Pre‑weekend Browncoat Ball Meetup (tentatively at Brewery Draconum). If you want to arrive early, we will belly up to the bar because the Hero of Canton (and his friends!) gets the best whiskey in the house!

Join us to meet up with Browncoats from across the ’Verse, raise a glass, have something tasty to eat, and visit with friends both old and new.

You’re gonna come with us! So, welcome aboard Browncoat Ball 2025 in Los Angeles, California!

Mosey on up to the Hotel Lexen penthouse suite (3rd floor) to pick up your badges and swag, including T-shirts and other shiny pre-ordered merchandise!

The Hotel Lexen penthouse suite (3rd floor) and the Lexen’s 2nd floor terrace are the Browncoat Ball 2025 Hospitality Spaces. Between events, you can get to know new friends and reminisce with old friends.

The California Browncoats are so pleased you can join us for the Ball Weekend! So, make yourself at home in these hospitality spaces, set a spell, chat with your hosts and fellow attendees, and quench your thirst.

UPDATED! Please Re-Read:
Kick off the weekend with a low key get together at Badger’s Den of Thieves, where the situation might be fluid, but hospitality is always the standard. Join us in the Lobby (1st floor) and 2nd floor terrace of Hotel Lexen for fun, food, and drinks with your fellow Browncoats!

Warm up your voice with some Dr. Horrible and BTVS Karaoke in the Meeting Room (1st floor). Later, there will be a break in karaoke for Dance Lessons. Look for our very shiny and carefully selected vendors: Dreamforger Studios and Geek Regeneration!

On the 2nd floor terrace — enjoy LA street food and try your luck (or skill) with our Firefly games.

Feel free to take your cocktails to the 2nd floor terrace (Badger’s secret lair) to get food and play our silly games and win some very silly prizes — including a few prizes donated by Felicia Day!

Please, only 40 people at a time on the 2nd floor terrace.

And while you’re visiting our port of call, why not engage in a pin or T-shirt trade? Bring some of your Browncoatey-themed pins or T-shirts and trade for others, the rarer/older/out of stock, the better!

Food: The best of LA street food. (2nd floor)
Beverages: We’ll have water & sodas (2nd floor), and a no-host bar (1st floor).

Get breakfast early today and enjoy the sunrise at 6:40am! This is because the bus tour of Firefly/Serenity departs from Hotel Lexen at 9:00am! If you are staying at the Hotel Lexen, they offer a free continental breakfast with a variety of choices of baked goods, oatmeal, fruit, breakfast burritos, yogurt, and cereal.

Also consider the the Egg Plantation breakfast restaurant near the Hotel Lexen in Newhall. They start serving breakfast at 6:00am and offer 101 different omelets plus breakfast favorites including pancakes, waffles and French toast — all in a friendly, comfortable and casual atmosphere.

If you are arriving to the Ball on Friday, come up to the Hotel Lexen penthouse suite (3rd floor) to pick up your badges and swag, including T-shirts and other shiny pre-ordered merchandise!

The penthouse suite and 2nd floor terrace are the Browncoat Ball 2025 Hospitality Spaces. So, make yourself at home in these spaces, take a rest, and meet your hosts and fellow attendees.

Serenity Cruise Lines Bus Tour of Firefly and Serenity Shooting Locations — Loading outside Hotel Lexen at 8:45am with a Scheduled Departure of 9:00am. Hop aboard this immersive tour of several of the original shooting locations used in Firefly. A couple of members of the original Firefly shooting crew will be joining us to tell stories of their experiences working on the series.

Feel free to dress in (comfortable) cosplay attire, but keep in mind that it may be hot at some locations, and some may involve a bit of walking for short distances.

Water, Snacks, and a Boxed Lunch will be provided on the tour.

Independents’ Tour – Grab a friend and stretch your legs on one of the many walking tours of Old Town Newhall. Be sure to check out our own guide to Newhall’s Local ’Verse.

