What, Browncoats ask questions? OK, here’s some answers from the Cortex.
- What is the Browncoat Ball?
The Browncoat Ball is a weekend-long gathering for fans of Firefly and Serenity, featuring a banquet dinner and fancy dress ball on Saturday night inspired by the ball in the episode “Shindig.” We don’t have featured guests like a science fiction convention does – it’s just us fans! Which is not to say famous folks aren’t invited.- How many people usually attend the Ball?
- It’s a small event, averaging 100-120 attendees each year. The New England Ball can accommodate up to 150 people. We aren’t guaranteeing any tickets will be available at the door. So buy your tickets early and often.
- How do people dress?
- During the daytime people dress casually, often in Firefly T-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, Jayne hats, etc.
On Friday night we’ll have a Halloween party in which people are encouraged to dress up in any costume, not just Firefly. However, costumes will not be required.
During the day on Saturday you should dress appropriately for the touring track you have chosen. Wear good shoes if you will be doing a lot of walking.
For the Ball itself on Saturday night, people generally dress up in evening wear. Some folks wear modern clothes, some go for historical costume, others bring Asian-influenced dress, and some arrive in ‘Verse-inspired clothing (Zoe’s slinky dress, anyone?). You might want to look at these sample photos from previous years to see what people wore:
Chicago, 2004
San Francisco, 2006
Philadelphia, 2007
Austin, 2008
Portland, 2009
Charlotte, 2010
- What is the weather going to be like?
- October in New England is likely to be moderate to cool in temperature, we recommend bringing a jacket. And a camera to admire the foliage. According to weather records, the average high temperature is 59 F. As we get closer to the Ball, we’ll be displaying the upcoming weather on the website to help with your travel/luggage planning.
- I’ve seen the city listed as both Providence, RI and Warwick, RI. Which is it?
- The hotel (and the airport) are both in the city of Warwick. Warwick is just south of Providence and is part of the greater Providence metropolitan area. Keep in mind that Rhode Island is a tiny little state; from the hotel you can drive to downtown Providence in about 15 minutes (barring traffic).
- You seem to have a Cthulhu theme going. I hate/have never read the Cthulhu stories. Please tell me the ball isn’t all about Cthulhu!
- Fear not! We picked up on the theme because Providence is the home of H.P. Lovecraft, and because the Ball will be held the weekend before Halloween, but this event will still feature Firefly front and center. One of the tourism tracks will visit sites related to Lovecraft, but the other two tracks and the ball itself on Saturday night will be Cthulhu-free.
- What are my food options?
- The main meal is the Saturday dinner buffet. We will have some snacks at the opening reception along with a cash bar. Lunch is included with the Saturday afternoon tracks. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them on the registration form to help us plan. The hotel restaurant will be open and we are collecting information on local eateries and canteenas so you won’t starve the rest of the weekend.
- Where can I learn more?
- Check out our blog, listen to our podcasts, and find out what people are saying on the forum.
- Do you need any help?
- Always. 🙂 If you wish to do any volunteering for the 2011 BCB, please use our contact form.
- How do I get my ticket?
- Simple. Go to our tickets page and order as many as you want. You can even order a T-shirt if you can’t make the Ball.