Minecraft annual events

MineCon (also referred to as MineCraftCon) is a Minecraft Convention held by Mojang AB. The first one was in 2010, a small event compared to the one planned for November 18, 2011.

2010
Minecraftcon 2010 was a spontaneous gathering of Minecraft fans on August 31st 2010 in Bellevue, Washington. It was conceived by Notch after expressing in a blog post several requests for a meet-up by players and had called on the community to organize one with no specific choice of venue. While Notch had labeled it "Minecraftcon 2010", it is a bit of a misnomer as it implies a formal convention not unlike that of a typical gaming convention or anime convention.

More than fifty people had turned up at the gathering, including one in a full body creeper costume, of which Notch took a cautious interest in.

2011
MineCon 2011 will be held at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada on November 18, 2011. Tickets go at $99 and will coincide with the official release of the game. The official page is located here.

MineCon will feature many exciting events, such as the official Minecraft release, keynote speeches (including one from Notch), building contests, breakout classes with different Minecraft topics, costume contests, exhibits, meeting worldwide Minecraft personalities and commemorative merchandise, with more to be expected on the way.

Tickets
Tickets went on sale on the 11th of August 2011, 99 days before the start of the conference on 18 November. The early-bird price is $99, which ran until September 30. After that, the price (including the price at the gate) will be $139. The price does not include hotel rooms, flights or any other costs involved apart from entry to MineCon. However, as of October 28th, the tickets are all sold out.

The first 500 ticket purchasers were entered into the draw to receive "The Ultimate Fan Experience". The one winner will get a paid-for hotel room at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, VIP seating to keynotes and presentations and a meal with the Mojang team! Joseph won the contest already and the draw closed.

Announcements
The Red Dragon was announced as a new mob.

Travel
By purchasing tickets for MineCon, you will get to take advantage of the discounted group rate at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Events
These events are on the MineCon website when you sign up for the event.
 * Friday
 * Miners' Party (Under 21)
 * Nethers Party (Over 21)


 * Saturday
 * Diamond Party (Over 21)

Cloak
Notch announced that those attending MineCon 2011 will receive a MineCon 2011 Cloak. He quickly removed the announcement and said it was supposed to be a secret. On September 27, a new photo of the official cloak was released along more information on who will be attending MineCon.