Rec-Con

Star Trek Convention
Name:	Rec-Con
Dates:	1989, 1992
Frequency:
Location:
Type:
Focus:	Star Trek: TOS
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
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Rec-Con was a Star Trek convention. There were at least two of them.

Rec-Con 1989

Rec-Con 1989 was held August 25-28 at the Hilton International Hotel in Leeds, England. It was the 28th British Star Trek Convention.

flyer for 1989

The guests of honor were Todd Bryant, Richard Arnold and Dt. Jack Cohen.

The con committee were Tina, Alec, Jo, and David.

front and back covers of the program book

From the program book:

This con booklet is dedicated to the memory of Dot Owen, a leading light in Star Trek fandom for may years, in commemoration of the return of a Star Trek convention to the old Dragonara Hotel.

From the program book:

You wil I notice the fact that there is no Guest information included in the Con Booklet. The Guest photos and details have been included in separate loose leaves, for anyone who wishes to have the photographs signed by the Guests.

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  from the program book

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  from the program book

Con Reports: 1989

Back to the good old Dragonara, 'home' of so many conventions In the past. What if it is now renamed the Hilton and has a refurbished reception area? It was still a nostalgic return. So many things hadn't changed - including the run three-times-round-the-centre-of-Leeds trying to get into the correct lane to allow us to drive down Bishopgate, and the lift that broke down half way through Saturday.

We were greeted at the door by Karen Sparks and a doorman with a trolley - she had warned him that her friends would need one. He took us to Reception and left us with a porter while he went back to find us a parking space in the car park. And that was typical of the general attitude of the staff of the hotel; friendly and helpful.

[clipped bit about a beach party]

After breakfast, we returned to the sales room.... The sales room was as hot as Vulcan, and again we have reason to be grateful to Karen and Frances, who both kept us supplied with cold drinks.

As I've said before, we don't often see much of a con outside the sales room; however, when we went for lunch, I looked into the hall and caught a couple of minutes of Mr. Cohen's talk. It was on evolution, and he clearly doesn't think much of the basic design of Terran life! I would have liked to catch his other talk, but unfortunately it was after we left. We then went in to hear Richard Arnold talking about ST 5. Of course, only a few people there had seen it, so there was a great deal he couldn't say for fear of spoiling it for everyone else; we didn't hear Todd Bryant (Captain Klaa), the main guest, but he was under the same handicap. For that reason, I can't help but feel that it was a mistake inviting a guest actor from ST 5 to a con that was held before the film opened.

The fancy dress on Saturday night had fewer entrants than I've seen, but they were all good, Lyn Muir's group did well with 'The Seven Ages of Fan' - their script for this will be in IDIC LOG 1- Jim Pauley came as the Joker and was really excellent. We then went to the Enterprise Originals room party which broke up about 11.30, Janet took the dogs out and Valerie and I went to get ready for bed. We were just undressed when the fire alarm went - the almost obligatory false alarm that so many cons have suffered. Anyway, we pulled some clothes on, grabbed our bags (and Janet's) and our bears and headed out, followed by a call from a hotel employee - "I wouldn't worry, this happens all the time". There were others behind us on the stair, and although we weren't hurrying we pulled ahead of most of them. Outside there were already three fire engines, and when the fourth arrived it got a rousing cheer. Meanwhile, the Joker was getting his photo taken with the firemen. Apparently when the first firemen arrived they went dashing up the escalator... and met the Joker coming down. We were only outside for two or three minutes, then as we crowded back in a group started singing a certain song that is in ST 5 and sang it over and over all the way back into reception.

What Janet is unlikely ever to let me forget is that in my hurry to collect our bags, I forgot to pick up the blooper reel.

Richard's second talk, on TNG, was to be on the Monday, but he swapped a Sunday morning slot with Todd so we caught it... He couldn't say much about the third season, but he did tell us that Patrick Stewart has what amounts to script approval over his own lines, and that he has polished his lines - Richard mentioned one scene in Measure of a Man in particular. Most of the rest of what he said concerned a change in the material of which the costumes are made, etc...

I thoroughly enjoyed the con, and was very sorry to leave it so early. It's said you can never go back, but this time I think we did. I hope another group decides to choose the good old Dragonara (Hilton) for a con - soon.

