It's all geek to some, but not to fans of science fiction, western-themed science fantasy, steampunk and any other subculture of fandom that finds itself immersed in the fantastical world of fiction.
Barkerville is hosting Take The Sky, a geekend of sci-fi fun where people can let their geek glow Friday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Sept. 29.
Special guests include Denise Crosby, best known as Lieutenant Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation; Claudia Christian, Babylon 5 star; and Dean Haglund of the X-Files and The Lone Gunmen.
"The whole concept of space and western have crossed over each over the years and this is our way of connecting with fans of the genre," said James Douglas, manager of
visitor experiences at Barkerville. "Star Trek was often referred to as a space western, the show Firefly, which ran only for a short time about ten years ago, is insanely popular in geek TV fandom. It's actually set in a western-like space environment, so this type of event is a good fit for Barkerville."
Last year's inaugural event saw about 150 people attend. Fifty took a charter bus from Vancouver, the rest were mostly from Quesnel and Prince George, said Douglas, who admits he's a total geek himself.
"I've attended many major conventions in the past and I wanted to make this a much more intimate experience at Barkerville," said Douglas. "This is going to be a very unique experience.
"This year we have some very big names within the geek circle. It's an amazing opportunity to meet and talk with Denise Crosby, Claudia Christian and Dean Haglund."
Christian and Haglund will do a 45-minute Star Trek-themed improv show as well as meet-and-greets.
"It was incredibly exciting to get word that Denise Crosby would attend our event," said Douglas. "Of the paragons of science fictions shows, that most people know, Star Trek: The Next Generation is a huge show and Tasha Yar, the original security officer from Star Trek, is a major character. She left after the second season but she was such a popular character people kept asking for her to come back."
Crosby will do a 45-minute question and answer session called Talk Back on the
Saturday during the convention.
People are encouraged to dress in costume but this is not a requirement to attend the event.
For more information about Take the Sky, visit www.barkervillegeekend.com.
