@ Lucy Izon

Vulcan, Alberta – Just over an hour southeast of Calgary is the tiny community of Vulcan, population 2,000. It’s always been named Vulcan, but when Star Trek took off as a television series Vulcan took on a new image. Its evolution began with some local dignitaries showing up at a meeting wearing ‘Spock Ears’ for the fun of it. Their joke was a hit! So, after another town meeting the people of Vulcan decided they had been handed a new tourism ‘Enterprise’. First they put up a replica of the Star Ship Enterprise next to a space ship-shaped Visitor Centre. Now there’s even an annual ‘trekkie’ convention, with several hundred people coming as their favorite characters. Drop by the center and you can join in the fun for free. You can slip into and Enterprise outfit and have your photo taken ‘in character’, purchase your own pair of ‘Spock Ears’ for a souvenir, and try the Vulcan Space Adventure Virtual Reality Game. Photo by Lucy Izon.

Where: Vulcan is one hour from Calgary, on the western edge of the Canadian Badlands – a southern Alberta region known for spectacular landscape, dinosaur fossils, and a western way of life. In the region you can enjoy camping, nature walks, water sports, and golf is available at the 18-hole Vulcan Golf and Country Club.

In the News: Vulcan Alberta is home to the Official Star Trek Walk of Fame. First inductee was Garrett Wang during the 19th annual Spock Days / GalaxyFest Star Trek Convention in 2011. Wang is best know for his role as Ensign Harry Kim in Start Trek:Voyager. Spock Days 2013 are usually held in early June.  In 2009 the original Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) , the famous first officer of the Starship Enterprise, encouraged Paramount Pictures to premiere the new Star Trek film in Vulcan. Vulcan doesn’t even have a theatre. So, they didn’t get the premier, but 300 residents of Vulcan are were brought to Calgary for an advanced screening of Star Trek XI on May 6, 2009. On April 23, 2010 Leonard Nimoy made his first visit to Vulcan. A parade, a Mayor wearing Vulcan ears, it was a fun memorable event!

Have you been to Vulcan? Share your experience…