Creation Entertainment's Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas is now right around the wormhole. Or more specifically, it's just a few weeks away: July 31 to August 3 at the Rio Suites Hotel. StarTrek.com has been reporting regularly as Creation revealed new guests and detailed special events, and today we're going to offer both an overview and an update.
The big parties at the convention will be held in the VooDoo Lounge high atop the Rio. And for those for whom fear is not a factor, party attendees can enjoy a discounted ride on the VooDoo ZipLine, which sends guests soaring 400-plus feet at up to 33 miles an hour, providing a 360-degree open-air view of the Vegas strip as they travel from the Masquerade Tower to the Ipanema Tower.
Five Year Mission will serve as the convention's house band. They'll play Trek-centric music on the big stage between guest appearances and events and will also perform a one-hour concert during the Saturday Night Dessert Party.
StarTrek.com will host several panels throughout the weekend, with our regular blogger Jordan Hoffman moderating several One Trek Mind LIVE sessions. Among the debates he'll lead, resulting in lists sure to stir the pot, are Best Star Trek Catchphrases, Best Klingon Character, Top Star Trek Jerks and Best Post-Trek Roles. Also on tap via StarTrek.com: Ships of the Line (with a team of Trek designers), Trek Treasures (and, yes, you might walk away with a choice item), Inside Star Trek Online (with the STO team offering reveals of upcoming events), Next Gen Into High Definition – The Final Voyage (a look at the upcoming TNG final season Blu-ray with Blu-ray producer Roger Lay, Jr., co-producer/editor Robert Meyer Burnett and consultants Mike and Denise Okuda), and more.
Cos-play Saturday will include appearances by costume designer Robert Blackman and makeup guru Michael Westmore, as well as a sure-to-be-colorful costume competition. Perhaps the highlight of Cos-play Saturday, however, will be what Creation is calling Dax 239, which will feature Westmore applying Jadzia Dax makeup to Terry Farrell for the 239th time.
And, of course, there are the Trek guests, with the the list now spilling over the 100 mark. Joining the festivities to appear on stage, sign autographs, pose for photos and, in many cases, man a table in the dealers room are: William Shatner, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, Karl Urban, Harlan Ellison, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Denise Crosby, Colm Meaney, Peter Weller, Nana Visitor, Anthony Montgomery, Brannon Braga, Tony Todd, Scarlett Pomers, Mark Allen Shepherd, Doug Drexler, Ron Jones (who will also conduct a Saturday Night Concert Gala with the Nevada Pops), Hana Hatae, James Darren, and many, many more.
Creation has also arranged for several rare group photo opportunities. For example, the DS9 Cast Group will feature you along with Avery Brooks, Colm Meaney, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, Cirroc Lofton and Jeffrey Combs, while the Enterprise Cast Shot can feature you with Scott Bakula, Connor Trinneer, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery and John Billingsley. Fans can also pose with Terry Farrell in character as Dax, Max Grodenchik and Aron Eisenberg as Rom and Nog, and J.G. Hertzler and Robert O'Reilly as Martok and Gowron.
Star Trek Online will host panels featuring a select away team of Devs delivering fans exciting news about the future of STO. Among the highlights: a Developer Panel with Lead Designer Al Rivera, Producer Stephen Ricossa and Lead Artist Brad Stokan, along with STO Community Manager Trevor “CaptainSmirk” McNesby, will go "Inside Star Trek Online” on Saturday, August 2nd at 2PM in the Gene and Majel Roddenberry Theatre. Anyone with Saturday convention tickets will be able to attend. Also on tap: Meet the Devs. If you are 21 years of age or older, in the Las Vegas area and would like to spend a couple of hours talking with some of the developers behind STO, stop by for this drop-in/ drop-out event at a location soon to be announced.
Meanwhile, be sure to check out Star Trek Online's current contest (over on Facebook) to win a pair of 4-Day General Admission tickets to the convention. Lastly, to celebrate the convention, the Star Trek Online team will offer a special in-game item to attendees that contains an unlock code for a unique Holo-Leeta Duty Officer and “Convention Veteran” title for all characters on their account. Fans can obtain a code for this special item by acquiring a flyer from a member of the STO team; look for them to be passed out during the STO panel and throughout the convention.
Also on the schedule: a real-life wedding, parties, trivia contests, music video contests, auctions, a celebration of Star Trek: The Experience, a performance by the Star Trek Rat Pack (Max Grodenchik, Vaughn Armstrong, Jeffrey Combs and Casey Biggs), and much, much more.
"All of the Creation Team has been totally dedicated to this convention to give our attendees the best vacation possible," Creation co-founder and co-CEO told StarTrek.com. "It’s always hard to top the previous year, and last year truly was fantastic, but I think we have an unbelievable time planned for everyone. We’ve really broken the budget beyond any show we’ve ever produced to guarantee that fans are immersed in Gene Roddenberry’s universe from the time they get into the convention until they leave. We’ve incorporated so many ideas that have come from fans, celebrities, licensors and, of course, we're also doing things we’ve always wanted to do. We knew we had the support of our loyal fellow fans who've made Vegas a tradition and, in fact, we're way ahead of last year in terms of both tickets and hotel room sales. After 43 years, it is gratifying to know that our audience is with us as we continue to make our events better and better.
"I’m particularly looking forward to having a live band on stage throughout the entire convention," Berman added. "This has really added to our other conventions. And, for me, a true highlight will also be The Nevada Pops Orchestra playing Star Trek in Concert. To hear the music, played live, by so many great musicians, really is a treat and it is the only place anywhere this is being done with this set of music. Also, almost 30 years ago, when we needed some vital help, Harlan Ellison was one of only two celebrities who called to offer support. We’ve never forgotten that gesture. So it is a big honor for us to welcome him back to our conventions."
Be sure to visit www.Creationent.com for tickets and additional information. And keep an eye on StarTrek.com for news of last-minute updates to the schedule.
