FedCon

FedCon (short for Federation Convention) is a science fiction convention, also including a bit of fantasy, in Germany. It focuses on Star Trek. FedCon is the biggest Star Trek convention in Europe.[1][2]

Federation Convention
StatusActive
GenreScience Fiction/Multi-media Fandom
Location(s)Fulda/Bonn/Düsseldorf
CountryGermany
Inaugurated1992
AttendanceApprox. 5000
Organized byFedCon GmbH
Websitehttp://www.fedcon.de/
FedCon 2009

History

It has been held each spring since 1992. In 2005, it was held in Bonn—as several years before—but in 2006, it took place in Fulda, while it returned to Bonn in 2007. FedCon is attended by sci-fi fans from 25-30 different countries around the world and is frequently hosted by Master of Ceremonies, Marc B. Lee of Orlando, Florida. FedCon used to be a 3-day convention, but due to its 20th anniversary, it moved to Düsseldorf Maritim hotel and became a 4-day convention. In 2010, it was hosted by Ed Wasser, 2011 until 2013 by Garrett Wang, and since 2014, Nessi Wann-Petry is hosting the show.

Created by Dirk Bartholomae of Augsburg, Germany, FedCon has shown its fans a different brand of conventioneering by providing stage entertainment with professional stunt teams, musical acts and performances by its actor guests.

FedCon GmbH, its corporate label, is also responsible for the Ring*Con Lord of the Rings convention.

Contrary to many science fiction events originating in the 1960s and 1980s, which were orientated on sci-fi literature, FedCon focuses on movies and television. It started as a pure Star Trek convention and spread its spectrum over the years.

Guests

Starting with Walter Koenig, first guests were actors from the various Star Trek series, but later also included actors and co-workers from other series like Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars, Buffy, Farscape, Andromeda, Stargate and Xena: Warrior Princess. Other special guests attending the FedCon include authors, voice artists, scientists and astronauts.

FedCon USA

FedCon is not to be confused with FedCon USA, a similar convention in Dallas, United States, in June 2008 which licensed the name but closed mid-convention due to poor attendance. FedCon claims that it disassociated itself with FedCon USA in January 2008.[3]

Activities

Activities and events at the convention typically include (but are not limited to):

  • Panel discussions with actors and other guests.
  • Autographing sessions
  • Photographing sessions with the actors
  • Speeches or other presentations by scientists and experts about a specific topic, like the Klingon language.
  • Socialising in the evening convention-party, where some stars might also appear.
  • Costuming - both formal competition, and casual hall costumes.
  • Dealers' room - a large hall full of people selling books, movies, jewellery, costumes (often including weapons), games, comic books, etc.
  • Art show - presenting paintings, drawings, sculpture and other work, primarily on science fiction and fantasy themes
  • Live performances, e.g. Klingon Rock Music or a fight show.
  • Watching science fiction movies, television shows, etc.
  • Possibility for local fangroups and role-playing groups to represent themselves

Special Facts

In the year 2011, FedCon achieved the world record of the most people in a Star Trek costume, having counted 691 people. They had achieved the record in the previous year with 507 persons, but it was soon beaten by a convention in Las Vegas with 571 costumed people. In September 2011, this record has been beaten again at a convention in Las Vegas with 1,040 fans.[4]

