For the Love of Sci-Fi 2017
It comes around again so quickly, we are now just over 3 months away from For the Love of Sci-Fi 2017. Tickets are selling very fast and we have now sold over 50% of general admission tickets. After the resounding success of our 2016 show we’re proud to return for our third event which will be our flagship show, this will be the best For the Love of Sci-fi yet!
We are always listening to feedback from the fans, and because we’re fans too, we want to create the best convention experience possible for everyone attending. Other events focus on guests, merchandise traders, and some re-used props, but For the Love of Sci-Fi is different. We’re doing everything we can to make the weekend as incredible as possible in all aspects, and give you immense value for money.
This rings true with our special guest bookings, William Shatner, Captain Kirk from the original Star Trek series heads up our most ambitious line up yet, alongside David Hasselhoff – Michael Knight in Knight Rider and Mitch Buchanan in Baywatch, Dolph Lundgren – He-man in Masters of the Universe, Andrew Scott in Universal Soldier and Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, Ernie Hudson – Zeddemore in Ghostbusters, Casper Van Dien – Johnny Rico in Starship Troopers, Billy Dee Williams – Lando Calrissian, Dave Prowse – Darth Vader, Ken Colley – Admiral Piett and Jeremy Bulloch – Boba Fett in Star Wars
We are also honoured to bring you an exclusive, for the first time ever in the UK Joonas Suotamo – Chewbacca in Star Wars The Force Awakens, and the new film out next year Han Solo A Star Wars Story. The Northwest has never seen such a quality guest line up and we’re incredibly honoured to be hosting them here. Keep an eye on our social channels we may have more guest announcements.
Ask anyone and they will tell you that For the Love of the Sci-fi is best known for its amazing one-off prop builds, including our life size X-wing, Scout Walker and Cantina Space Bar we revealed in 2015, or our Alien Powerloader and Interactive Optimus Prime shown in 2016.
This year we are raising the game, with a spacecraft focus, we are building a colonial Viper from Battlestar Galactica in memory of Richard Hatch, Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced, and the Batwing from Tim Burton’s seminal 1989 Batman movie, along with a 30ft classic UFO spacecraft inspired by films such as Close Encounters. You won’t see these props anywhere else as they never go on tour, they are exclusive to For the Love of Sci-fi.
An amazing exclusive this year will be a collection of screen used props and exhibits from the Lord Of The Rings movies which will be housed inside a weathertop set recreation from Fellowhip of the Rings. This fine collection is part of the Andy Mansion Collection.
If you’re a Judge Dredd fan, you’ll love our massive collection of screen used props and costumes again from the Andrew Mansion Collection. Its centrepiece is the Lawmaster bike actually driven by Karl Urban on screen in the 2012 movie and many costumes worn by the cast. The exhibit also features a taxi seen on screen in the 1995 movie with Sylvester Stallone. All of these amazing props are set against a Halls of Justice and Peach Trees set piece guarded by a dedicated Judge Dredd fan cosplay group.
As we’re hosting Ernie Hudson and David Hasselhoff this year, we felt we had to get the best examples of the Ecto-1 and K.I.T.T. we could find. Don’t miss out on two incredible opportunities to have your photo taken with these movie stars and the iconic cars they once drove on screen.
Back this year is the Power Loader used by Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in Aliens to protect Newt and fight the Alien Queen, the stark yellow Caterpillar P-5000 Work Loader or ‘Power Loader’ as it’s more commonly known was an exoskeleton suit designed to lift heavy objects and materials. The Loader we have built sits inside a three dimensional Sulaco hangar set and allows you to climb inside and operate the loader arms, claws and special effects features for a for a truly immersive experience and a great photo opportunity.
We will also have an amazing photo opportunity for you with a live owl outside Hagrid’s Hut from Harry Potter, and another amazing photo opportunity with E.T in his forest.
This year we have two examples of Captain James T Kirk command chair for you to sit in and experience. A replica of the one seen in Star Trek The Original Series and a replica of the one seen in the original Star Trek movies, both used by Captain Kirk – William Shatner who makes his debut appearance at For the Love of Sci-Fi 2017.
