Star Trek fans will be beaming up to Ticonderoga next month for the Trekonderoga sci-fi and pop culture convention. Their three-day mission: To explore authentic Star Trek: The Original Series set reproductions, to seek out celebrity autographs and knowledge of the science, astronomy and physics behind the iconic TV series and (according to the event’s tagline), “…to boldly go where no fan has gone before!” This is the second year for the convention, which will be held at venues in Downtown Ticonderoga, New York, Aug. 12 – 14.
Trekonderoga is the brainchild of Ticonderoga native James Crawley. The convention’s primary focus is Star Trek but also includes other sci-fi and pop culture related events including a screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey, an Elvis and Blues Brothers concert and Batmobile rides. Sessions will include talks on production aspects of the Star Trek series and the scientific underpinnings of Star Trek technology. Space Odyssey co-star Gary Lockwood is one of several celebrity guests that will be appearing at Trekconderoga 2016. A highlight of this year’s event is the alien trek Horta creation demonstration (trekkies know what this means) to be held in the Retro Studios parking lot.
Ticket holders will have the opportunity to tour the Starship Enterprise in a series of meticulously reproduced sets including The Bridge, Dr. “Bones” McCoy’s Sick Bay and the Transporter Room. For those hoping the availability of a transporter room means they can leave the cars at home, Trekonderoga organizer Gary Evans concedes that the Transporter Room is currently non-operational, noting that “…photons have been transported, but (we’ve) a long, long way to go before solid objects are transported.”
Photos courtesy of Trekonderoga
The sets, which are licensed by CBS Consumer Productions, were built over a 15-year period by Crawley with the help of skilled volunteers. Crawley worked off blueprints from the original Star Trek series and used frame captures and stills of the show to build accurate reproductions of the original Desilu Studios sets. Star Trek: The Original Series Set Tours opened to the public last week at Retro Film Studios on Montcalm Street.
Last year’s Trekonderoga featured appearances by guest celebrities Sally Kellerman, Barbara Luna, Louise Sorel, David Gerrole, Sean Kenney, Don Marshall and Eric Stillwell. Ticket sales were capped at 300 and they sold out. This year the cap has been raised to 600. According to Evans, ticket sales have been steady and organizers expect the rate of sales to increase over the next three weeks leading to the convention.
For a complete schedule of sessions, a list of guest stars and to purchase tickets, visit the Trekkonderoga website.