Vul-Con 2019???

Vulcan is a town in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada, within Vulcan County. It is located on Highway 23, midway between the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge. The town has been recognized by CBS (whom owns 'Star Trek') as the 'Star Trek Capital of Canada'. AND Vul-Con is an annual 'Star Trek' convention organized by Vulcan tourism. The original convention coincided with the annual town fair called 'Spock Days' and was held in June. But in 2016 the Star Trek convention was moved from 'Spock Days' to its own weekend in July and rebranded 'Vul-Con'. This was due in large part because 'Spock Days' was already a big fair with most of the locals attending fair activities and a large slow-pitch ball tournament. With the fair, ball tournament AND a 'Star Trek' convention occurring on the same weekend things got crowded and accommodations were scarce and campgrounds were at capacity.

 

I have been going to Vul-Con (Spock Days convention) since 2013 and I am not impressed with the organization of the con these last 2 years. I know there have been some reorganizational changes within Vulcan Tourism with new people running things, so it can be a confusing and daunting task going in new and organizing a convention. But this convention is a boost to the local economy every year it is successful and would grow based on its success. Once word gets out this convention is not to the high standards they achieved 2013 through 2017 people are going to stay away and go elsewhere for their holidays and that money they would have brought and spent in Vulcan will go elsewhere. Last year was TERRIBLE and so far things are not looking any better. I liked going when there was actual show stars, guest stars (of significance) and behind the scenes crew people that actually played big parts in making the shows (like Rick Sternbach and Ira Steven Behr). I really don’t care if I meet the guy who was in the Gorn costume in TOS (he might be a great guy and all but not on my fanboy list of people to meet), or a guy from Germany who looks like Spock. And to make matters worse currently the tickets for the convention are not available for purchase online yet...

I plan my summer holiday around this event and when I’m down there I spend a lot of money in the local economy (room, food, vendors, stores, etc). If  I am to come to Vulcan and invest my time and money as a tourist it needs to be worth my while. A lot of my friends who have attended in years past also share my concerns. I know the next guest being announced is Tracee Cocco, who was a background actress/ stunt woman on TNG and the TNG films (but I don’t think she had any lines except maybe “Aye sir”). There is a fourth guest being announced on the 15th of May. If it’s an actual cast regular or producer I might still go... depending on who it is. 

Tracee Cocco

It’s just sad to see how the quality of this con has declined so quickly. Plus according to the convention event poster releases on line you now have to buy a VIP ticket to attend the Q&A’s... that would be a deal breaker right there for me. Q&A’s should be available for everyone who pays for a ticket, with the VIP’s getting front row seating (as it’s always been). 

Hopefully things turn around. It would be a damn shame to see this convention turn into a mere shadow of its former self. In the years I've been going they have had Odo, Kira, The Doctor (Robert Picardo), Neelix, Chakotay, Garek, Gowron, Jake Sisko (just to name a few)... and now we are getting the guy who wore the Gorn costume? We are getting a guy from Germany who is a Spock look-a-like?