Boldly Going to Garland: Celebrating 60 Years of Star Trek presented by Garland Cultural Arts
Garland Cultural Arts presents
Boldly Going to Garland: Celebrating 60 Years of Star Trek
An Intergalactic Adventure from the It Came From Texas Film Festival
Sixty years ago, a five-year mission launched television audiences into the final frontier—and the journey has never truly ended.
Join Garland Cultural Arts and the It Came From Texas Film Festival for Boldly Going to Garland, a one-day celebration honoring six decades of Star Trek. Whether you're a lifelong Trekkie (or Trekker, if you prefer), a casual fan, or introducing a new generation to the Federation, this event promises a day of exploration, imagination, and fun.
Enjoy classic episode and feature film screenings, trivia competitions, costume contests, photo opportunities, engaging panel discussions, vendors, and more as we celebrate the stories, characters, and optimistic vision that have inspired fans around the world for 60 years.
And because every great Texas festival deserves a Lone Star connection, we're proud to note that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in El Paso, Texas, making this galactic gathering a perfect fit for the It Came From Texas Film Festival.
So dust off your Starfleet uniform, polish your communicator, and join us as we Boldly go to Garland!
Saturday, September 12, 2026 — All day, all ranks welcome
At the Plaza Theatre, 521 W. State Street, Garland, TX
Throughout the day, Boldly Going to Garland presents Captain's Conversations moderated by Nancy Churnin. Nancy is the author of more than two dozen books for kids, a member of the Texas Commission on the Arts Texas Touring Roster, and a lifelong Star Trek fan on a mission for her books to bring understanding, knowledge, and peace in the galaxy!
SCHEDULE
9:30 AM - DOORS OPEN
10:00 AM - Welcome & Proclamation
10:15 AM - Trivia #1
10:30 AM - Panel - Dr. Christopher Gonzalez - Star Trek's Vision of Diversity
Dr. Christopher González, whose scholarship explores Latinx performers in science fiction, will provide new perspectives on representation throughout the Star Trek universe.
11:00 AM - Episode Screening - Space Seed (1967) - Original Series
A derelict spaceship, bearing the survivors of a past civilization held in suspended animation, drifts into the path of the USS Enterprise.
11:51 AM - Post Screening Questions
12:06 PM - Trivia #2
Volunteer to hop on stage and flaunt your knowledge for your chance to win a prize!
12:21 PM - Lunch break
Enjoy lunch at one of Garland's nearby restaurants.
2:15 PM - Trivia #3
Volunteer to hop on stage and flaunt your knowledge for your chance to win a prize!
2:30 PM - Panel - Dr. Christopher Gonzalez
Dr. Christopher González, whose scholarship explores Latinx performers in science fiction, will provide new perspectives on representation throughout the Star Trek universe
2:45 PM - Film Screening - Wrath of Khan (1982)
The plot features Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise facing off against the genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh. When Khan escapes from a 15-year exile to exact revenge on Kirk, the crew of the Enterprise must stop him from acquiring a powerful terraforming device named Genesis.
4:41 PM - Post Screening Questions
4:56 PM - Trivia #4
Volunteer to hop on stage and flaunt your knowledge for your chance to win a prize!
5:11 PM - Astronomer talk + Q&A
University of Texas at Arlington Planetarium Director Levent Gurdemir and Planetarium Coordinator McKenna Dowd will join us to discuss the cosmos and space phenomena as they relate to the Star Trek universe.
5:56 PM - Episode Screening - Voyager: Blink of an Eye (2000)
6:46 PM - Dinner Break
Enjoy dinner at one of Garland's nearby restaurants.
This September, five Downtown Garland businesses are bringing a taste of the galaxy to their menus with limited-time drinks inspired by the Star Trek universe.
Gather your crew, explore each stop, and boldly sip your way through the lineup all month long:
Dos Banderas: Rye Long & Prosper
Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery: Tart Trek
Lockwood Distilling Co.: Cosmic Cooler
Taco y Vino Downtown Garland: Vintage 2063
Tavern Garland: Blood Oath Martini
8:00 PM - Costume Contest
How would you suit up for a mission aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise?
Would you wear a sleek Starfleet uniform? Or a fierce Klingon warrior outfit? Or do you have your own stellar style?
Show us your best Star Trek inspired outfit for a chance to win a prize!
8:15 PM - Panel - Barney Burman
Academy Award-winning makeup artist Barney Burman will take audiences behind the scenes and into his creations of the characters’ looks of J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot, STAR TREK, sharing stories from the production that earned the franchise its first—and still only—Academy Award.
8:45 PM - Film Screening - Star Trek 2009
Aboard the USS Enterprise, the most-sophisticated starship ever built, a novice crew embarks on its maiden voyage. Their path takes them on a collision course with Nero, a Romulan commander whose mission of vengeance threatens all mankind. If humanity is to survive, a rebellious young officer named James T. Kirk and a coolly logical Vulcan named Spock must move beyond their rivalry and find a way to defeat Nero before it is too late.
10:52 PM - Post Screening Questions
11:07 PM - Announce Raffle Winners
We are ending the night with the announcement of our raffle winners! We will be raffling off a Star Trek The Original Series Captains Chair, built in house by the Granville Arts Center technical staff! 100% of raffle ticket sales will go to the Reel Owl Cinema Club, a unique four year high school International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) narrative film program which has been producing films at Garland High School since 2004. Get your tickets in the lobby! Must be present to win.