Tours include the Walk of the Western Stars, historical locations, and even local shooting locations used in shows like Justified and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Find the tour maps here and download an accompanying mobile app here.

Make your own plan for some hearty grub with your fellow Browncoat Ball attendees before tonight’s shiny entertainment.

See these links for some great restaurant options very close to Hotel Lexen: The Old Town Junction, The Press Room, and Smokehouse on Main.

Take a moment to walk up to the 3rd floor rooftop deck of Hotel Lexen to catch a glimpse of a beautiful California sunset.

Sunset will be at 6:56pm. The 3rd floor rooftop deck will be open from 6:45pm to 7:00pm to enjoy the Sunset view. At 7:00pm (see below) you can watch our Big Damn Heroes in one of two ways: 1) rooftop cinematic experience in our outdoor theater, or 2) in a casual lounge on the 2nd floor terrace, with socializing, games, vendors, and no-host bar.

Please, only 40 people at a time on the 3rd floor roof deck.

Can’t Stop the Serenity (CSTS) charity film screening to benefit Equality Now and Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.

Join us on the rooftop deck (3rd floor) or the 2nd floor terrace at the Hotel Lexen to celebrate Serenity’s 20th birthday in true Browncoat style – with a screening under the stars, a display of props used in filming (2nd floor terrace), and a fun prize drawing to benefit our charities!

Watch Serenity either on the 3rd floor rooftop deck in our outdoor theater or watch Serenity in relaxed social setting on the 2nd floor terrace, where you can chat with friends, play games, shop vendors, and belly up to the no-host bar. Sit back and watch our Big Damn Heroes on the big screen! Popcorn and movie theater candy will be available for purchase. Visit the no-host bar for your favorite beverages.

If you are arriving to the Ball on Saturday morning, make your way to the Hotel Lexen penthouse suite (3rd floor) to pick up your badges and swag, including T-shirts and other shiny pre-ordered merchandise!

The penthouse suite and 2nd floor terrace are the Browncoat Ball 2025 Hospitality Spaces. So, make yourself at home in these spaces, relax for a while, and converse with your hosts and fellow attendees.

For your Saturday morning and early afternoon activities, here are several options to choose from for our Saturday Entertainment Tracks. You may be able to enjoy 2 or 3 of these tracks, so make a plan for your time. Note that some tracks have limited space (2nd list). We will have you fill out a form to choose which tracks to attend and/or make use of sign-up sheets in the Hotel Lexen penthouse suite. Preference in the case of limited space will be given to Early Bird Full Weekend Tickets.

Click on track names and links to learn more. Links open new tabs. Pictures open in same tab, so use the browser’s back button.

Open Tracks Included with Full Weekend  and Saturday Tickets No space limits for open tracks.
Done The Possible Track Tea & Crafts 10:00am-1:00pm In need of some down time? Meet at Lexen’s 2nd floor terrace to paint and decorate your own paper lantern, parasol, or fan. Bring your knitting if you like. Hot tea provided!
Independents’ Track Self-Guided Tours 10:00am-4:00pm Grab friends to stretch your legs in Old Town Newhall. See Newhall’s Local ’Verse, Walk of the Western Stars, historic locations, and film locations for shows like Justified and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Find tour maps here and mobile app here.

Reserved/Limited Space Tracks Included with Full Weekend and Saturday Tickets You must sign up for reserved tracks.
Serenity Slide Show # 1 Presentation 10:00am-11:00am SOLD OUT (22 people) Geoffrey Mandel, graphic artist from Serenity will be giving a slide show of his process and designs for Serenity, and answering questions! Meeting Room at Hotel Lexen.
Serenity Slide Show # 2 Presentation 11:00am-Noon SOLD OUT (22 people) Geoffrey Mandel, graphic artist from Serenity will be giving a slide show of his process and designs for Serenity, and answering questions! Meeting Room at Hotel Lexen.
Train Job Track Guided Tour 1:00pm-4:00pm Limited to 15 people per tour High tail it to Saugus Train Station (short walk from Lexen) to tour the station agent’s office and passenger waiting room, with a close up and personal look at their steam Mogul train engine! 45 minute tours.
Miranda Carpool Carpool Tour 11:30am-4:00pm Limited by # of drivers & seats A smuggler’s leg of our Serenity Cruise Lines Tour to the filming location of Miranda in Serenity! Film location open only from 1:30pm-3:00pm. One-way drive time: about 1 hour & 15 min. Whether driving or riding, sign up to claim a spot. Drivers must be licensed with proof of insurance.