To celebrate 50 years of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons we have some of the best replica puppets & props from the series on display for you to enjoy. Following the success of Thunderbirds, Gerry and Sylvia went on to make Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons which aired between 1967-1968. The series was much darker in tone than previous shows and marked a change in puppet design than what had been used previously, with marionettes featuring more lifelike limb proportions.
Fans of the Thunderbirds will love our display of screen used and replica puppets and props. Come along to the display area and ask to hear some of the stories about these incredible artefacts that viewers both old and young grew up watching on TV. Replica puppets include fan favourites Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, John, and Jeff Tracy. The beautiful Lady Penelope, bumbling chauffeur Parker and genius Brains. Replica props include Thunderbird 1, 2 and 3. FAB1, Fireflashfive, Master Elevator Car and a full size Thunderbirds gun.
You’ll also get to see up close, original screen used props made for Thunderbirds 1965, including a full set of puppet scale Crown Jewels, the Tracy Island lounge sofa, puppet costumes and Skicopter. This collection is exclusive this year to For the Love of Sci-Fi, and is rarely shown to the public.
For the first time ever at For the Love of Sci-Fi we’re bringing you a huge Steam Punk Zone, featuring incredibly detailed and curious Steam Punk themed renditions of robots, costumes, weapons and props seen in everything from Star Wars to Doctor Who, including an R2-D2 & C-3PO and a brand new, never before displayed Steam Punk Tardis. You can’t miss this!
AND WE HAVE NOT STOPPED YET!!! COUNTLESS MORE SET & PROP BUILDS STILL TO BE ADDED!
Every year, For the Love of Sci-Fi gets bigger and better. We are incredibly excited to reveal for the first time ever, our huge Sci-fi stage hosted by Hollywood actor Casper Van Dien as master of ceremonies. He has interviewed many of his A-list peers on his successful online video series. We are thrilled to have him host our Sci-Fi stage and bring to Manchester plenty of Hollywood charm and glamour.
Across both days of the event, you can expect to see our full guest line up live on stage in panels talking about their careers and taking questions from the audience, see exclusive screenings of Sci-Fi fan film shorts and big movie trailers. Experience huge opening and closing ceremonies where everyone gets together to celebrate For the Love of Sci-Fi, and see some of the best costumers battle it out in our cosplay competition. Witness all this and much more, at no extra cost, all included in the general admission price.
On stage you’ll also get the chance to see our hugely popular and moving Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra. An ensemble of top talented musicians will play all your favourite Sci-Fi theme tunes, including for the first time ever, the original Battlestar Galactica theme, a fitting tribute in memory of our late friend Richard Hatch – Apollo and Tom Zarek in both the original and modern Battlestar Galactica TV series respectively.
We’re also bringing you another first, a stage performance by none other than Andrew Lawden, stand-in actor who worked on The Phantom Menace. Andrew, well renowned for his work on screen and also for his hugely popular lightsaber training classes will be performing in full Darth Vader costume, a recreation of the iconic Cloud City lightsaber duel scene with Luke Skywalker. This live performance has been created specifically for For the Love of Sci-fi and has never been shown to the public before.
One of the amazing things we love about Sci-Fi is the art, be it concept work, matte production paintings, comic books or fan art, the imagination and dedication to the genre is astounding. Led by prolific Manchester artist Ronnie Crowther, a team of painters, illustrators and comic book artists will be creating work live for you to enjoy in our Artists Corner all weekend. Once completed, some of these one of a kind pieces will be signed by our special guest celebrities and auctioned off for charity. Full line up of artists is available to see on the site.
If your interests are more interactive and you enjoy a challenge, check out our tabletop and console gaming zone. We have a range of Sci-Fi games available for you to play, old and new, from titles like Rogue Squadron on the N64 to the X-wing Miniatures tabletop game there’s something to entertain both casual and hardcore gamers.
