Reason #21 to attend Mountain-Con:
SHINY! (New Stuff)

Nothing is as permanent as change ... and don't we know it!

Our Web site has gone through a major revamp, and went live this week. We not only have a brand new look, but new forums, "Mountain-Con TV" (courtesy of hulu.com), and a list of up-to-the-minute announcements. Navigating the new site is also a little bit different from getting around on the old one

For example:

• The "News" link takes you to our up-to-date news ... which right now is pretty empty because the site went live just this week.
• Clicking the "Home" tab takes you to the home page ... and changes the photo of the guest featured on the page. This is also where you find "Mountain-Con TV" (provided through hulu.com), announcements of special events (like Richard Herd's auditions class and Sarah Douglas's "Resident Alien"), and so forth.
• "About Mountain-Con" takes you to several different sections. These include general information and a FAQ page as well as a history of Mountain-Con's past guest lineups. This section also has our programming schedule, gaming schedule, KidCon schedule, Media Room and Anime Room schedules (as soon as these get published), information about our Banquet With the Stars, the Mountain-Con Film Festival rules & entry form, and has a place to show off props.
  • Yes, there IS a gaming schedule up right now!
• The "Guests" tab has guest information. Just click on the individual guest's name. A window will pop up with information about that particular Mountain-Con guest.
  • This is also where we will announce changes to our guest lineup. Please keep in mind that all guest appearances are subject to professional commitment and may be canceled or changed at a moment's notice. Mountain-Con is not responsible for any such changes, but will endeavor to substitute another guest if a scheduled guest becomes unavailable.
• "Links" takes you to our friends' Web sites. There are tabs for clubs, other conventions, former guests' pages, online comics sites, and stuff we couldn't fit under other tabs.
  • Note: The "Links" tab is also where you can find information on prices for advertising in our program book.
• The "Forum" tab, of course, takes you to our brand new, redesigned forums. Unfortunately you'll have to sign up again, since this new forum is in a completely different format than the previous forums page. (Guess that means we start the trivia round robin over once again! LOL)
• Finally, the "Contact Us" tab shows the e-mails for all of the positions at Mountain-Con, including who holds the current position. If you have a question about Mountain-Con, THIS is where you go to find out who to ask!

We hope you enjoyed the tutorial and, most of all, that you like our new Web site. To quote the crew of the Firefly-class transport vessel Serenity... Shiny!

One final thing...
Please keep in mind that all guest appearances are subject to professional commitment and may be canceled or changed at a moment's notice. Mountain-Con is not responsible for any such changes, but will endeavor to substitute another guest if a scheduled guest becomes unavailable.

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45. Single-day rates are also available at the door.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo*

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con: Fan Film Festival

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con: "Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Reason #15 to attend Mountain-Con: Costume Contest & Masquerade

Reason #16 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Mull

Reason #17 to attend Mountain-Con: Mark Goddard*

Reason #18 to attend Mountain-Con: Richard Herd

Reason #19 to attend Mountain-Con: Scott Schwartz

Reason #20 to attend Mountain-Con: Victor Brandt

Reason #21 to attend Mountain-Con:
SHINY! (New Stuff)

* Due to professional commitments, Mr. Kevin Sorbo is no longer able to attend Mountain-Con. Also, Mr. Mark Goddard has a personal conflict with our convention dates. Please stay tuned to our Web site for up-to-date information on replacements. As soon as we know ... you'll know!

Reason #15 to attend Mountain-Con:
Costume Contest and Masquerade

You never know who you will meet at Mountain-Con. We've been visited by the Ghost Rider, Green Lantern, the Borg, Professors Snape and McGonigal, several Stormtroopers, Starfleet officers, and Hogwarts students, Captain Jack Sparrow and the entire family of The Incredibles.

As per usual, Mountain-Con will hold a costume contest and masquerade. All participants win some sort of prize/recognition. Last year, we had our guests judge the contest, and they decided that one of our contestants deserved the "Bravest in Utah" award for his "Dr. Frank N. Furter" costume. (If you don't know who that is...you're probably too young to find out.) Other awards included "Best Choreographed", and "Best Child's Costume". Everyone involved had a great time. (Thanks to the folks at CONduit for helping us run the masquerade this year.)

So, get those creative juices flowing and get your costume together this September 19th through 21st. Who knows...maybe YOU'LL get the "Bravest in Utah" award this time.

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con: Fan Film Festival

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con: "Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Reason #15 to attend Mountain-Con:
Costume Contest and Masquerade

It's been about three weeks since we highlighted one of our awesome guests, so I guess it's time to do so again.

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con:
Herb Jefferson Jr.

