By the time you’re able to read this, Christine and I will be beginning our second day at Sci-Fi Weekender in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. This is the seventh consecutive SFW event that we’ve been to, and we’ve always enjoyed it.
I wrote more about why we go and the history of SFW last year, so have a read of that if you’re interested. This year, the biggest guest is Paul McGann, continuing the theme of actors who have played The Doctor in Doctor Who (Peter Davison was there last year). Noah Hathaway, from The Never-Ending Story, will also be there along with two actors from Star Trek with whom I’m not familiar with. There’s also a welcome return for John Robertson and his show The Dark Room, who was absent last year.
This year will be different; it’ll be the first full SFW that we’ve been to where there’s no Professor Elemental, and it won’t be compered by Adam Washington, again for the first time in many years. But then there have been changes every year as the event changes and evolves.
We’ll be driving down again, and as with last year we’re offering friends a lift down so we’ll have a full car. It’s a rather long drive from West Yorkshire, mainly due to the A17 which we use to cut across Lincolnshire. It’s not a particularly fast nor scenic road, passing across mainly flat agricultural land. We call it the Sto Plains.
As for whether we decide to do cosplay this year – probably not. I’ll probably take my Steampunk gear but we don’t have any specific plans. In previous years, Christine has been Sadness from Inside Out, and a Feegle Kelda from Discworld. I think she just likes making herself blue.
Bookings are already open for next year’s event. At present, we’re still deciding whether to go. If we do, we’ll need to book our annual leave early, as it coincides with Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan.
That’s pretty great. So many good memories of Yarmouth, my Mum & Dad took us there so many times as kids. My first Pier I think?