Driving out to Las Vegas from L.A. during the height of summer heat is nothing to balk at. Temperatures easily exceed 100 degrees in Vegas, but fortunately, conventions take place indoors. Creation’s STLV provides fans with an oasis of entertainment, engagement, and unique experiences that make the trek from anywhere worth the journey. This was my second STLV in a row, and I admit, I haven’t been to as many of these types of events as some might think. I confess, my recent interest in cosplay has shifted my priorities.
My initial experiences related to this realm were with my father back around thirty-five years ago at the Shrine Auditorium’s L.A. Comic Book & Sci-Fi conventions, unfortunately, now a thing of the past. We made an attempt at the 20th anniversary of Star Trek celebration held at the same venue, which featured all seven of the original cast members, but sadly, the line around the building dissuaded my parents from parking and taking our chances. As an adult, I now completely understand. That said, over the years, I’ve seen my share of panels and visited vendors at other functions, but it wasn’t until 2024 that I started attending STLV. I suppose the cruises would be the next logical step, pending my future finances.
The Rio has been the home of STLV, one of Vegas’s many hotel/casinos. We arrived on Friday, but only had tickets for the weekend. However, my partner Tori and I briefly accompanied a couple of close friends to a rooftop party where I felt compelled to throw on my costume earlier than expected. We officially kicked off our time at the convention the following morning. I recommend the Hash House for breakfast, not only for the biscuits, but for the view of fellow attendees walking down the hall towards the entrance of the event. Here, you will see a plethora of costumes from every era of ST, so it’s literally a show with your first meal of the day.
Our encounter that day with Nana Visitor at her table was as pleasant as we expected. Her smile always makes you feel welcome. Currently, Tori and I are watching DS9, so she, along with the other autographs we got, is tied in with that show. It’s too bad Colm Meaney had to cancel his appearance at the last minute, but his reason was understandable given his busy shooting schedule in Ireland. The line for Michael Dorn was short at that moment, so we headed over there. Typically, I like to have something special to say, an angle to approach talent to make the experience more memorable. Rather, I choked at having anything brilliant to say to Michael, so our moment with him was to the point, perhaps appropriate from a Klingon point of view.
We caught some of the 30th anniversary panel for Voyager, rich in “grab ass” stories…If you were there, you know. On and off, we popped into the vendor room between panels, seeing who was available for autographs, who had left from their table, and checking out the merchandise. Levar Burton was at his table, someone I had worked with earlier this year at the reopening of the Altadena Library, following the Eaton Canyon Fire. I was hired as an event photographer and spent some time with Levar and his entourage. I was tempted to say hello, but I figured I already had my close moments with him in a very unique setting, so we ventured elsewhere. Later on, we enjoyed the panel with him and his daughter, Mica.
I walked over to Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer’s table, where I took a moment to express my gratitude for their work on The D-Con Chamber. I found the exchange with Dominic to be a little awkward, but he did compliment my outfit. Their podcast could use the support through Patreon, so I urge fans to consider this for any of their favorite online shows. There’s a lot that goes into self-made productions, so the financial help goes a long way. I shook hands with the guys and regrouped with my friends.
After a break in our room, I reapplied my makeup and suited up again for the evening. The food and wine at The Lucky Tavern exceeded our expectations. It’s probably the best restaurant at the Rio, as we usually step out for more dinner options. We met our friends, James, Sarah, Sonja, Marggi, and Eileen for drinks and wrapped up the night at Vic’s Lounge for a musical performance by The Rodenberries with special guests. Into the late hours, we had a few conversations spanning from political, spiritual, professional, and so on.
Fending off a slight hangover the following morning, we caught Shatner on stage, always the showman, with humorous stories and nuggets of wisdom. We also saw part of a STIV panel with Vijay Amritraj, captain of the doomed U.S.S. Yorktown and also Roger’s Moore’s sidekick in Octopussy. I never put the two together until we listened to him speak. In particular, we found the Trek Politics panel in the DeForest Kelley Theatre to be one of the most important presentations of the weekend, with psychologist Mary L. Trump, Tim Russ, and Mary McDonnell among the panelists. As many are aware, Mary, the niece of the president, has been very critical of her uncle and his administration, writing related books on the topic and about her family. One cannot deny the various occasions where ST and our own world’s issues have intersected, so a panel such as this is welcome. While the current state of things is alarming and our future seems dim, we were inspired by the panel and left with a sense of hope, true to the values of the franchise.
