Official Star Trek Convention rolls into Boston area

Creation Entertainment’s Official Star Trek Convention will hit the Boston area Friday, July 15 through Sunday, July 17. Expect a ton of fans coming together to see more than a dozen Star Trek actors from just about every incarnation of the epic sci-fi phenomenon. The headliner is the legendary William Shatner who played Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek: The Original Series.

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In addition to Shatner, who will surely talk about his forthcoming Star Trek-themed documentary, The Captains, there will be some wrinkled foreheads present in the form of four Klingons. Gwynyth Walsh and Barbara March will portray their respective characters, B’Etor and Lursa, on Saturday, while J.G. Hertzler and Robert O’Reilly will portray Martok and Gowron on Sunday. It’s a rare chance to catch all four actors in full Klingon regalia.

Friday’s events are centered around the appearance of Connor Trinneer and Dominic Keating from Star Trek: Enterprise. Both actors will offer Q&A sessions separately and together for the audience.

On Saturday, there are many celebrities appearing. Besides Walsh and March, there will be a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reunion featuring Max Grodenchik (Rom), Casey Biggs (Damar), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun) and Vaughn Armstrong (Seskai). All four actors will appear separately and as a group during Saturday’s long list of events. Also appearing from DS9 will be Chase Masterson (Leeta).

Ethan Phillips from Star Trek: Voyager rounds out Saturday’s list of celebrities, while Shatner, Hertzler and O’Reilly will be featured Sunday.

Some of the events you don’t want to miss include a Star Trek Rat Pack performance on Saturday night. I saw this in New Jersey last year; it’s a hoot and a half. Grodenchik, Biggs, Combs, Armstrong and Phillips all come together in spiffy tuxedos to sing standard melodies that have been re-imagined with Star Trek lyrics. There will also be a character make-up demonstration on Friday, plus chances to share a drink with the stars (or some hash browns, if you want to breakfast with the Klingons).

Richard Arnold, the longtime assistant of Gene Rodenberry, will offer his thoughts on Star Trek’s 45th anniversary, while Creation will host two no-minimum bid auctions and a costume contest.

The three-day event will take place at the Hyatt Cambridge at 575 Memorial Drive, right outside Boston. There are several ticket options. If you’re interested in attending all three days, and you’d like to snag all of the autographs, then try the Gold Weekend Package for $329. It’s the best deal and includes most of the autographs, a Friday night cocktail party and complimentary admission to the Saturday night Rat Pack performance. The best thing about going gold is that you keep your reserved seat the entire weekend, and they’re normally the best seats in the house.

A little cheaper is the Preferred Weekend Package for $199. There are also general admission tickets available as follows: $20 for Friday, $25 for Saturday and $50 for Sunday.

Autographs cost $20 each (unless they are included in your package; then they are free). Shatner is the only that commands top dollar: A scribble will cost you $79.

Photo opportunities are available throughout the weekend. Most of them cost anywhere from $35 to $40, with Shatner charging $89. The vendors room will be open all three days; expect to find some rare finds.

Remember: Creation never oversells its conventions, so you’re guaranteed a seat in the main auditorium.

Don’t be left out of this one. Hollywood Soapbox will report live from the convention all three days.

The schedule for the convention is as follows (subject to change):

Friday, July 15

• 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Vendors room open
• 2:05 p.m. — Richard Arnold, the longtime assistant of Gene Rodenberry, will offer a presentation on Star Trek’s 45th anniversary
• 2:55 p.m. — Q&A session with Connor Trinneer
• 3:25 p.m. — Q&A session with Trinneer and Dominic Keating
• 3:55 p.m. — Q&A session with Keating
• 4:25 p.m. — A presentation of past convention memories
• 4:55 p.m. — John Paladin’s Character Make-Up Workshop
• 5:35 p.m. — Autographs with Trinneer and Keating ($20 each)
• 9:30 p.m. — Cocktail party and centerpiece contest (exclusive for Gold Weekend patrons)

Saturday, July 16

• 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. — Vendors room open
• 10:35 a.m. — Q&A session with Max Grodenchik (autographs available in the vendors room)
• 11:10 a.m. — The Creation Star Trek Yes/No Trivia Game (with $1,750 up for grabs)
• 11:45 a.m. — Q&A session with Casey Biggs
• 12:20 p.m. — Q&A session with Jeffrey Combs
• 1:20 p.m. — No-minimum bid auction
• 2:20 p.m. — Q&A with Vaughn Armstrong
• 2:50 p.m. — Q&A with Chase Masterson (autographs available in the vendors room)
• 3:25 p.m. — Costume contest
• 4 p.m. — Q&A with Gwynyth Walsh and Barbara March as the Duras Sisters
• 4:40 p.m. — Bloopers from Star Trek: The Original Series
• 5:35 p.m. — Q&A with Ethan Phillips
• 6:25 p.m. — Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reunion with Grodenchik, Biggs, Combs and Armstrong
• 7:10 p.m. — Autographs with Saturday’s guests
• 9:30 p.m. — Performance from the Star Trek Rat Pack, featuring Grodenchik, Biggs, Combs, Armstrong and Phillips ($20)
• 10:40 p.m. — Star Trek Cocktail Party featuring Saturday’s guests ($39, which includes one drink)

Sunday, July 17

• 9:15 a.m. — Celebrity breakfast with Hertzler and O’Reilly ($69)
• 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. — Vendors room open
• 11:25 a.m. — Q&A session with J.G. Hertzler and Robert O’Reilly as Gowron and Martok
• 12:05 p.m. — Richard Arnold’s 45th anniversary presentation: Part II
• 12:45 p.m. — Bloopers from Star Trek: The Original Series
• 1:10 p.m. — Q&A with Willaim Shatner
• 2:25 p.m. — Autographs with Shatner
• 4:25 p.m. — No-minimum bid auction
• 5:05 p.m. — Star Trek movie pitch session
• 5:35 p.m. — Autographs with Hertzler and O’Reilly

• Click here for more information on the Official Star Trek Convention in Boston.