Join Garland Cultural Arts and the It Came From Texas Film Festival Sat., Sept. 12 for Boldly Going to Garland, a one-day celebration honoring six decades of Star Trek. Whether you’re a lifelong Trekkie (or Trekker, if you prefer), a casual fan, or introducing a new generation to the Federation, this event promises a day of exploration, imagination, and fun.
Enjoy classic episode and feature film screenings, trivia competitions, costume contests, photo opportunities, engaging panel discussions, vendors, and more as we celebrate the stories, characters, and optimistic vision that have inspired fans around the world for 60 years.
Boldly Going to Garland: Celebrating 60 Years of Star Trek
Both the historic Plaza Theatre (521 W State Street) and the Garland Central Library (625 Austin Street) will transform into a Federation outpost for an all-day celebration of one of popular culture’s most beloved franchises. Unlike a traditional fan convention, Boldly Going to Garland is built around the films and television episodes themselves. Audiences will gather inside the Plaza Theatre to experience Star Trek on the big screen, where classic adventures become shared experiences. Throughout the day, screenings are paired with conversations providing context, costume contests, and interactive programming, making the event equal parts film festival, celebration, and Starfleet reunion.
Just a short walk away, the Garland Central Library (open free to the public from 10 am-6 pm) expands the adventure with collectibles displays, vendors, music, fan films, blooper reels, workshops and hands-on activities. Guests can make their own Captain’s Log, paint Combadges, create their own Tribble to take home, browse collectibles, join a Sci-Fi writing session, and discover hidden corners of Star Trek fandom between screenings.
Whether attendees are lifelong Trekkies (or Trekkers), casual fans, or introducing a new generation to the Federation, Boldly Going to Garland offers an experience unlike anything else this side of the Neutral Zone. Day passes are on sale now for $55, but quantities are limited. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. No replicator backups. Fans are encouraged to beam over to GarlandArts.com before all available seats reach warp speed and are out of here.
It Came From Texas Film Festival Director
“When we were tossing around ideas for this year’s It Came From Texas Film Festival, we landed on a celebration of sixty years of exploring strange new worlds. The campy and quirky arts scene of Garland comes full circle for one unforgettable day of big-screen screenings, prestigious guests, exhibits, workshops, costume contests, and more,” said Festival Director Kelly Kitchens.
“Did you know that Star Trek has it own Lone Star connection from the very beginning? Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek creator, was born in El Paso. Not only that, but did you know that Garland even has its own Star Trek Lane? You can’t get more campy and quirky than that! I love that the final frontier and the Lone Star State have always shared the same flight plan—and giving the It Came From Texas Film Festival every reason to make this galactic celebration its own in Garland,” Kitchens concluded.
Captain’s Conversations
Rather than traditional question-and-answer sessions, Boldly Going to Garland will present Captain’s Conversations moderated by Nancy Churnin, former theater critic turned author and Star Trek lover, hosting live discussions chronicled as entries in the day’s own Captain’s Log.
Dr. Christopher González, whose scholarship explores Latinx performers in science fiction, will provide new perspectives on representation throughout the Star Trek universe. His work offers the perfect bridge into the festival’s presentation of Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Space Seed,” followed immediately by its legendary cinematic sequel, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN.
Academy Award-winning makeup artist Barney Burman will take audiences behind the scenes and into his creations of the characters’ looks of J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot, STAR TREK, sharing stories from the production that earned the franchise its first—and still only—Academy Award.
For updated information or to purchase tickets for Boldly Going to Garland: Celebrating 60 Years of Star Trek, please visit GarlandArts.com.
