History

"Here's how it is..."

In 2004, the Inaugural Browncoat Ball (BCB) was held in Chicago with great success. The Chicagoland Browncoats aimed to bring fans from around the world together to celebrate Firefly and each other. The vision for the Browncoat Ball was that it would be an affordable fan-run event to be held in a different city each year to maximize convenience and attendance.

The second Browncoat Ball was hosted by the San Francisco Browncoats in 2006. The opulence and splendor of the weekend-long event drew in 150 Browncoat attendees from across the United States, Canada and Australia. It was the west-coast's first chance at putting on The BCB and boy, did everyone have a blast!

In 2007, the Pennsylvania Browncoats, brought us together at the epicenter of American independence. The weekend proved to not only be enjoyable and entertaining, but educational as well. When the east-coast got its turn to host the BCB - the Browncoats minds were packed with history and the dance floor was packed with fun!

Last year, The Austin Browncoats took the reigns to deliver a romping good time in the great Republic of Texas. They gathered, they danced, they shindiged the weekend away. A terrific time was had by all!

In 2009, the Portland of Oregon gets the honor of hosting the Browncoat Ball. Portland, also known as "The Rose City," is an environment of choices and contrasts. Bisected by the peaceful Willamette River as it flows into the mighty Columbia River, within easy driving distance of mountains, desert, and the Pacific Ocean, Portland caters to a variety of different tastes and lifestyles. "Diversity" has been Portland's watchword throughout its history, and it still is today.

Portland is the birthplace of the Can't Stop the Serenity charity screenings, and held the Griswold trophy for two years straight, before passing it on to the Ball's previous host, Austin, Texas. The Pacific Northwest in general, and specifically Portland, is a hotbed of Browncoat activity. The PDX Browncoats is one of the largest and most vital groups. They meet once a month for Shindigs, without fail. Portland area Browncoats also join together for related activities such as crafts with 'verse themes and viewing parties at volunteers' homes. For this year's Ball, Portland is eager to welcome Browncoats from our neighboring communities of Eugene, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC. Also, the Rose City is opening her doors for folk near and far to discover the Pacific Northwest's beauty and charm.

Visit Portland this year to discover why we keep coming back to this fandom again and again. Remember why we strive to keep it alive every year. The fans. Reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and put faces to all those mysterious screen names. The Browncoat social event of the year awaits you. It's time to celebrate ourselves.