Fans are coming together at the Toms River Library to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which premiered on September 28, 1987 and breathed life into a new generation of fans and spinoffs – including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise.
The crew of the USS Challenger, a chapter of STARFLEET: The International STAR TREK Fan Association will join the celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 23 at 101 Washington Street.
Activities include a Star Trek costume contest, host panels about Star Trek: The Next Generation and a trivia contest. Steven Lance of Brick, who appeared in STAR TREK: The Motion Picture, a published author who also introduced the documentary For The Love of Spock about Leonard Nimoy’s life story, produced by his son Adam at the Garden State Film Festival in Atlantic City in April, will be a presenter at the event. Snacks will also be available.
The celebration coincides with the premiere of a new Star Trek series Star Trek: Discovery, which debuts on CBS the following day, Sunday, September 24. The fan celebration will include a preview panel about the new series.
The USS Challenger fan group was also formed 30 years ago, in January 1988, and holds monthly meetings, attends conventions and is involved with various community service projects throughout Ocean County.
No registration is required to attend. For more information, visit theoceancountylibrary.org.
Free parking is available all day in the top and middle levels of the Toms River parking garage behind the library or on all levels, anytime in the Ocean County parking garage on Hooper Ave.
For more information about this event or other activities of the USS Challenger, visit the group’s Facebook page at USS Challenger or its website at usschallenger.org. The fan group meets at 1 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Seaside Heights Community Center, 1000 Bay Blvd. in Seaside Heights.