Tori and I visited the Roddenberry Archive, Kavita Maharaj’s wonderful art exhibit, and did one last sweep of the vendor room, sharing precious moments with Terry Farrell and Cirroc Lofton. My phaser fell onto Cirroc’s stack of photos, where he took the opportunity to insert a “Is that your phaser or just happy to see me” joke. It was a slightly embarrassing stumble, but he nailed the moment. Some cast members are more approachable and engaging than others, but overall, most from ST are very pleasant and receptive to the fans. Some will even do most of the talking once you bring up something of interest. The experience of getting autographs is a delicate dance, where you have only seconds to gauge how warm a celebrity will be. In the end, it’s helpful to remember that they’re also human and aware of their status. Just make sure the top portion of your phaser is secure.
I worked at a print shop in Glendale, CA, over twenty years ago, where I served a few celebrities. One of them was Max Grodénchik (Rom from DS9), who also had a table in the vendor room. I approached him and mentioned I still have a signed CD from him that he released back when he was one of my customers. He was in awe and seemed to appreciate that. Funny enough, our shop printed the covers for his Ferengi comedy album. Further, we also printed and cut autograph tickets for Creation, whose office is near where I worked in Glendale. It can be a small world when you’ve been around ST and have worked all over Los Angeles.
We heard a crowd cheering at the Lapa Lounge, where we planned to grab a drink. I suspected it was like a scene from Cocktail, similar to Tom Cruise giving a performance as a bartender. Rather, it was Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, and Paul Wesley personally serving drinks on the other side of the bar! This must have been mentioned at the last minute during the Strange New Worlds panel (which we missed earlier), as there was nothing about the Lapa Lounge in the schedule. Paul Wesley is one of the founders of Brother’s Bond Bourbon. He and his costars dazzled fans with free samples of his product. I have to say, this is one of the highlights of the weekend, a stroke of luck to not only watch, but to be handed beverages from them. It was a very unique experience that will most likely never occur again, at least in our presence.
One of the things they don’t mention about cosplay is how careful you have to be while eating and drinking. I agonized over every sip and particle that went down, using a dinner table napkin to shield my chest and lap from any potential disaster. Fortunately, I left the convention unscathed in that area, except for my big toe that weathered a small storm in my Florsheim boots. That said, dressing up this year added an extra element of enjoyment. I can now see why cosplay is a huge part of the experience at various events. I’ll share more about this in my next entry.
On Monday morning, there was a false alarm on our floor that rattled our nerves. An emergency message was broadcast over a loudspeaker, which hurried our packing. Minutes later, another notification informed us that all was well again. Unfortunately, despite the panic being reset to zero, two conflicting messages went on for a few minutes until it was quiet again. Talk about asking the nature of a yellow alert in space dock. Finally, after escalating our grievances, (this wasn’t the only one) we were refunded the resort fee for one night. Tori and I plan to return for the 60th anniversary next year, but we are looking into other options for lodging, as we’ve always had some issues with staying at the Rio. Still, they offer a great space for STLV, so I’m sure Creation has its reasons to keep it where it’s been held for years. Largely, it’s a thankless job for those behind the scenes who make these conventions happen.
Circling back to one of the themes from a certain panel from the weekend, it wasn’t lost on us that we decided to attend another STLV, as if nothing in the country/world has changed. The current administration in the White House and its allies are attacking the ideals of Star Trek on various fronts. We live in a time where the executive branch wishes to have a direct hand in almost every facet of our lives. While we fight for the future of not only this country, but for humanity as well, it is important to cherish the things in life that make it worth living. That is why we chose to go ahead with our plans for STLV.
STLV is not only about the celebrities, the merchandise, and the Vegas experience; it’s really about feeling seen and being welcomed within a community. It’s the sense that not being alone is what will help us get through this very dark time. As we come together at various functions, I’ll keep these things in mind through the best and worst of times.
See you next year,
~Andy