Previous FedCons
FedCon year location guests
FedCon I 1–3 May 1992 Turmhotel Augsburg Walter Koenig
FedCon II 1–3 April 1994 Arabella Hotel Munich George Takei – Robin Curtis – Richard Arnold
FedCon III 30 June – 2 July 1995 Sheraton Hotel Munich Jonathan Frakes – Brent Spiner – Eric Stillwell – Lolita Fatjo – Richard Arnold
FedCon IV 10–12 May 1996 Maritim Hotel Bonn Walter Koenig – Denise Crosby – Armin Shimerman – Garrett Wang – Robert Picardo – Richard Arnold, Lolita Fatjo – Marc B. Lee
FedCon V 9–11 May 1997 Maritim Hotel Bonn William Shatner – Roxann Dawson – Nana Visitor – Ethan Phillips – Chase Masterson – Mira Furlan – Marc B. Lee
FedCon VI 17–19 April 1998 Maritim Hotel Bonn Kate Mulgrew – Robert Beltran – Tim Russ – Max Grodénchik – Nichelle Nichols – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee
FedCon VII 30 April – 2 May 1999 Maritim Hotel Bonn Leonard Nimoy – Robert Duncan McNeill – Jeri Ryan – Gates McFadden – John de Lancie – Bruce Boxleitner – Robin Atkin Downes – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee
FedCon VIII 19–21 May 2000 Maritim Hotel Bonn Richard Arnold – Lolita Fatjo – Richard Herd – René Auberjonois – Marina Sirtis – Michael Dorn – Jerry Doyle – Richard Biggs – Brent Spiner – Alice Krige – Robin Atkin Downes – – Denise Crosby – Tim Russ – Chase Masterson – Marc B. Lee
FedCon IX 6–8 April 2001 Maritim Hotel Bonn LeVar Burton – Colm Meaney – Alexander Siddig – Jennifer Lien – Claudia Christian – Richard Biggs – Robert Leeshock – Von Flores – Ted Raimi – Marjorie Monaghan – Alexandra Tydings – Manu Intiraymi – Stewart Moss – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee
FedCon X 10–12 May 2002 Maritim Hotel Bonn Walter Koenig – Avery Brooks – Nicole de Boer – Robert Beltran – Robert Duncan McNeill – Garrett Wang – Dominic Keating – Dirk Benedict – Herb Jefferson Jr. – BarBara Luna – Manu Intiraymi – Carolyn Seymour – Erin Gray – Richard Arnold – Judson Scott – Richard Hatch – Peter Williams – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XI 2–4 May 2003 Maritim Hotel Bonn Vaughn Armstrong – Nana Visitor – Linda Park – John Billingsley – Ethan Phillips – Marina Sirtis – Cirroc Lofton – Anthony Head – Ray Park – Leni Parker – Jason Carter – Gil Gerard – Robert Leeshock – Tony Amendola – Tracy Scoggins – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XII 21–23 May 2004 Maritim Hotel Bonn Nichelle Nichols – Tim Russ – Robert Picardo – Connor Trinneer – Anthony Montgomery – Grace Lee Whitney – Robert O'Reilly – J. G. Hertzler – Musetta Vander – Virginia Hey – Ed Wasser – Julie Benz – Tom Lenk – Amber Benson – Lolita Fatjo – Larry Nemecek – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee – Robert Vogel
FedCon XIII – The lost convention There was no FedCon XIII. FedCon XII 2004 was followed by FedCon XIV in 2005.
FedCon XIV 6–8 May 2005 Maritim Hotel Bonn Jolene Blalock – Dominic Keating – Andrew Robinson – Stephen Furst – Gary Graham – Corin Nemec – Clare Kramer – J. G. Hertzler – Bobbi Sue Luther – Rick Searfoss – James Horan – Monika Schnarre – Michael David Ward – Leonard Nimoy – Brent Spiner – Kevin Sorbo – Robert Vogel – Leonard McLeod – Hubert Zitt – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XV – The Undiscovered Country 19–21 May 2006 Hotel Esperanto Fulda Patrick Kilpatrick – Walter Koenig – George Takei – Gates McFadden – Robert Beltran – Connor Trinneer – Nicole de Boer – Cirroc Lofton – Mira Furlan – Gigi Edgley – Christian Kane – Menina Fortunato – Marc Singer – Claudia Christian – Dean Haglund – Gary Jones – Clare Kramer – Andy Hallett – Tim Brazeal – Alexandra Velten – Dr. Rainer Nagel – Hubert Zitt – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee – Robert Vogel
