We’re a only a month away from the Shindig! If you’ve already purchased your Big Damn Shindig tickets, thanks for coming along with us on this adventure! If ya’ haven’t…. Well, what are you waiting for??
For those not in the know, the BDS is an immersive, 4 day event that combines the Browncoat Ball with Can’t Stop the Serenity, hosted by yours truly, the California Browncoats, in the charming neighborhood of Newhall, in Santa Clarita, CA. The whole event is a birthday celebration for Serenity and promises to be the social event of the season! There are only a couple "full event tickets" left, and several a la carte ticket options, including Ball Only!Â
 If you aren’t sure that the Shindig will be worth the price of admission, here are a few details. At the Welcome Party on Thursday night, we will have Browncoat karaoke, hosted by Tara Quick and Brian Cook, silly games with silly prizes, and our own Badger, giving out jobs to those who want some in-character fun. Friday, we have a tour of some of the filming locations used in Firefly and Serenity, including the derelict ship from the Bushwhacked episode, followed by a Can’t Stop The Serenity Screening under the stars, to support Equality Now and Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. Saturday morning tracks include a slide show by Geoffrey Mandel, arts and crafts and tea, and a tour of a local, antique steam engine. Dance under the stars Saturday night at the Ball itself, with entertainment from the Fallen Stars and Les Follies Rouge, and end the whole thing with a Sunday brunch. These are just a few of the details, there's lots more lining up. This whirlwind weekend will be once in a lifetime - Captain says it's been more work to plan than a bobble headed geisha doll heist.
Please do not let things like "not knowing how to dress" or "not being a dancer" stop you. Dress code is as fancy as you want it to be, and dancing is just one part of the Ball. There will be food, live music, a floor show, an auction of cool stuff.
We would love to see every Browncoat there, but if you can’t make it, there are a few other ways you can support the Shindig and get your hands on some shiny swag!
We have some t-shirt and merch pre orders going on for the Shindig and we are getting close to the deadline - SHIRT pre orders have to be in by 8/23!! We do recommend ordering via the website, to make sure we have enough of each size. We will have a very small amount of extra shirts on hand at the event itself, but these are first come, first served! A man walks down the street in these shirts…. ALSO! You don’t have to be attending to order a shirt or other merch - we are happy to mail them after the event!
There’s other merch on the Browncoat Ball store as well, including a steel flask and a shiny wooden diorama, both designed by Dave Warner! All the proceeds of these merch sales go towards the Shindig budget and help host this shiny event.
There's honestly way more happening during and for the Shindig than we can cram into one newsletter. To sum it up: special places, shiny people and Serenity. You can't really ask for much more, can you?
This event is a bit of a love letter. Not just to Serenity, but to the Browncoat Fandom that continues to be the wind beneath our wings, the glow inside our fusion engine. We hope to see every Browncoat there, and if you can’t make it, thanks for helping spread the signal anyway. We appreciate your kindness, friendship and support, today and everyday. Â