On June 25th & 26th, the town of Riverside IA will hold its 26th annual TrekFest. Part town fair and part Star Trek convention, this year Riverside (aka "the future birthplace of James T. Kirk") will feature guests Walter Koenig, BarBara Luna and James Cawley. In addition, TrekFest will also be taking a crack at that Trek fans in costume record. More details below.
press release
Stars beam into Riverside, Iowa for TrekFest XXVI (June 25-26, 2010)
TrekFest is a small-town festival with a Star Trek theme. Riverside, Iowa is the official Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk – the character played by William Shatner in the original 1960's Star Trek television series.
RIVERSIDE, IA (June 7, 2010) – The Riverside Area Community Club (RACC) in Riverside, Iowa (the small town known worldwide as “The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk") announce celebrity guests to appear at TrekFest XXVI including Walter Koenig, BarBara Luna and James Cawley.
Walter Koenig, one of the original stars from the 1960's Star Trek TV series, will be back for his third year in a row. Koenig portrayed Ensign Pavel Chekov, navigation officer for the U.S.S. Enterprise in the original Star Trek TV series. Koenig's professional acting career spans more than 46 years of stage, television and film work. Koenig is also best
known for the hated, intensely driven Alfred Bester on "Babylon 5." His autobiography – Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe – was published in1988. You will find his 2008 movie in rentals stores called “InAlienable” released this year on DVD.
BarBara Luna appeared as Marlena Moreau in the 1967 Star Trek TV series episode “Mirror, Mirror” (Season 2, Episode 4). BarBara Luna was born in Manhattan and grew up on Broadway. This multi-talented lady has appeared in two plays, five musicals, ten films and over 500 television shows. She was ten when she appeared in Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. She went on to Hollywood where her first major film was "The Devil at 4 O'Clock" (1961) with Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra. She co-starred with Vivien Leigh in "Ship of Fools" (1965). Television work includes guest star roles with actors such as Larry Hagman in "Dallas" (1978). Some of her favorites are: Walt Disney's "Zorro",
"The Big Valley", "Hawaii Five-O", "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and "The Outer Limits".
James Cawley was named one of the “10 Most Important Star Trek Fans in History” and is best known as “Captain Kirk on the Internet”. The creator and Senior Executive Producer of the award winning internet series “Star Trek; New Voyages/Phase II”, and the new “Buck Rogers” internet series, Cawley was a costumer on TNG, is an expert on recreating both Trek costumes and sets, and appeared in the new Trek movie. In 2008 he won the Golden Icon Award for Best Performance in an Internet Series.
Walter Koenig, BarBara Luna and James Cawley will appear at the following events on Saturday, June 26, 2010:
- TrekFest Parade (10 am) – The stars will ride on a special float. Location: Downtown Riverside.
- Costume Contest (11:15 am) – The stars will judge the Star Trek-themed contest. Location: Main Stage – Hall Park in Riverside. A Guinness
Book record attempt will be conducted at this time to break a record of 99 people dressed in Star Trek costumes. Goal: 1000 people. - Question & Answer Session with the Stars: (2:00 – 2:30 pm) Walter Koenig will take questions from the audience and talk about his accomplishments. RACC will honor him with the first Riverside Walk of Fame Star (a newly constructed Walk of Fame is planned for 2010 at the future birthplace site). (2:30-3:00 pm) BarBara Luna and James Cawley take stage for more Q&A. Location: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort Event Center. Tickets for the event are $25 plus tax and an online/phone ticketing fee (this fee is waived when tickets are purchased in the casino gift shop). Tickets are on sale in the casino's gift shop and online at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort (http://tickets.riversidecasinoandresort.com) and the event benefit the Riverside Area Community Club (R.A.C.C). Doors open at 12:30 pm. Open to all ages.
- Photo/Autograph Session with the Stars (3:30 pm to 6:00 pm) There will be a nominal fee for autographs and photos with the stars. Open to all ages. Location: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort Event Center.
- Attendees of the Q & A will have priority to the photo/autograph session.
The master of ceremonies for the Q & A Session with the Stars will be Steve Miller (who dubbed Riverside, Iowa – The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk).
Kirk's Stomping Grounds Rodeo (presented by Sandburr Rodeo Productions, Inc.) is back again. Events include: Bull Riding, Saddle Bronco Riding, Bareback Riding, Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Money the Hard Way, Mutton Bustin', Calf Scramble, and Junior Bull Riding. Admission: $10.00 Adults; Children 12-6 $3.00; 5 and under free – Gates open at 6:00 pm.
Most activities are free and family oriented. Last year when actor George Takei (who played Sulu in the original Star Trek TV series)
appeared at TrekFest, he commented: "Riverside, Iowa is Americana at its finest."
The event will end with a fireworks show at 10pm.
For a full list of events and more information – please visit the website at http://www.trekfest.com.