FedCon XVI – Droned Heart 8–10 June 2007 Maritim Hotel Bonn Kate Mulgrew – Jonathan Frakes – Avery Brooks – Jewel Staite – Paul McGillion – Garrett Wang – Armin Shimerman – Laura Bertram – Orli Shoshan – Robert O'Reilly – J. G. Hertzler – Suzie Plakson – Cirroc Lofton – Anthony Montgomery – Hubert Zitt – Alexandra Velten – Dr. Rainer Nagel – Robert Vogel – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XVII – The Lost World 18–20 April 2008 Maritim Hotel Bonn Brent Spiner – Marina Sirtis – LeVar Burton – Jamie Bamber – Mary McDonnell – Bruce Boxleitner – Michael Shanks – Kevin Sorbo – Michelle Forbes – Nicki Clyne – Leah Cairns – Julie Caitlin Brown – Peter Jurasik – Steve Bacic – René Auberjonois – John de Lancie – W. Morgan Sheppard – Robert Vogel – Richard Arnold – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XVIII – The Golden Future 1–3 May 2009 Maritim Hotel Bonn Edward James Olmos – Summer Glau – Nichelle Nichols – Colin Ferguson – Jordan Hinson – Christopher Judge – James Callis – Michael Hogan – John Billingsley – Robert Picardo – Nana Visitor – Connor Trinneer – Dominic Keating – Mark Sheppard – Marc Alaimo – Jeffrey Combs – Max Grodénchik – Erin Gray – Richard Hatch – Jonathan Woodward – Hubert Zitt – Alexandra Velten – Dr. Rainer Nagel – Richard Arnold – Mike Hillenbrand – Thomas Höhl – Robert Vogel – David Messina – Marc B. Lee
FedCon XIX – Beyond Imagination 30 April – 2 May 2010 Maritim Hotel Bonn Joe Flanigan – Luciana Carro – James Marsters – David Hewlett – Terry Farrell – Michael Dorn – Gareth David-Lloyd – Aaron Douglas – Kandyse McClure – Tahmoh Penikett – Gordon Michael Woolvett – Martha Hackett – Cliff Simon – Chase Masterson – Tsuneo Sanda – David Messina – Manu Intiraymi – Suzie Plakson – Robert Vogel – Franco Urru – James Cawley – Ed Wasser
FedCon XX – The Sci-Fi Experience 28 April – 1 May 2011 Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf Richard Dean Anderson – Scott Bakula - Robert Duncan McNeill – Lance Henriksen – Wil Wheaton – Paul McGillion – Marina Sirtis – Jeremy Bulloch – Daniel Logan – Nicole de Boer – Sean Maher – Bonnie Piesse – Dirk Benedict – Tony Amendola – Kate Hewlett – Arlene Martel – Kate Vernon – Carel Struycken – Hubert Zitt – Lieven Litaer – Garrett Wang
FedCon XXI – The Sci-Fi Experience 17. - 20. May 2012 Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf Richard Dean Anderson – William Shatner - Jonathan Frakes – Gates McFadden – Joe Flanigan – Walter Koenig - J. G. Hertzler - Robert O'Reilly - Nicholas Brendon - Felicia Day - Casper Van Dien - Kai Owen - Keith Szarabajka - Erick Avari - Teryl Rothery - Kavan Smith - Matthew Bennett - Jenette Goldstein - Ricco Ross - Carrie Henn - Virginia Hey - Eddie Paskey - Garrett Wang
FedCon XXI – The Sci-Fi Experience 29 May. - 01. June 2013 Düsseldorf Richard Dean Anderson – Amanda Tapping - Michael Shanks – Jay Acovone – Suanne Braun – Linda Park - Ben Browder - Claudia Black

References
  1. "A Beginner's Guide to Star Trek Conventions". foXnoMad. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
  2. "FedCon Comes to U.S." CBS Studios Inc. 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
  3. Trek Today, accessed June 16, 2008
  4. New World Record Set at Las Vegas Star Trek Convention, written August 14, 2011
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