Quick links: โบ Friday · ๐ณ Saturday Morning · ๐ Saturday Contracts · ๐ Saturday Night · ๐ฎ Sunday
โStars would rush into herโ
Getย readyย toย shed your work clothes and dust off your finest frontier duds, because the weekend is packed with events that celebrate the ‘Verse, from the anticipated to the truly shiny. Check your email for more details as we get close to the event.
โบ Friday — Oct 9th
Friday Night Registration & Welcome Reception — ๐ Fly on in! Registration & the Welcome Reception are happening in the event tent near the lodge. Grab your welcome bag and stick around for Browncoat Bingo starting around 5pm โ complete with light snacks and even some wife soups! ๐ฅฃโจ
The weekend kicks off on Friday evening with a relaxed gathering designed to get the crew acquainted and fueled up for the weekend.
Registration in the event tent will be open at 4pm, so mosey on over once you’ve settled in. You’ll get your welcome bag. You’ll get your BCB T-shirt if you ordered one. We’ll have snacks and drinks and answer any question you may have. Say hi to old friends and start making new ones.
๐ 
Friday also opens our T-shirt exchange.
Do you have some extra Firefly shirts you no longer need? Or really any Whedonverse or sci-fi fandom. It’s a very ecumenical exchange.
Rules are pretty simple: leave a shirt, take a shirt. Feel free to bring more than one.
The exchange runs through brunch on Sunday at the Hospitality House.
We’ll ease into the evening with some Firefly Bingo starting at 5pm. As the desert evening cools and the food is served, weโll gather ’round the fire pit for a Firefly Inspired Murder Mystery as we watch the sky fade to black.
๐ต๏ธ Around 7pm, put your cunning to the test with our Firefly-inspired Murder Mystery! Unravel secrets, follow the clues, and see if you can figure out who’s aimin’ to misbehave.๐ This roleplaying game will unfold around the fire, challenging you to unravel secrets and use your cunning to determine who is the culprit. No prior experience is needed, only a willingness to have some shiny and slightly spooky fun. After that stick around for ghost stories under the stars! 👻 Do you have a ghost story to share?
๐ฅ As night falls at 8pm, gather ’round the campfire just outside the event tent for s’mores under the stars! ๐ซโจ
๐ Then, from 10pm through midnight, head on over to the Hospitality House (Serenity #64) to check out the T-shirt exchange and extend the misbehaving! ๐๐ค ๐ฅ When the Hospitality House closes at midnight, you can stay up, but you can’t stay here! ๐ค
๐ Saturday Morning — Oct 10th
Saturday morning begins with a frontier tradition: Coffee around the campfire at the Hospitality House with a a warm grabโnโgo frontier breakfast. Make sure you’re fueled and ready for a full day of adventure โ Transports roll out as early as 8am! ๐๐
☕ Coffee starts at 6:30am. Breakfast is served at 7:00am. Be there near 7:00am if you are on Contracts Two or Three, because the Shuttle Bus Transports ๐ will depart at 8:00am!
All breakfast food ๐ฅ and drink ๐ฅค will be served takeout ๐ฅก style so that you can take it with you on Shuttle Bus. ๐
This is a laid-back time to share tales of the previous night’s mystery and camaraderie, or simply enjoy the majestic views of the Borderlands while you fuel up.
๐ Saturday Contracts — Oct 10th
After breakfast, the crew will be ready to embark on one of four different endeavors.
Choose the Contract that best suits your skills, energy, and willingness to get a little mud on your boots.
Be sure to read all the details!
UPDATED: Transports leave at 8:00am for Contracts One, Two, and Three!
- ย Contract One ~ Some Backwater Moon ~ For those ready to step off the ship and onto unfamiliar but beautiful terrain, this contract is your chance to explore the stunning natural world of Zion.
- A shuttle will ferry the crew to the entrance of Zion National Park. Once inside the canyon, a free shuttle system is available to transport you between all the notable viewpoints and trailheads, allowing you to easily hike, photograph the massive red cliffs, and explore a world so breathtaking it truly feels completely different.
- This is a self-guided exploration, allowing you to choose your own trails and pace. You can also rent an e-bike. At the end of the excursion, our shuttle will transport you back to the Resort.
- Lunch will be at your expense, there is a restaurant located at Zion Lodge.
- ย Contract Two ~ Dust & Debauchery ~ This contract is for the crew member who appreciates history and a good stiff drink. A shuttle will transport you to the local ghost town of Grafton, where you can explore the preserved ruins of “Earth That Was.” Here, you’ll walk through the weathered buildings and learn the history of this small, now-forsaken pioneer town.
- Remember to wear good walking shoes and your floral bonnet and watch out for any Reavers that may be lurking around the dusty corners!
