Starbase Indy
Encyclopedia
Starbase Indy is a science fiction convention
held annually during the Friday through Sunday of Thanksgiving
weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana
. Starbase Indy draws attendees mainly from the Midwestern United States
, but attendees have registered from as far away as Germany
and Australia
. Attendance is about 700 people. The idea for the convention germinated after Indianapolis Star Trek fans attended a convention in St. Louis and decided to create their own convention.
, who portrayed Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation
. In 1990, the convention moved to the Marriott East in Indianapolis and the now-traditional Thanksgiving weekend. Beginning in 1989, the convention adopted The Next Generation as part of its name, then the Third Generation in 1990, and so on. With Starbase Indy: The Eighth Generation in 1995, the local organizing committee ended the initial run of Starbase Indy. In 2004, after a professional convention company bowed out, a new fan-run committee organized Starbase Indy: the Ninth Generation. In 2008 Vulkon Entertainment, which had planned to take over the convention, bowed out days before the event. Local fans put together a one-day event, known as Freekon, and later in 2009 began meeting monthly to plan the 2009 Starbase Indy convention. The local organizing committee has continued the Thanksgiving weekend tradition ever since. For 2011, due to the hotel schedule, the convention had to be moved to Dec. 9-11.
in 1991, Leonard Nimoy
in 1992, Robert Picardo
and Dwight Schultz
in 1995, Jonathan Frakes
and Katee Sackhoff
in 2006,, Ray Park
in 2007 and Garrett Wang
, W. Morgan Sheppard
, and Logan Huffman
in 2009.
, and meetings for Star Trek clubs.
Starbase Indy is currently a registered non-profit organization. Each year it supports charities. In the past, Starbase Indy charities have included Cats Haven, Toys for Tots, Precious Paws, and Camp Awareness. In 2010 the charities were Cats Haven and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
held annually during the Friday through Sunday of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Starbase Indy draws attendees mainly from the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
, but attendees have registered from as far away as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Attendance is about 700 people. The idea for the convention germinated after Indianapolis Star Trek fans attended a convention in St. Louis and decided to create their own convention.
History
The first Starbase Indy was held in March 1988 in the Adam’s Mark Hotel and the main guest star was Michael DornMichael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
, who portrayed Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. In 1990, the convention moved to the Marriott East in Indianapolis and the now-traditional Thanksgiving weekend. Beginning in 1989, the convention adopted The Next Generation as part of its name, then the Third Generation in 1990, and so on. With Starbase Indy: The Eighth Generation in 1995, the local organizing committee ended the initial run of Starbase Indy. In 2004, after a professional convention company bowed out, a new fan-run committee organized Starbase Indy: the Ninth Generation. In 2008 Vulkon Entertainment, which had planned to take over the convention, bowed out days before the event. Local fans put together a one-day event, known as Freekon, and later in 2009 began meeting monthly to plan the 2009 Starbase Indy convention. The local organizing committee has continued the Thanksgiving weekend tradition ever since. For 2011, due to the hotel schedule, the convention had to be moved to Dec. 9-11.
Guest stars
Besides Michael Dorn, other guest stars at Starbase Indy have included Marina Sirtis and Majel Barrett Roddenberry in 1989, Nichelle NicholsNichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols is an American actress, singer and voice artist. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting...
in 1991, Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
in 1992, Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
and Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television, film actor, and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, and as Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First...
in 1995, Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in the Star Trek franchise, as well as for his tenure as host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction ....
and Katee Sackhoff
Katee Sackhoff
Kathryn Ann "Katee" Sackhoff is an American actress known mainly for playing Captain Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on the Sci Fi Channel's television program Battlestar Galactica. In 2004 she was nominated for a Saturn Award in the "Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series" category for her work in...
in 2006,, Ray Park
Ray Park
Raymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...
in 2007 and Garrett Wang
Garrett Wang
Garrett Richard Wang is an American actor. Wang is best known for his role in Star Trek: Voyager as Ensign Harry Kim.-Early life:...
, W. Morgan Sheppard
W. Morgan Sheppard
William Morgan Sheppard , sometimes credited as Morgan Sheppard or W. Morgan Sheppard, is a British actor.Sheppard was born in London to an Anglo-Irish family but was educated in Ireland. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art 1956-58 before spending 12 years as Associate Artist with...
, and Logan Huffman
Logan Huffman
Logan Huffman is a television actor featured in a major role as the son of the protagonist in the 2009 remake of V. His character is named Tyler Evans.-Personal:...
in 2009.
Convention activities
Starbase Indy includes the typical Q&A sessions with guest stars, a dealers’ room, panel discussions on science and science fiction topics, a masquerade, a dance, and appearances by scientists and authors. Programming in the past has included sessions on screenwriting, prop building, building robots, filk musicFilk music
Filk is a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom and a type of fan labor. The genre has been active since the early 1950s, and played primarily since the mid-1970s. The term predates 1955.-Definitions:As the Interfilk What Is Filk page demonstrates, there is...
, and meetings for Star Trek clubs.
Starbase Indy is currently a registered non-profit organization. Each year it supports charities. In the past, Starbase Indy charities have included Cats Haven, Toys for Tots, Precious Paws, and Camp Awareness. In 2010 the charities were Cats Haven and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.