Cool, what’s the other one? Italy was going to do it, right? And then Grenoble got picked - IIRC.
I’d say it’s US. Am I right, John?
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Yes, the USA.
Unicon I aka International Unicycling Convention, 1984, Syracuse, NY
Unicon II, 1986, Long Island, NY
Unicon VII, 1994, Minneapolis, MN
Canada:
Unicon V, 1991, Hull, Quebec
Unicon VI, 1992, Quebec City
Unicon 17, 2014, Montreal
Also note: Italy has already hosted but France has not (yet):
Unicon 16, 2012, Brixen/Bressanone, Italy
I think this thread has strayed off topic…
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Since thieum requested my opinions, I sent him a PM and was going to send it to you too but you have direct messages turned off. If you want to get back on topic and read it, feel free to enable them and I’ll add you.
What’s with everything being in Quebec??
Location has more to do with who steps up to run it than anything else. John missed Washington for the USA in 2002.
So how does Unicon… happen? I actually know nothing about it, so I probably have a bunch of incorrect assumptions 
While this is slightly off-topic, what is Unicon exactly and who decides who runs it? Is it an IUF event?
Yes, the world championships, also known as UNICON are an IUF event. The IUF board decides who runs it, following applications to host the event. That being said, there isn’t much competition for who hosts. There are usually 2 applicants, sometimes 3, very rarely 4.
https://unicycling.org/unicon/
Unicon is the bi-annual unicycling world championships. This major event covers all facets of unicycling. Along with competitions in the IUF unicycling disciplines there is also a major convention portion with workshops, cultural mashups, and social events.
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I can’t even keep up with my three email accounts, let alone Facebook Messenger, Instagram and other email and messaging services people want me to use. My email address… uh… used to be in my footer on the old forums. Hmm. johnfoss@unicycling.com. You are welcome to share your responses to those political questions if you like. The new Forums setup is probably much better at protecting user privacy than the older system, which we started with in 2003 or so. It has grown, of course, but may still be based on some of its original assumptions.
I’ll respond on the Quebec thing in the public forum…
JF
You know, the answers to that should be easily found online, but I’m not sure if they are. The IUF website was mostly built by younger people who weren’t around back in the day.
I usually describe Unicon to people as being like a low-budget Olympics. We have a wide range of sports, but all with unicycles. People come from all over the world to play, but with rare exception solely at their own expense. Some riders/teams have gotten financial assistance, possibly from government, grants or other sources.
Unicon has grown tremendously over the years. It started out as basically an international version of what we did at the annual Unicycling Society of America National Meets, as they were called at the time. Time to bring the world together and crown champions to represent the whole planet! So the competitions started out with Track events, fairly similar to what we do now, “Artistic” riding events in the gym, also fairly similar to what we do now, but not a lot else. There was a basketball game at Unicon I, but it wan’t part of the official schedule and took place in lieu of dinner. The first three Unicons were weekend events; three days. Technically, Unicon III (Tokyo; 750 competitors) was only 2.5 days.
The program expanded with Unicon IV (Puerto Rico) in 1988. That group grew up playing uni basketball and wanted a proper tournament, so a full round robin tournament was added. Also they added Coasting, Downhill Gliding, a “dirt” race (we called it UMX then), and an 8k “Marathon”. Hey, that’s plenty far for 24" wheels!
As larger and larger crowds of riders came to these events, especially in Europe where long distance ground transportation is easier, more days had to be added just to accommodate all those people. And at the same time we kept adding events. “Proper” (and multiple) Muni events, Standard Skill (don’t ask), Trials, the whole emerging category of Urban, Hockey tournaments, and Road racing. And whatever I’m leaving out.
Big unicycle competitions, in the past, were usually run by large and/or very energetic unicycle clubs. You need the people with the time and the motivation to make these increasingly complex events happen. But depending on the country, you might also be able to get some government assistance or sponsorship. At Unicon IV, food and lodging were free of charge! Not fancy, but the price was right!
Side note: Puerto Rico is part of the United States, which technically means there have been FIVE Unicons in my country! Don’t know how I missed #11 in 2002. We count Puerto Rico as a separate country for competition, though, since they have fielded teams of riders going back to before Unicon I.
Most countries have a lot of government support of athletics. At the Quebec City Unicon in 1992, we were granted access to really nice college dorms, lots of nice buildings, a fitness track, athletics track, a city park in which to do some special events, etc. Also the University, Laval, funded the printing of big Unicon posters that were spotted all over the city.
Unicon and the International Unicycling Federation go hand in hand. The original idea was to create an international organization for unicyclists of the world, but also to have a place where they could all get together. That effort started around 1980 by IUF founder Jack Halpern. Long story, and you might actually be able to dig it up in the archives of these forums. I’m out of time. Hope I answered the questions. As for Quebec, it was actually different groups of riders that hosted each; a smaller club in Hull, followed by a larger club with a top-level uni-basketball team in Quebec, and then a later generation of riders based in and around Montreal for 2014.
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I’m sorry, but how are these sentences relevant? Firstly, the answer is easily found on the IUF website, as quoted in a previous post.
Secondly, what is the point you are trying to make with that second sentence? If the website was build by younger people that weren’t around “back in the day” it doesn’t mean they cannot research or have access to information.
A quick glance at the IUF website could have shown you that most of the requested information was available. There is a brief history of the IUF and a description of what UNICON is. That being said it is missing a page or some information about how to apply to become a UNICON host.
Also, @AndrewA, for any history related question about unicycle, @johnfoss is an extremely resourceful person. Even if you ask for a yes or no question you’ll always find him writing anecdotes related to the topic relating to unicycling history.
To add some detailed information here, Montréal Unicon was organized by Monotréal, the unicycling community of Montreal. In reality the task of organizing Unicon was delegated to the Unicon 17 committee within Monotréal’s board, Hugo Duguay and Benoit Gonneville Damme.
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I’m glad that after two people answered your questions the only thing you can find as an answer is a display of disbelief to a unicycle organization’s name who made possible a World Championship. Why the exasperation?
No no no, sir, I liked both posts; thanks for the information. Having no comment in reply to what was said, I assumed my like was thanks enough.
However, Monotreal is a beautiful name 
and my facepalm was sarcastic, as in “my goodness that’s a bad pun” when in reality I’m saying it’s a good pun.
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Sorry, no intent to disrespect the hard work of people who create, and keep websites current! I am certainly not famous for this. Often the information I post is from memory and I tend to remember more detail about events that I was more involved in organizing; I’ve been less involved in recent years.
The IUF site’s page on History is a single paragraph that looks like I wrote it; it could sure use some filling out. That’s on me. And results from the earlier Unicons. I don’t have it all, but if there’s ever a fire at my house that would be very bad. Got to someday get all that stuff scanned, at least.
I loved the Unicon in Montreal; Hugo and Benoit did an amazing job and I know a huge number of unicyclist will have lifelong memories from that experience. I read about some of it in the book, Uniety! Also every time I visit the IUF Website I am reminded of the Montreal Unicon; we stayed at a building that was a short distance from the park in that photo. 
Thanks to whoever moved this sub-thread to its own topic; it was very out of place! So, does anyone want to hear stories about the earlier Unicons?
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What Abrikot said ^
Sure! Feel free to create a new topic so it on’t be off-topic here 
By the way the PFD you shared here is amazing.