2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation. For those of us who were around back then, there was genuine concern that it would only air for one season, so we taped, on videocassettes on our VCRs (ask your parents), every episode just in case each one would only air once. Happily we were wrong, and the series went on for a total of seven seasons, not to mention being the basis for four Star Trek movies.
In honor of the anniversary, the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo will have a number of special events, the biggest of which will be “Star Trek TNG EXPOsed,” a panel featuring all nine of the original cast members. Tickets go on sale soon; here’s the press release:
ORIGINAL CAST OF STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION® will be coming together for a special reunion at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo April 27-29, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
(CALGARY, Alberta, CANADA) – IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO that Star Trek: The Next Generation® revived the sense of adventure inherent in the original Star Trek® series. TNG created its own signature interpretation of hitching a ‘wagon train to the stars’. Now, over two decades later, fans of all ages will get their chance to see the nine principal members of the cast together for a stellar reunion in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA during the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, April 27-29, 2012.
To date, the Calgary Expo is the only event in the world scheduled to host such a gathering in 2012. It is also the first time the entire original cast has appeared as a group at a convention in over two decades.
Sir Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Riker), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Denise Crosby (Security Chief Tasha Yar), LeVar Burton (Chief of Engineering Geordi La Forge), Gates McFadden (Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher), Michael Dorn (Lt. Commander Worf) and Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) will all be Guests of Honour during the Calgary Expo. The cast will be meeting fans for autographs, individual and group photos (fees vary for each Media Guest), and participating in specially-grouped panels and discussions over the course of the weekend. Calgary Expo hours are Friday 3 PM to 8 PM, Saturday 10 PM to 7 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM MST, April 27-29, 2012.
In addition, the full cast will also take the stage for a special once-in-a lifetime reunion event, Star Trek® TNG EXPOsed, on the evening of Saturday, April 28, at the Stampede Corral, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Doors open at 6 PM MST and the program will begin at 7 PM MST. Nearly 5,000 seats will be available for this event, with prices ranging from $40 – $125 (CDN).
NOTE: Box office sales for the Star Trek® TNG EXPOsed, will begin at 10 AM MST (-7 GMT), on Saturday, February 18, 2012 via www.tickemaster.com.
The live evening event will open with host Emily Expo (the Calgary Expo’s mascot), and includes entertainment by local musicians Johnny Summers Little Big Band, special moderators Teddy Wilson, Cynthia Loyst and Ajay Fry (hosts of InnerSPACE on SPACE) and a special video tribute to the cast. The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo will also offer a series of unique, must-have collectables for the serious TNG fan including a commemorative program to mark the occasion.
Kandrix Foong, Founder and Director of the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, not only sees this as a history making celebration for the Calgary Expo, but also for Sci-Fi fans.
“We feel privileged to be hosting this event as it is a rarity that many people will never have the opportunity to experience again. The immensity of this reunion adds to Calgary’s international appeal in a unique way for pop culture enthusiasts on a global scale.”
One or more cast members are also anticipated to stop by the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station in Vulcan, Alberta for a special visit on Friday, April 27, 2012. More details will be available in a future release. The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo made interplanetary history in 2010 when Leonard Nimoy, (Mr. Spock) attended the Calgary Expo as a Guest of Honour. He also made a special “homecoming” visit to Vulcan, Alberta—the Official Star Trek® Capital of Canada. Over 5,000 people paid tribute him in a special ceremony. Leonard graciously left his mark on Vulcan and Star Trek® fans in several ways, with a handprint set in bronze, and by lending a pair of “ears” he used on the set in 1966. For more information on Vulcan and the Trek Station, visit www.vulcantourism.com.
To celebrate this incredible announcement, the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo will be hosting a screening of Star Trek: First Contact® at the Plaza in Kensington, Calgary, Alberta, on February 5, 2012 at 3 PM MST. A portion of the ticket sales will go toward the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Attendees will have the opportunity to enter a raffle for a pair of VIP passes to the 2012 convention as well as some other fantastic prizes. Proceeds from the raffle will also go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Costumes are encouraged and the person with the best Star Trek® related costume or prop will also be eligible to win some great merchandise!
Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo Backgrounder The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo has been a destination event since 2006, profiling talent from across the world in seven key genres: Comics, Sci-Fi, Horror, Toys, Anime, Cartoons, and Gaming. It is Western Canada’s largest pop culture convention and the second largest event of its kind in all of Canada. Noted for its Western hospitality, superb line up of talent and the promotion of Canadian artists, actors, and creators, the event has grown to become a destination experience for fans all over the world. The weekend event will be held at the BMO Centre in Stampede Park, Calgary, Alberta. Many fantastic guests have been announced for the 2012 Calgary Expo including Adam West, Tom Felton, Amanda Tapping, Hayden Panettiere, Tara Strong, David Prowse, James Marsters, Robert Englund, Billy West, John Noble, Katee Sackhoff, John DiMaggio, and creator guests Dale Eaglesham, George Pérez, and Yanick Paquette and many more to come. Over 35,000 people are expected to attend this year’s Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. Last year, the Calgary Expo garnered 30,000 attendees. Full cast biographies, tickets to the Star Trek® TNG EXPOsed event, passes to the Calgary Expo, updates and Emily Expo’s blog can be found at calgaryexpo.com. Stay connected on Twitter: @CalgaryExpo, andFacebook. com/CalgaryExpo.
So, who’s in?!
[Source] TrekMovie.com
