Starbase Indy
| Starbase Indy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Star Trek/General Science Fiction |
| Venue | Marriott East |
| Location(s) | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1988 |
| Organized by | Starbase Indy Committee |
| Website | |
|
www | |
Starbase Indy is a science fiction convention held annually during the Friday through Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana. Starbase Indy draws attendees mainly from the Midwestern United States, but attendees have registered from as far away as Germany and Australia. Attendance is about 700 people. The idea for the convention germinated after Indianapolis Star Trek fans attended a convention in St. Louis and decided to create their own convention.
History
The first Starbase Indy was held in March 1988 in the Adam’s Mark Hotel and the main guest star was Michael Dorn, who portrayed Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In 1990, the convention moved to the Marriott East in Indianapolis and the now-traditional Thanksgiving weekend.[1] Beginning in 1989, the convention adopted The Next Generation as part of its name, then the Third Generation in 1990, and so on. With Starbase Indy: The Eighth Generation in 1995, the local organizing committee ended the initial run of Starbase Indy. In 2004, after a professional convention company bowed out, a new fan-run committee organized Starbase Indy: the Ninth Generation. In 2008 Vulkon Entertainment, which had planned to take over the convention, bowed out days before the event.[1] Local fans put together a one-day event, known as Freekon, and later in 2009 began meeting monthly to plan the 2009 Starbase Indy convention.[2] The local organizing committee has continued the Thanksgiving weekend tradition ever since. For 2011, due to the hotel schedule, the convention had to be moved to Dec. 9-11. For 2012, the convention returned to its three-day Thanksgiving weekend tradition.
Guest stars
Besides Michael Dorn, other guest stars at Starbase Indy have included Marina Sirtis and Majel Barrett Roddenberry in 1989; Nichelle Nichols in 1991;[3] Leonard Nimoy in 1992;[1] Robert Picardo and Dwight Schultz in 1995; Jonathan Frakes and Katee Sackhoff in 2006;[4] Ray Park in 2007;[5] Garrett Wang,[2] W. Morgan Sheppard, and Logan Huffman[6] in 2009; Tim Russ and Ethan Phillips in 2010; and John Billingsley, Bonita Friedericy, Dean Haglund, and Tony Todd in 2011.
Convention activities
Starbase Indy includes the typical Q&A sessions with guest stars, a dealers’ room, panel discussions on science and science fiction topics,[7] a masquerade,[4] a dance, and appearances by scientists and authors. Programming in the past has included sessions on screenwriting, prop building,[4] building robots, filk music, and meetings for Star Trek clubs.
Starbase Indy is currently a registered non-profit organization. Each year it supports charities. In the past, Starbase Indy charities have included Cats Haven, Toys for Tots, Precious Paws, and Camp Awareness.[4][8] In 2010 the charities were Cats Haven and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "Organizer pulls out of weekend Star Trek Convention". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- 1 2 "Sci-fi fans pack Starbase Indy". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ↑ "Star Trek celebrates 25 years". The Prescott News. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- 1 2 3 4 "Beam me up". NUVO. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ "Darth Maul in Indy". NUVO. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ ""V"'s Logan Huffman to appear at Starbase Indy Thanksgiving Weekend". Indy Film News. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ Barad, Judith. "State and Local Public Lectures and Conferences, "The Leader Within: Enterprising Ethics"". Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ↑ "Indianapolis to host Star Trek convention". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Retrieved 2010-09-28.