- After your brush with ghosts and the wild side of the Border, we will transport you directly to a frontier speakeasy for a private, custom-curated drink 🍸 designed to relax your nerves and provide a perfect contrast to the day’s dust. Once your nerves are settled and your glass is empty, the shuttle will take you back to the Resort.
- Lunch and any additional beverages will be at your expense, there are food options available for purchase at the speakeasy.
- ย Contract Three ~ Companion’s Respite ~ Time to relax like a high-society Companion, finding serenity and solace away from the harsh realities of the ‘Verse. We’ll shuttle you to the Zion Canyon Hot Springs where you can soak in the therapeutic waters.
- The Hot Springs feature 50 geothermal and mineral-rich soaking pools, cold plunges, and saunas, making it the perfect place to wash off the dust of the ‘Verse and prepare for the evening’s Ball. ♨
- Entry passes to the springs are the responsibility of the attendee, but you will receive exclusive access to a private cabana for mingling and lounging. A liability waiver is required to access the pools. Visit ZionCanyonHotSprings.com to purchase your entry pass for 10am Entry in advance. (Recommended – Premier 21+ Access โQuick Dipโ 3 Hour Pass ~ approx. $80/pp)
- Lunch will be at your expense, there are food options available for purchase at the Hot Springs Cafe. Once you are properly rested and refreshed, the shuttle will transport whisk you away back to the Resort.
- ย Contract Four ~ The Mellow Wash ~ For those who prefer a less strenuous day, perhaps those who need to get some repairs done on the Serenity this contract is for you.
- Stay right here at the Resort and enjoy a relaxed, “mellow” day at camp. This easy assignment involves no dangerous travel or heavy lifting. Instead, you can play games, test your knowledge with trivia, participate in a bit of crafting, and spend the day conversing with your fellow crewmates.
- To keep things interesting, we’ll also provide a light luncheon with a selection of โUtah Localโ delicacies while you learn about Utahโs haunted history, a perfect bit of frontier spookiness for the โVerse.
- There are a few dining options located at Zion Ponderosa Ranch if you prefer, those would be at your expense.
๐ Synchronize your chronometers, and check your on-site itenerary for the transport back to the Ranch. We’ll have you back in plenty of time to do your primping and prepping, or even grab a cigar.
๐ Saturday Night — Oct 10th
โจ๐ Serenity Under the Stars ๐ โจ — Dust off your finest duds and step out in style, because Saturday night brings the social event of the season! Itโs time to wash off the trail dust and get properly pampered before stepping into an evening of Core-world elegance — without any of that Alliance pretense. Whether you choose to grace the floor in a pink frilly dress or a slinky one, a sharp suit, or your most dignified frontier garb, you’re bound to look undeniably shiny. ๐๐ฉโจ
The grand evening begins at 5pm with a high-style cocktail hour and themed photo ops, giving you the perfect backdrop to strike a pose in your finest threads. It’s also a prime time to settle in, socialize, and admire the attire.
If you are looking for outfit inspiration, check photos from past Balls.
Dinner starts at 6pm as we sit down to a frontier BBQ buffet with sides including “some kind of hot cheese” and fresh strawberries. ๐๐ง The generous buffet-style spread should satisfy any crew’s appetite.
Dessert, naturally, will be served — because what’s a party without a little indulgence?
Once dinner is served, the floor opens up for dancing so you can twirl the night away. Throughout the evening, we’ll keep the excitement high with our legendary auction and shiny prize drawings where you can snag one-of-a-kind loot to take home. Everyone will have a chance at truly shiny โจ souvenir.
At 10pm as the Ball winds down, the party keeps right on rolling into the late hours over at the Serenity Hospitality House (#64)! ๐ฅ๐๐
๐ฎ Sunday Late Morning — Oct 11th
Farewell brunch with some tasty southwestern vittles starts at 11am at the Hospitality House. Though you can stop by earlier if the doors are open to hang and reminisce about the Ball. We can all say our goodbyes to the โVerse (and all our new friends) and then break atmo’ back to our home planets, err, places.
We’ll also make last-call for the T-shirt exchange. So be sure to go through what’s available before heading out.
โจ Sunday Evening and Beyond…
Sunday Evening Post-Ball Dinner ๐ฅ — The weather may be bleak but the camaraderie and festivities will be shiny โจ at the Post-Ball Dinner at 6pm in the main Lodge at Zion Ponderosa Ranch & Resort! Join us as we raise a glass ๐ฅ to Captain Anastasia who threw a mighty fine shindig!
Some Browncoats are extending their stay and creating their own adventures. There are numerous activities right on the Ranch and nearby. Connect on Facebook and join the fun.