About TrekFest
In 1984, former city councilman, Steve Miller, came up with the idea to dub Riverside, Iowa – The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. This far out idea was approved by the city and by Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry. The town's annual River Fest celebration was renamed TrekFest and has lived long and prospered ever since. The Riverside Area Community Club (RACC) plans and implements TrekFest annually. Money raised by RACC is used to help out the community with academic scholarships, new playground equipment and other events.
The "USS Riverside" – part of the TrekFest parade
BarBara Luna is still beautiful. Is there a painting of alternate universe BarBara Luna somewhere that is literally aging?? “Cuz it ain’t happenin’ to our BarBara Luna.
James T. Kirk was born in a medical shuttlecraft during the destruction of the U.S.S. Kelvin.
He only lived in Riverside.
Thanks for letting me clear that up for you.
@2 Haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaa! (I really did laugh out loud!)
#2
Thats where the NEW Kirk was born……
Thanks for letting me clear that up for you…
I’d have trouble not expressing my condolences to Walter Koenig for the loss of his son. Seems like it just happened.
5 – It pretty much did just happen, and I hope that all Trekkers there will not only offer condolences but also give Mr. Koenig unmitigated love and support.
It is sensitive and compassionate of you to remember his recent tragedy and to offer your support to Mr. Koenig. I hope that you will have the opportunity to do so.
#4 That’s hilarious and great response to #2 and actually correct!
They should have used the USS Riverside in the new movie, much better than the new and not improved E.
Cawley on top 10 list of Trek fans, hey, I’ll buy that… who voted, who else made the list, Bo Tremble?
I agree with #7…#4 that was a great response! If you don’t know your Trek history or cannon don’t try to correct someone who does know it…and go put on a red shirt! Heh…#2 probably doesn’t even know what that reference means…!
By the way #2, that’s Bjo Trimble. hahahhahaha…
Riverside, Iowa is on the top of my list of places to see in the world. Hopefully I can there during one of these Trekfest imgujics.
#2 That’s another reason I hate Star Trek 11, people watch it and think they know Star Trek when in reality they don’t know the first thing.
I can see it’s going to be fun keeping the facts straight for the the “JJ Trek” deciples.
#6, #1, #3, #4, #11, and #13 – I agree with you all…
Yay Iowa!
As i read… (here?), The Kelvin was originally the Iowa. A fine tribute to my state and the old Battleship U.S.S Iowa. I may have to go east and visit Riverside someday.
Geez guys, #2 was making a reference to the movie.
Don’t be such morons.
#15 Correct
#4 and #7 — Light humour perhaps?
This is on the same weekend that Shatner is at Trek Expo in Tulsa, OK. !! What a shame.
Re 2: Nice try!
Ha. That shuttlecraft Kirk was born on was *named* Riverside, and was built in Iowa! There, put that in yer canon and smoke it!
(all in fun, my friends…all in fun)
This is a DISASTER! The USS Riverside IS NOT CANON!…
(That old gag)
On the side: With all these #(numbers) being thrown around I may have to play the lottery.
“A Guinness Book record attempt will be conducted at this time to break a record of 99 people dressed in Star Trek costumes. Goal: 1000 people.”
The actual standing record is 507 at the FedCon convention in Germany.
James Cawley knows this, he was there at the time:
http://www.startrekphase2.de/en/fedcon19_world_record.html
Good luck for your record attempt, but 507 will be tough to beat…..
Fro Remington Steele– and all–
Steele, Riverside in Trek 11 is where the “new” Kirk grew up, but where the USS Enterprise (alternate) was built (born?)…the “old” Kirk is the fellow is who is “from” Riverside…
At any rate, Riverside was lauded by Gene Roddenberry as the place “Where the Future Begins”.
Rightly so–he said to the City of Riverside when they asked if they could claim Jame sKirk as their won, “As far as i’m concerned the first who asked, is the first who gets.”
I happen to be the guy who wrote the Wikipedia article on Riverside, IA. Great town, good folks, and they welcom EVERY body–we’re even getting a contingent of the Fighting 501st Stormtroopers (w/Vader) to attend. Security for the Trekkies’ Guinness World Record attempt???
We’ll see.
PS–For you Klingons out there–we have Romulans coming–Feds too–Want to swear a Blood Oath to be the biggest contingent for the Guiness Attempt? Are Klingons worthy of such an honor? Let’s see what you can do! And for the rest of you–are going to let Klingons be the only ones there?
See you all at the Fest–stellar_sojourn.
21: That one is not official either. There are a lot of rules that are set by the Guiness people. If Fed con did not follow these rules, then so sorry it won’t be official. I was there and endured that dang heat.
we were going to try for the most red shirts in one place, but that fell through, when 2 people collapsed due to the heat.
22: Hey i saw you guys. LOL I was helping with the parade. :) I was with the USS Davenport.
Hey does anyone have pics of the Riverside attempt? I didn’t have my camera at the time. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
23: The German record will be official soon, the guys at Guinness are just slow in processing it. All was recorded correctly and the application has been officially accepted by Guinness.
If you can read German, you can learn more about it here:
http://board.ostfc.de/thread.php?threadid=12084