Stellar Fest 2025
It's the weekend before spring break, and you have nothing to do...right? WRONG!!! If you are into all things sci-fi and in the Atlanta area this weekend, you should check out Stellar Fest!!
The brainchild of Chris and Angela Seckinger, Stellar Fest is the Science Fiction answer to their other popular fandom convention, CONjuration, which focuses mostly on the Fantasy genre of media and literature. Taking place April 4-6 at the Sonesta Gwinnett Place hotel in Duluth, Stellar Fest aims to create an immersive experience for fans of sci-fi such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who and Other Worlds. While it focuses mostly on the fan aspect of fandom, there will be some media (Lost in Space, Star Trek) and literary guests in attendance, as well as space-related podcasts, musical acts and performers. If you've ever attended CONjuration (which is one of our favorite fandom spaces at the FHP), then you know that you are in for a stellar good time!!
Anthony will have a chance to indulge the sci-fi part of his brain, as he will be participating on four panels throughout the weekend. His panelist schedule is as follows:
Saturday, April 5, 2025
1pm - Ranking Retro Space Movies: Cult Classics of the '70s & '80s - Before Star Wars took over pop culture, a wave of weird, wild, and extraordinary space adventures filled theaters and late-night TV screens. From Battle Beyond the Stars to Flash Gordon, The Last Starfighter, and Ice Pirates, these retro sci-fi flicks gave us laser battles, cheesy special effects, and unforgettable one-liners. But which one reigns supreme? Join us as we rank, debate, and celebrate the best (and worst) of '70s & '80s space cinema!
4pm - Kelvin Trek: Boldly Going in the Right Direction or Lost in Space? - JJ Abrams' Kelvin Timeline (Star Trek 2009, Into Darkness, Beyond) divided the fandom. Many Trekkies felt it sacrificed Star Trek's core identity for flashy action. Others enjoyed the fresh take and character re-imaginings. In this respectful and engaging debate, we'll explore what worked, what didn't, and whether the Kelvin Timeline deserves more love - or if it should be left in a black hole.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
10am - Time Travel: Narrative Genius or Lazy Writing? A Friendly Debate - Anthony hates time travel stories - except for Doctor Who. Nick loves them. In this fun, spirited debate, Nick will attempt to prove that time travel is an excellent storytelling device, while Anthony remains skeptical. Can Nick change Anthony's mind, or will Anthony convince the audience that time travel is a messy plot device filled with paradoxes and lazy writing? Join the discussion, cast your vote, and share you thoughts on the best (and worst) time travel stories in sci-fi and fantasy.
2pm - Battle of the Starfleet Captains: Who Commands the Final Frontier Best? - Join us for an epic showdown as we debate and rank the greatest Starfleet captains in Star Trek history! From Kirk's bold tactics to Picard's diplomacy, Janeway's resilience, and Sisko's wartime leadership, each captain brought their style to the command chair. Who stands above the rest? We'll break down their leadership skills, moral dilemmas, and biggest victories - and let the audience weight in!
You can purchase tickets, view the schedule, and check out the guest list at www.stellarfest.org.
Hanako
Creator and Host
- The Fandom Hybrid Podcast launched at the end of September 2020 and was born out of a love for talking about all things fandom. As a lifelong fangirl, I relish in any opportunity I am given to express my love (and sometimes dislike) for TV shows, movies and books, mainly in the science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural genres. As such, I have had the opportunity to write/blog for a number of different online outlets over the past few years. I am a former Examiner, having contributed to the Sci-Fi TV and Movies in Atlanta and Atlanta Geek Culture blogs (2011-2014); I was also the “Harry Potter Blogger” for Hollywood News (2010-2011). I have served as a panelist at Dragon Con for the past 14 years, and I have been podcasting for the last 15 years.
Harry Potter has been my primary fandom since I was introduced to it in 2005; my other current interests include - but are not limited to - the MCU (films and TV shows), The Walking Dead Universe, Outlander, AMC's Interview With the Vampire, House of the Dragon, The Umbrella Academy, The Boys, and Stranger Things.
Past Favorites: Supernatural, Stargate SG-1, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dark Angel, The Tudors, Caprica, 24, V: The Series, Camelot, Dracula, True Blood, Being Human (US), The Vampire Diaries Universe, Sleepy Hollow (pre-Season 4), Game of Thrones, Arrow, Into the Badlands, Orphan Black, Salem, and American Gods, A Discovery of Witches, and Shadow and Bone (book and Netflix show).
Favorite novel: The Stand by Stephen King.
FHP Takeover at CONjuration 2024
