ConVERGE (science fiction and fantasy con)

Science Fiction Convention
Name:	ConVERGE
Dates:	1988, 1990
Frequency:
Location:	New Zealand
Type:	science fiction media
Focus:	science fiction, fantasy, Star Trek
Organization:
Founder:	Lana Brown
Founding Date:	1988
URL:	ConVERGE logo by Lana Brown, 1988
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ConVERGE was the New Zealand science fiction and fantasy convention. It had celebrity guests and was a fan-run con, instigated by Lana Brown and her committees.

ConVERGE

The first ConVERGE was on October 21-24, 1988, in Wanganui. Guest of Honor was writer David Gerrold and Fan Guest of Honor was Australia's Ian McLean. A highlight was the working replica of the Star Trek: The Original Series bridge set, coordinated by Mary MacLachlan and the Auckland Science Fiction Modellers' Club.

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  Con attendees gather on the bridge at the first ConVERGE ("Wanganui Chronicle", October 25, 1988)

ConVERGE II

ConVERGE II was held on June 1-4, 1990, at the Airport Hilton, Kilbirnie, Wellington. The scheduled guests were Tracy Tormé (fresh from the writing staff of Star Trek: The Next Generation), Richard Arnold (Paramount's Star Trek Archivist), and actor Brent Spiner, although Spiner was unable to attend due to professional commitments. Fan Guest of Honor was James Benson.The theme of the masquerade was a "Dixon Hill" holodeck party, celebrating a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "The Big Goodbye".

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  ConVERGE II promotional T-shirt by Lana Brown & Melody Rondeau, 1990

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  Con attendees on the holodeck, 1990

ConVERGE II: Con Reports

Converge II was a fun convention. It was very disappointing that Brent Spiner couldn’t make it (I thought I’d prepared myself mentally for that eventuality, but I hadn’t — I was devastated). However, Tracy Torme and Richard Arnold were most interesting and entertaining guests.

Down here in the Antipodes, we are really starved for news about Star Trek. In Australia, classic Trek hasn’t been on most television stations for years, and “The Next Generation” is only being released on video, very slowly (we haven’t even got all of the first season yet).

So, meeting Tracy and Richard was a great treat for us. A highlight, for me, was Richard’s slide show from the third season of TNG, when he told little anecdotes about each episode.

Tracy and Richard were both excellent guests; friendly and informative. They were also very good sports. At the opening ceremony, they took part in a “radio play” which was exceedingly silly, but very funny. Tracy played a thirties-style private detective (his voice was marvelous for the part) and Richard was Spock. Probably the hit of the evening was Fan Guest of Honor James Benson as Mr. Scott — his Scottish accent was masterly.

I missed a lot of things I would have liked to see because I was always in the video room watching TNG third season episodes. The show just gets better and better. I love “The Offspring” (isn’t Brent wonderful?) and I have a love-hate relationship with “Yesterday’s Enterprise” — I love it, but I wish I could stop crying all the way through it!

All of Converge II was very enjoyable. The guests were great, and the whole weekend ran very smoothly. Lana Brown did a magnificent job of organizing the con, and I’d like to thank her for a very wonderful time.