Do your younglings want to be a Jedi when they grow up? Let them discover the force and learn to wield the weapon of a Jedi Knight with lightsaber training by Andrew Lawden – stand-in actor in The Phantom Menace. Kids will learn how to handle fully lit, safe lightsaber replicas and practice a fight routine with the chance to own their own personally signed saber and certificate.
If all of that isn’t enough for you, we’re adding some extra magic, with an incredible Magic of the Movies show brought to you by magician Andrew Green. A show where iconic scenes come to life live on stage using magic, illusion & special effects. Plus we have the amazing Chris Cross, escapologist and close up magician who has famously escaped the grip of Mike Tyson, had many appearances on the BBC and performed daring acts such as escaping a straightjacket whilst suspended from Newport Bridge in Wales. Wow! Who knows, you may be asked on stage to be part of the acts!
All of this amazing fun is bound to work up an appetite, this year we welcome back Almost Famous Burgers in their Wondertruck, with a special Sci-Fi themed menu, plus a variety of other food outlets including authentic Jamaican cuisine, carvery, pizza, fish & chips, pies, puddings and lots more. Menu’s will be added closer to the event date and will include veggie and dietry requirement options.
We’d advise you bring along a bit of extra pocket money as you are bound to find something special that you fancy in our traders outpost set in a desert scene from space. With visiting traders from all over the world, you’ll discover hard to find toys and collectibles, cosplay accessories, signed memorabilia, limited edition artwork, clothing, confectionery and plenty more – there really is something for everyone.
On your way into the arena you can’t possibly miss our giant fun fair as it takes up most of the car park. Thrill seekers will be able to choose from a variety of exciting rides on the day, from bouncy castles and soft play areas to the waltzers, shooting ranges, and the big wheel, there is something for little and big kids too.
If you’ve never heard of our World Famous Cantina Space Bar, you must have been living under a rock on some desert planet light years away. Our fan made rendition of the Cantina scene is our most popular permanent attraction and has been featured in news programmes and newspapers across the world. When you step inside you’ll feel like you’ve been instantly teleported across the galaxy. You’ll discover flashing droid scanners, incredibly lifelike stone detailing and decoration, cosplayers ordering Sci-Fi themed drinks from flair waiters or sat chatting in dimly lit booths side by side with alien mannequins from the movies. Look out of the windows and you’ll find characters struggling to cross the desert wasteland and ships landing to refuel overhead. This is a truly unique and immersive experience you won’t find anywhere else, and one that many fans come back to experience time and time again.
The Cantina is open for general admission throughout the day at no extra charge but closes for a more intimate afterparty from 6pm til late on both Saturday and Sunday, with live entertainment from DJ Leroy and the famous Rhythm & Blues Star Wars tribute band ‘Blues Harvest’. Saturday night afterparty is now sold out, tickets are still available for Sunday night.
This year is going to be the biggest and best For the Love of Sci-Fi ever, if you haven’t got your tickets yet we’d advise you get them soon to avoid missing out. Please note that as is standard in the world of conventions, special guests charge extra for photos and autographs and can cancel at any time. Refunds will be granted should this occur.
Please note general admission tickets are still required if you buy autograph or photograph tickets, and to enter the Saturday or Sunday night afterparties you need to buy an individual ticket for these even if you have purchased weekender tickets.
Hotel Football: Exclusive offer for Bowlers Exhibition Centre bookers: Book direct and save up to 25% off Hotel Football’s special room rates, exclusive for Bowlers Exhibition Centre guests (breakfast included). To check availability, please contact Hotel Football’s reservation team on 0161 751 0433 or email [email protected] and quote ‘Bowlers Exhibition Centre’”.
For all the latest updates and for tickets visit www.fortheloveofsci-fi.com/tickets
Facebook:- https://www.facebook.com/FTLOSF/
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Twitter:- @ForLoveofSCI_FI
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Here’s what some of our amazing fans have to say about For the Love of Sci-Fi.
