Authors Roy Tackett and Robert E. Vardeman were two of the key figures in establishing and promoting Bubonicon in its early days.

The name Bubonicon, not officially adopted until 1971, is a nod to Albuquerque's long history of bubonic plague outbreaks, with Perry Rhodent a continuation of this theme.

[4][1][5] In 1976, one of Bubonicon's longest running traditions, the Green Slime Awards, was started in order to honor the worst in Science Fiction from the previous year.

Bubonicon 42, held in 2010 at the Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel,[7] featured a theme based on Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[11] Bubonicon was canceled in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and was "virtual" in 2021, with the ability to stream events ranging from book discussions to scientific presentations offered by members of the University of New Mexico.