Star Trek’s 60th Anniversary to be Celebrated in Seaside Heights

Star Trek’s 60th Anniversary to be Celebrated in Seaside Heights

JERSEY SHORE – The Jersey Shore Chapter of Starfleet: The International Star Trek Fan Association (SFI) is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Star Trek on August 30 on the boardwalk and oceanfront of Seaside Heights from 5 to 10 p.m.

The Star Trek franchise has inspired generations through its innovative storytelling, multiple series, films and books - to count only a few of the medias it has touched since 1966.! SFI has been a part of that

adventure since 1975, founded by enthusiastic Star Trek fans across the globe from its foundations in the United States across to Europe and out to Japan and Australia. There are very few places (if any) that this iconic show hasn’t been experienced.

The USS Challenger formed in 1988 and meets monthly in Seaside Heights and is made up primarily of fans in Ocean and Monmouth counties. The Challenger is among the 200 SFI chapters and is among 4,700 members of the international organization.

Chapters are actively putting together their own program of events this year to mark the celebration and the USS Challenger, in partnership with the Borough of Seaside Heights is hosting a Star Trek 60 Celebration with the screening of a science fiction film that in its own way serves as a tribute to the franchise despite not actually being one a dozen Star Trek feature films.

On August 23 there will be vendors on the boardwalk near the Franklin Avenue stage that will feature comic book and science fiction inspired merchandise as well as a table featuring members of the USS Challenger. Brick Township resident Steven Lance, who appeared as an extra in the very first Star Trek feature film released in 1979, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” will be a special guest and will sign autographs and talk to Star Trek fans about his experience on the set of the film and his friendships with cast members as well as his years hosting the early Star Trek fan conventions.

Due to the franchise’s milestone year, Star Trek films were not available for rental screening by municipalities that host free films at their parks, beaches and other venues such as the Seaside Heights free movies on the boardwalk at dusk series that has been screening classics like “Jaws”, “Zootopia 2”, “Back To The Future”, “Lilo & Stitch”, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”

At dusk around 8:15 p.m. the film “Galaxy Quest” a 1999 American satirical science fiction comedy film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon will be screened (enter at the Fremont Avenue dune crossover).

The plot concerns the cast of the 1980s space-adventure series Galaxy Quest attending fan conventions and trivial promotional appearances. Former star, Jason Nesmith played by Tim Allen, thrives on the attention, his co-stars resent him and their stalled careers. At a convention, a group calling themselves Thermians approach him for help. He believes they want him for a promotional appearance but he doesn’t realize they are actual aliens who believe his adventures on the TV series are real.

The film also stars Sigourney Weaver as Gwen DeMarco, Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane, and Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan. The original spec script by David Howard was titled Captain Starshine. Howard stated he got the idea while at an IMAX presentation, where one of the trailers for an upcoming “Americans in Space” film was narrated by Leonard Nimoy, a leading actor from Star Trek.

The trailer got Howard thinking about how the other Star Trek actors had become pigeonholed in these roles since the cancellation of Star Trek, and he then came up with the idea of “What if there were real aliens involved?”

Toms River resident Bob Vosseller has served as the chapter chairman or “captain” of the USS Challenger chapter for all 38 years of its existence and is a lifelong Star Trek fan. “This is an incredible time to be a fan of Star Trek and everything that it represents. Gene Roddenberry created an enduring and positive view of the future which has attracted worldwide praise and interest. Through SFI and our chapter we are able to celebrate its legacy as one giant global community.”

“Star Trek fans are a truly welcoming community of diverse individuals and there is something for

everyone whether they’re a life-long fan who was there from the beginning or a young cadet taking their first Star Trek steps alongside a Trekking parent,” Vosseller said. “We thank the Borough of Seaside Heights for providing this special venue and allowing us to bring this fandom celebration to the Jersey Shore on August 30.” For information about the event visit usschallenger.org, email usschallengerco@gmail.com or check out the USS Challenger Facebook page. You can also visit the Seaside Heights website at https://www.seaside-heightsnj.org/