Trekkies in Germany and Tampa Beat Star Trek Costumed Fans Record

On May 1 Trekkies on two continents set out to break the world record for a gathering of fans in Star Trek costumes. The gatherings in Tampa, Florida and Bonn, Germany both succeeded in beating the record set in London earlier this year. But it was the group at the FedCon XIX Convention that wound up with what (pending certification) will be the new world record.  

 

New Trek fans in costume record set at FedCon XIX*

Having heard of the initial world record setting in February in London (with only 99 costumed fans), FedCon staff were confident that they could raise the bar during their convention, which regularly attracts thousands of fans. FedCon officials applied for an official record attempt with Guinness and chose Saturday, the second and usually busiest day of FedCon, for an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.

After noon, while some fans inside the convention hotel were still standing in line for photo shoots and autographs, a different group started to gather in front of the venue’s entrance. Starfleet uniforms dominated the swelling crowd, but many others had invested even greater amounts of time, fantasy, and accurateness into picking their costumes, which had to be canon in order to count for the record attempt. Fans had dressed up as Klingons, Andorians, Orions, Jem’Hadar, even as Seven of Nine, Mr Homn and Queen Arachnia.

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Star Trek fans attempting to set new record at FedCon in Bonn, Germany May 1, 2010
(photo: René Kissien)

At 1:00 PM the fans in costume were sent straight through the hotel lobby, where other convention attendees cheered as the dressed-up fans passed a doorway into the hotel atrium. Organizers separated the wheat from the chaff at the door: non-canon Stargate uniforms were separated out, fans without a costume had to stay inside and one could hear Richard Arnold, who acted as an arbiter on costume authenticity, asking "What’s the costume?" from time to time. Vulcan ears alone did not make the cut.
The counters quickly reached the number of 100 participants necessary to set a new record but masses of costumed fans kept on flowing into the atrium and within an hour it was all all done and a new world record standing at 507 costumed fans was proudly announced.


FedCon XIX Costume slide show
(photos: René Kissien and Henning Konnert)

VIDEO (provided by FedCon)

Tampa fans try for the record too

On the same day, but a continent away, costumed fans gathered at the Vulcan Events Convention in Tampa Florida. Fans gathered at 11:00 AM (Tampa Time, which puts it after the FedCon attempt) in the parking lot of the Doubletree Hotel. As the Tampa Con is not nearly the size of FedCon, they were not able to match the same kind of numbers, but they did beat the original London record. According to the Vulcan Events Facebook page, the final count was 110 costumed fans.


Florida Trekkies attempt to set costumed fan record at Vulcan Con in Tampa on May 1st, 2010 (Photo: Vulcan Events)

*Note: Both the German and the Tampa records are still unofficial until verified by the Guinness Book organization.

Look for a full report from FedCon 2010 later this week at TrekMovie.com.

Henning Koonert, TrekMovie’s new German correspondent, is one of the managers for The TrekZone Network, a leading German Star Trek website (and TrekMovie.com partner). Henning will be reporting from FedCon XIX, so look for more updates.


 

 

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Way to go Trekkies!

Strange-that guy in the gray black sf uniform to the left of the Andorian in the vulcan con picture looks a lil bit like me cept bigger forehead haha i dont think i own a fleet uniform n sure dont remember ever being in florida–wish i was cuz both cons looked like lotsa fun!
Maybe that Bell dude at massive dynamics cloned me! Spoockk!

Love the Jem’Hadar – nice work all!!

I was on the set of DS9 when I saw my 1st Jem’Hadar…

Well actually I was outside the set during a break while my buddy was inside pitching for Voyager… also saw a beautiful Bolian lady…

In fact I was completely surrounded by Bajorans, Klingons, Ferengi, Star Fleet officers… I will never forget that… Thanks Chris!!

I have to make it to FedCon someday. Looks fantastic every time I see anything about it.

Looking forward to Henning’s report!

I keep trying to tell my family and friends that
I’m not THAT big a Trekkie – when they see pictures
like this they ask why I’m not in the middle of
it all…and I don’t have a good reason to tell them.

I would have gone, but I seem to have misplaced my uniform ;)

*sniff* So beautiful! *sniff*

Yeah, I’m in the backgroud :-)

@Gabriel Bell: Go there, you won’t regret it :-)
We had so much fun this year – again :-)

FedCon is amazing … it really rocks!!!!

@3: Thank you.

I was the Jem Hadar in the Starfleet Uniform. I forgot my original Costume and had to improvise.

greets from Germany

Uhh…i have found me on a picture here…and im not laughing :(

nice job to all Jem Hadar great job

Too bad I couldn’t make either- they needed an Odo.

the Trekkies in London were….better looking

just sayin’

Darn! I miss all these things!!!! I’ve been a trekkie for years and I have never gone to one of these things! I think what I’d do to decide for a costume would be to take a bunch of internet “what star trek character/alien species are you”, add up the majority, and scrounge around for the costume…

Aww! It looks like so much fun! Yay for trekkies!

That was pretty cool i love the Jem Hadar. Bad ass soldiers!

I showed up once at a convention contest as “Best Man at a Betazoid Wedding,” but they turned me away and said my costume was not attractive enough.

Too bad my Yeoman Rand costume got cut from the Tampa picture. BTW, just curious about the percentage of con attendees in costume for both conventions, as opposed to solely the # of people in costume.

HELL YESSSS ouo
This makes me proud to be a carbon unit.

I love the Jem Hadar.

Next will be the challenge to see how many will be at the Vegas ST CON.

still ours until it is signed and delivered by GWR