It’s time to start making travel plans for 2022, because a new type of official Star Trek event just got announced during today’s First Contact Day celebrations — and so get ready to pack your bags and set a course for the Windy City.
We’re picking up a strange transmission on subspace. Attempting to boost the signal… pic.twitter.com/QRqSPuPU1J
— Star Trek (@StarTrek) April 4, 2021
Teased on social media on Sunday evening, the animated image of the USS Discovery bridge showed off a set of geographic coordinates that align to Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center — and today, that tease was revealed: the brand-new Mission: Chicago convention will kick off for next year’s First Contact Day week, running from April 8-10, 2022 — followed by a new Star Trek: Mission convention at a new city each year afterward.
The enormous 2.6 million square foot convention center features multiple ballrooms ranging up to 100,000 square feet, and the on-campus 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena which served as the 2019 Star Wars Celebration event’s main event stage.
You’re invited to boldly explore the past, present and future of the @StarTrek universe at Star Trek: Mission Chicago – the ultimate Star Trek fan experience for all ages! 3 full days of nonstop #StarTrek coming to Chicago April 8 – 10, 2022 https://t.co/gMQjX1BImS #StarTrekCHI pic.twitter.com/PMV23NXyRM
— Star Trek: Missions (@startrekmission) April 5, 2021
From the official announcement:
Star Trek: Mission Chicago will feature celebrity guests, interactive exhibits, exclusive merchandise, photo opportunities, costume exhibits, autograph sessions, gameplay and other special surprises all set within the ever-evolving and expansive Star Trek Universe.
Mission Chicago will give fans the opportunity to boldly explore the past, present and future of the franchise, while embracing the ideals of a diverse and inclusive future that remains at the center of Gene Roddenberry’s beloved creation.
The three-event is being run by ReedPop, the same convention company who manages New York Comic Con, C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, the largest genre convention in the Midwest), the annual Star Wars Celebration event, PAX, and who also produced the 2016 Star Trek: Mission New York event in New York City.
We’ve heard from several sources that CBS has long been interested in taking Star Trek conventions in a new direction, and after their first trial run with ReedPop in 2016 — and after Star Trek convention licensee Creation Entertainment’s rights to the “Official Star Trek Convention” title expired in 2019 — it seems the new Trek convention experience will make its splash next year.
There’s no word on ticket pricing or availability yet — it is a year away, and subject to (potential) changes due to any lingering pandemic issues at that point — but as soon as more news about the second Star Trek: Missions convention is available, you’ll find it here at TrekCore.