“You are really knocking the ball out of the stadium now …with the props, guests, this event will be by far, the most amazing in any galaxy”. – Garth Restell
“I have been to For the Love of the Force and Sci-Fi since it started, just been to my first northwest comic-con and must say I feel let down! You guys set the bar way to high! For the Love of Sci-Fi is the best event I’ve been to! Looking forward to December already”. –
“We’ve only been the once (last year) but it was absolutely outstanding, we loved it and are coming back with even more friends this year as we’ve been raving about it.” – Zoe Dingwall
What do I get included in my general admission fee at For the Love of Sci-Fi? Adult £22 / Child £13.20 a day. These prices are discounted further in family group deals. Here is your answer;
- Huge guest line ups, multiple major guests on one show.
• Opening ceremony hosted by Casper Van Dien
• Closing ceremony hosted by Casper Van Dien
• Cosplay competition you can enter for free judged by Casper Van Dien and Jennifer Wenger
• Ghostbusters “cleaning up the town” presentation
• 8 x magic of the movies magic and illusion shows by Andrew Green (4 per day)
• Magic show Chris Cross (Sunday only)
• V2A show (Saturday only)
• Boogie Storm (Saturday only)
• 4 x sittings of the amazing 67 piece Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra (2 per day)
• Giant funfair with bouncy castles, shooting ranges, soft play and more
• Q&A William Shatner
• Q&A Dolph Lundgren
• Q&A David Hasselhoff
• Q&A Casper Van Dien
• Q&A Billy Dee Williams
• Q&A Ernie Hudson
• Q&A Joonas Suotamo
• Q&A Star Wars 40th anniversary special Dave Prowse, Ken Colley & Jeremy Bulloch
• Merchandise traders selling everything Sci-Fi related
• Traders outpost set recreation
• World famous Cantina bar recreation where you can get themed cocktails
• Full size Tie Fighter
• Full size Batwing
• Full size Colonial Viper
• Full size UFO spacecraft
• Animatronic alien interrogation in FBI room
• ET forest set recreation with ET photo opportunity
• Aliens Power Loader in Sulaco hanger set recreation
• Hagrids Hut with live owl photo opportunity
• Screen accurate Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters
• Knight Rider Car with truck
• Thunderbirds screen used prop display
• Captain Scarlett 50th anniversary display
• 2 x Captains chairs from Star Trek
• Steampunk interactive display including Dr Who Tardis
• Halls of justice and peach tree’s set build housing screen used Dredd props including the lawmaster bike and city cab among more items tba
• Weathertop set build housing Lord of the Rings screen used props
• Angel effects interactive Iron Man and Batman display with Batlight and Harley Quinn Lockdown Cage
• Walking and talking 8ft tall Incredible Hulk
• Barricade police car and robot mode, picture opportunity with the all spark cube
• Darth Vader v Luke Skywalker live dual, lightsaber training for children
• Cosplay groups including Sentinel Squad, the Judges and 99th Garrison & more
• Droid displays
• Gaming zone
• Artists corner featuring comic book artists, illustrators and painters
• World media with live news feeds direct from the event you may feature on
• 12k like minded people over 2 days. 5% of our customers come from abroad and this year we have recorded significant sales in Japan and America. A meeting ground for new friends from all over the world.
• FREE PHOTO OPS YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOUR OWN CAMERAS ON ALL OUR DISPLAYS & STILL MUCH MUCH MORE TBA!!!!!
Can I ask you do you think that is value for money? All of it is included in your general admission ticket.
On top of that if you want to add to the experience you can buy afterparty tickets for the Cantina and also buy auto and photo tickets to meet the actors and take home a memento from the day.
We like to offer the customer a true experience, we are pushing the boundaries of what to expect from a convention. Can you tell me any other convention that offers as much as we do? I do not think you will find one.
We will always strive to bring you the ultimate experience, and make it better and better each year with the support of our wonderful followers. Our event is made by the fans, for the fans.
Visit fortheloveofsci-fi.com for tickets & info.
