<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

August Party was a fan-run Star Trek convention in the Washington, DC area from 1975-1979, 1981 and 1985. Begun at the University of Maryland and held on-campus, it eventually moved to local hotels in Maryland and Virginia. It was the first Star Trek convention in the Washington DC area. The first August Party was featured in the book The Trek Conventions by Joan Winston. Average attendance was 1000-1500.

August Party was unique for its time in deliberately not inviting any of the Star Trek actors as guests, instead concentrating on the “convention” part of conventions, bringing fans together to interact. This allowed to convention to maintain a low membership fee throughout its lifetime. Nevertheless it’s programming over the years had some unique highlights.

August Party can be argued to have created the “telecon,” holding annual phone Q&A’s with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and a ballroom full of people.

Many of the “Sundae Shows” were written and directed by Peter David, who went on to write many Star Trek and other genre (and non-genre) novels, comics, movies and create the Nickelodeon series “Space Cases”.

One of the first filk concerts took place at August Party, featuring, Leslie Fish, Roberta Rogow, TJ Burnside (Clapp) and many others.

Committee members Dennis Bailey and Lisa White went on to write for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Committee Chair Rich Kolker went on to work in the Space Program at the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers, and helped design adult programs for Space Camp.