In addition to our Guest Speakers' Talks, the Rec-Con programme holds several surprises in store for the attendees, starting off with cur BEACH PARTY, As in most things, our Beach Party is one with a difference, for a start off, it's not on a beach! But with plenty of music, from CHINATOWN, a bit of limbo dancing etc,, plenty of bodies in various loud pieces of clothing and plenty of atmosphere, no-one should notice the absence of sand, sea and surf!

Saturday begins very energetically for some, with our TREASURE HUNT, Join the other teams who will be vying with our Anneka Rice look alike for the prize, for completing the course in the fastest time. Yes, 1 did say Anneka Rice look-a-like, and as usual she will be a look-a-like with a difference, she will be a he! Colin Machan will be doing the Treasure Hunt in a blue jumpsuit,and blond wig, ably accompanied by 'Graham' the intrepid cameraman. They will be doing a charity run, hoping to raise money for our convention charities. The fun continues with the film 'BEETLEJUICE' shown on the big screen in the Main Hall, For those of you who prefer to participate in a less energetic competition there is the Denebian Slime Devils and Jeffries Tubes, a giant galactic version of Snakes and Ladders played by any number of teams. The evening starts off with the FANCY DRESS, ably compered by Anne Page, and continues with the disco, which will continue well into the early hours (lucky the Main Hall is soundproof!).

Sunday gives Dave Holmes his chance to shine,as the Rec-Con Auctioneer, The BUSINESS MEETING takes place on Sunday afternnon, followed by 'RUNNING MAN' on the big screen, Sunday continues with COMPENDIUM, a cross between the Generation Game, Game for a Laugh, Give Us A Clue and Bob's Full House. The remainder of the night is devoted to the 'Rock 'n' Roll Party'. So dig out the full circle shirts, bobby socks, drainpipes, brothel creepers and fluorescent socks, and be ready to party the night away,

Monday brings our convention to a close, but not before Jim Pauley follows in the steps of such famous names as Terry Wogan and Les Dawson in TF;EKKERTY TREK, Rec-Con's answer to Blankety B1ank.

Rec-Con 1992

Rec-Con 1992 was held August 28-31 at the Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester, England. It was the 34th British Star Trek Convention.

Con Reports: 1992

This was the best Con I have attended to date. I arrived too early on the Friday so I went on the Granada Studios Tour; well worth a visit if you are in Manchester. When I returned to the Piccadilly Hotel the staff would still not let me check in but a committee member came to the rescue and sorted it out for me. I sat in on some fifth season TNG episodes which were great... Unfortunately, I missed the 5th season cliff-hanger because I was stewarding but I was told by everyone that it was great. This season certainly looks like one of the best. The timetable was so good that on Saturday and Sunday I was literally running between the video rooms and main hall, trying to fit in the dealers' room when I could. Time flew. D.C. Fontana was one of the guests and her second talk was about DS9. We were shocked to find that Gene Roddenberry will probably not get a mention in the credits of this new show. Although DS9 was not created by Gene, if it is about Starfleet and the Roddenberry universe, then the credits should at least contain "Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry". Actually DS9 sounds quite good, with Chief O'Brien and Keiko as regular characters although other characters sound a bit strange; the commander of DS9 lost his wife in the Borg attack led by Locutus (Picard) and the bartender is a non-military Ferengi who does not get on well with the station's security chief. I got into the final of the Question of Trek competition but then bottled out at the last minute, forgetting all my Trek and losing miserably. It was good fun and my congratulations to Manchester
 Starfleet who won. I would like to give the committee ten out of ten for the Con but I do have a couple of complaints. Video room 2, an actual video theatre, kept breaking down and when you are a steward and all of a sudden the screen fizzles out you tend to panic. However after a few times I got to be quite good at restoring the picture. My major gripe is that on one of the days I was watching fifth season episodes which had carried on without the 15 minute break between episodes and were being shown in the wrong order. There was no duty steward so after visiting ops, myself and two other stewards were sent to sort it all out. It was decided to continue to the end of the video being shown, at which stage the timing would actually be correct again. However, the next thing we knew, a big guy with a blue badge strolled into the room and switched off the video. When the audience complained, his language got a little ripe. As one lady pointed out, this was a fan Convention and his attitude to us was wrong and uncalled for, really spoiling our day. The Piccadilly and Britannia Hotels were both superb, clean and well-maintained with cheerful and helpful staff. I came away very tired but feeling happy and with 200 new friends!