After your morning and afternoon adventures with the entertainment tracks, socialize and swap war stories with your fellow Browncoats at the Space Cowboy Lounge on the Hotel Lexen 2nd floor terrace.

Before getting all gussied up for the Ball, stop by our lounge and enjoy comfy seating, umbrellas, shade, and a no-host bar.

If you are arriving to the Ball on Saturday evening, please make your way to the Hart & Main Event Center to pick up your badges, swag, and pre-ordered merchandise!

Many other Browncoats who landed planet-side earlier will also be arriving for the Ball, so introduce yourselves to your hosts and new friends from all around the ’Verse.

Start the festivities with your favorite beverages while you socialize with Browncoats dressed to the nines. Admire all the wonderful Ball attire! Our no-host bar will offer the best in mixology.

Listen for the opening greeting from our fabulous hosts, the California Browncoats. Be sure to fill out a name card to have your entrance to the Ball announced.

The Browncoat Ball always includes a banquet dinner. This year’s dinner features a fusion of Asian and classic California cuisines. The menu will offer plenty of variety to provide for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.

Don’t forget to interrogate the buffet table and look for some hot cheese! Perhaps save room for some strawberries and other delectable dessert choices.

As the Ball evening unfolds, be on the lookout for a live music performance from California’s own: The Fallen Stars.

Tracy and Bobbo Byrnes blend rock and roll energy, country-flavored instrumentation, and folk-inspired story-telling, The Fallen Stars have carved out a niche in the Southern California scene all their own.

“Somewhere between the wide-open stretches of Gram Parson’s beloved Mojave Desert and the decaying cityscapes frequented by Bruce Springsteen shine the Fallen Stars.” – OC Register

The Browncoat Ball is known far and wide for fancy dancing.

To get you in the mood for dancing later in the evening, we will be featuring the renowned dance troupe Les Folies Rouge — The Unruly Reds

“A wild and lovely bunch of ladies who enjoy kicking up their heels.”

“Sassy late-Victorian Cancan ladies & gents to class up your event!”

Dance the night away! There will be plenty of time to for dancing with music provided by our wonderful DJ Brian Cook.

The Ball also features a Prop Museum display of screen-used props from Firefly and Serenity. Be sure to enjoy and admire this amazing collection from tv and movie history!

There will also be a live auction during the evening with shiny and rare items. Be sure to bring plenty of cashey money to bid on these unique auction lots! (We take credit cards too.)

In true Browncoat fashion this will involve smuggling and sword-fighting. We have secured several genuine NERF swords so we can safely enjoy recreating the duel at dawn scene from Shindig.

Hart Park is a mere 3-minute walk from Hotel Lexen, and we will have some light-hearted swordplay to work up an appetite for this morning’s brunch.

Incoming Wave for Sunday Brunch… We renegotiated with the Alliance bureaucracy to make our cunning plan smooth, which is to bring you a delightful catered brunch in historic and charming William S. Hart Park! Just a short walk (3 minutes) or drive from Hotel Lexen.

We can all say farewell to the ’Verse (and all our new friends) and fly back to our home planets, err, places.

For all the Browncoats who are staying the night Sunday (or beyond), we will make a plan to meet for the traditional Post-Ball dinner.

We will toast and thank our hosts for this mighty fine shindig!

UPDATE: Meet in lobby of Hotel Lexen at 6:00pm. We have dinner reservations at Newhall Refinery.