operates at all hours except from 1am to 5am in the morning, and can be called at the hotel number (631-585-9500). At times when the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma's LIRR/Airport Shuttle is not available, Jose from Sunset Taxi, 631-588-5558, charges only $6 for the first person if you mention I-CON when calling and $1 for each additional person for a ride from the Islip-MacArthur Airport to the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma (and $30 per car up to 4 people to/from Stony Brook University if you mention I-CON when calling). There is also a Taxi Stand at the airport that costs ~$12 to the official hotel.
• Ronkonkoma Train Station Taxi Options - If one arrives at the Ronkonkoma train station at a time when the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma's LIRR/Airport shuttle is not operating (see above for hours and phone) there is a Taxi Stand by the Shibellis Pizza Shop on the north side of the tracks with Taxi's from Jose at Sunset Taxi 631-588-5558. If you want the discount at the Ronkonkoma LIRR taxi stand look for the yellow cabs that say Sunset, and mention I-CON. Jose from Sunset Taxi charges $7 for the first person if you mention I-CON when calling and $1 for each additional person for a ride from the Ronkonkoma train station to the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma; from the Ronkonkoma train station to Stony Brook University is $20 per car up to 4 people to/from Stony Brook University if you mention I-CON when calling.
• Village Taxi on Railroad Avenue, Ronkonkoma, 631-588-1055, and Comfort Taxi (formerly listed as "A" Long Island Town Car) on Hawkins Road, Ronkonkoma, 631-580-9898, also operate in the area, but they do not offer discounts to I-CON attendees at this time. (~$6-$10 for the first person and $1-$2 each additional person for a ride from the Ronkonkoma train station, or from the Islip-MacArthur Airport, to the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma, and between $26 for the first person and $2 each additional person or $30 for the first person and $1 each additional person to Stony Brook University from/to the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma or the Islip-MacArthur Airport).
• Stony Brook Taxi Options - Again Jose from Sunset Taxi, 631-588-5558, charges only $20 per car up to 4 people from Stony Brook University to the Ronkonkoma train station, and $30 per car up to 4 people to any of the following: the Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma or the Islip-MacArthur Airport, if you mention I-CON when calling.
• Lindy's Taxi is nearby Stony Brook. Their number is 631-473-0707. Stony Brook University to Holiday Inn Ronkonkoma (official hotel) or to the Islip-MacArthur Airport $36, $2 each additional person. Stony Brook University to Holiday Inn Express Stony Brook (NOT the official hotel) $10 plus $2 each additional person. Stony Brook University to Ronkonkoma train station $20 plus $2 each additional person.

Ferries

• This option is particularly desirable if one is coming to I-CON from Connecticut or other New England States
• Car ferries cross Long Island Sound at Bridgeport, Connecticut to Port Jefferson, Long Island (http://www.bpjferry.com). Once off the ferry, take Route 25A west to Nicolls Road, and turn left on Nicolls. Stony Brook University entrances are the first three intersections you come to.
• From New London, Connecticut to Orient Point, Long Island (http://www.longislandferry.com/). Take Route 25A west to Nicolls Road and proceed as above. (from http://www.pagelinx.com/bpjferry/).
• We are working on train and ferry directions from Connecticut/New England tailored to I-CON attendees.

LIRR Discounts

• All LIRR riders can save ~$5-6 by buying LIRR railroad tickets at an LIRR ticket office or LIRR ticket machine rather than on the train itself. (Source: http://mta.info/lirr/pubs/TicketInfo.htm)
• Family Fare - The first type of LIRR discount offered is for families. Children under 5 years old ride free at all times. Usually children 5-11 years old ride for 50% of adult fares, but ÒFamily Fare allows up to 4 children (ages 5-11) to travel with each fare paying adult for just 75 cents each way.Ó For details see http://mta.info/lirr/grouptravel/gtinfo.htm#SmallerGroupFare.
• Groups of 4-10 - The second type of LIRR discount is called the "ten trip.":
  1. Can be used by more than one person even when they are traveling together.
  2. Ten rides from/to City Zone One only and any other zone of the LIRR, including Stony Brook and Ronkonkoma, which are both in Zone Ten (see Note 1 below for zone one stations).
  3. The off-peak ten-trip price to Stony Brook or Ronkonkoma train stations from City Zone One is 15% ($14.25) cheaper than ten one-way or five round trip off-peak tickets ($80.75 vs. $95.00).
  4. The peak ten-trip is the same price as ten regular peak tickets. Seniors and People with Disabilities Ten-Trip are sold at the same price as 10 senior/people with disabilities one-way fares.
  5. Does not require advance railroad ticket reservation, but should be purchased at LIRR ticket offices (but not necessarily ticket machines).
  6. For current prices and information see http://mta.info/lirr/pubs/TicketInfo.htm, http://lirr42.mta.info/Fares.asp, or http://mta.info/mta/news/public/fares/lirr.htm.
• Groups of 11-30, and groups of 31 or more - The third type of LIRR discount requires reservations that should be made at least two weeks in advance with the LIRR Sales & Promotions Department at 718-558-7498 during Monday - Friday, 8AM - 4PM.
  1. While these Òadvance registration group travel faresÓ are designed for group sizes of 30 or more, groups of 15+ can save money Òby paying for 30 tickets (the balance of tickets can be paid at the cheaper youth rate)Ó according to http://mta.info/lirr/grouptravel/gtinfo.htm#SmallerGroupFare).

• Zone One includes Penn Station, Woodside, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Long Island City, Flatbush Avenue, Nostrand Avenue, and East New York according to http://www.mta.info/lirr/pubs/LIRRfares.pdf
• LIRR zones 10 and 11 merged after March 2005 which means you are able to use a ten trip to arrive at the SB train station and return on the Ronkonkoma train or vice versa.