Mr. Herb Jefferson Jr. may be known best for his role as "Boomer" on the original Battlestar Galactica, but is by no means the whole of his career.

Some of Mr. Jefferson's other roles include Baxter in "Columbo: Playback", Muntzy in "Knight Rider: Knight of the Phoenix" (i.e. the "Knight Rider" pilot), Otis Barnes in "The Devlin Connection", and a news reporter in "Apollo 13." Mr. Jefferson has guest starred in numerous television shows, including "Airwolf", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "Mission: Impossible", "ER", and "Hill Street Blues".

Mr. Jefferson's latest role is an appearance in the film: "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men", which will be shown in its entirety at Mountain-Con this September (see "Reason" #9).

Herb Jefferson Jr. is also supporter of our Armed Forces, and is involved in organizations like the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys For Tots" program, the USO, and the California Paralyzed Veterans Association. As Mountain-Con will be near Hill Air Force base this year, we hope that the soldiers will come out and visit with Mr. Jefferson, who would be pleased to see all of you!

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con:
Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con:
Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Mountain-Con has the unique opportunity to show all three parts of "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men", starring former Mountain-Con guests Walter Koenig, Garrett Wang, and Chase Masterson and Mountain-Con 4 guest Herb Jefferson. ("Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" also stars Nichelle Nichols, and Alan Ruck with Ethan Phillips, Cirroc Lofton, JG Hertzler, Gary Graham, and Tim Russ.)

Of Gods and Men is set in an alternate reality, and it is fun to see some of our favorite characters in situations you never thought you'd see. Come join us for this unique opportunity!

You can find out more about "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" at their Web site: http://www.startrekofgodsandmen.net.

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con:
Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

It's that time of week again, when we tell you what is new and exciting with Mountain-Con...

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con:
Cool props

Mountain-Con is lucky to have some great prop-makers on staff. In addition, this year we are going to have some life sized B9 robots (the kind from "Lost in Space") coming all the way from Colorado.

Visit the props page on our Web site.

These (really COOL) robots were built by a gentleman who is known on our forums as "ColoradoDroid" (and his friends). ColoradoDroid has said that he's also working on a life sized remote control R2D2 robot. (Bring that next year, eh?)

The Stargate, on the other hand, has been a staple at Mountain-Con ever since the first convention.

Originally built for a costuming convention, Mountain-Con was able to take possession of the Stargate prop. It served us well for two conventions, and now lives somewhere on the West Coast. The second Stargate was built specifically for Mountain-Con III...and we had some issues when it was put up (too much stress...it broke during setup). There is another one in process for Mountain-Con 4.

Check out this video from You Tube which will explain the "Saga of the Stargate".

(Note: we have yet to bury the second one in the desert...but we want to. Any volunteers?)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con:
Cool props

Now all that's left is to purchase your Mountain-Con tickets and book your room!

It's announcement time again!

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con:
"KidCon"

KidCon is Mountain-Con's exclusive track of kid-friendly programming, and lasts the same length of time as our regular programming tracks.

KidCon has a theme each year. Previous themes were "Hogwarts Wasatch" and "Jedi Academy". This year KidCon focuses on superheroes.

Kids in the super-kid workshops will be making capes, doing other basic crafts, and watching kid-friendly movies.

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con:
"Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con:
"Brandon Sanderson!"

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con:

KidCon

Big Brothers Big Sisters charity event “Bowl for Kids' Sake” receives help from Mountain-Con, a Celebration of Fandom.

Ogden, UT, April 12, 2008:  Mountain-Con – A Celebration of Fandom, heard about the “Bowl for Kids' Sake” event for the first time this year. In a little over two months, Mountain-Con gathered a bowling team and a donation of over $500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah. Big Brothers Big Sisters holds several bowling events in the state each year. Mountain-Con will participate at the event held at the Fat Cats bowling alley,  2261 Kiesel Avenue, Ogden, Utah, and will have their own cheering section. Be on the lookout for Mountain-Con members in different types of costume.

Additional information:

• Mountain-Con supports several charities each year. At the 2007 convention last year, it gathered food for the Utah Food Bank.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentors for children aged 6 to 18.
• As “A Celebration of Fandom,” Mountain-Con supports activities, art, and entertainment created by fans of different genres.

Contact Information

• Contact Mountain-Con at:
  • Web site: http://www.mountaincon.org
  • E-mail publicity@mountaincon.org  

Did anybody attend the World Horror Convention in Salt Lake City this past weekend? What is your opinion of the convention?

We (Mountain-Con, a Celebration of Fandom) were there to both support our fellow convention and to, ahem, drum up interest in our own offering.