They will be appearing from 12 noon to 4pm, chatting, signing autographs, etc. There will also be a stall selling B7/SF related items, with plenty of photos you can have signed - including some fabulous prints of Jan's reproduced from 2 polaroids she had taken while making Blake's 7 - one as Cally, one as the Sarcophagus alien - which have never been available before.
We reproduce the official Stevenage Press Release below:
Stars Shoot in for Stevenage Space Day
Two stars of the cult TV Sci-Fi series Blake's 7 are visiting the Astrium sponsored Stevenage Space and Sci-Fi Day on 24th May, as part of the series' 25th Anniversary celebrations. Jan Chappell, who played Cally the alien telepath, and Brian Croucher, who played Space Commander Travis in the series, will be in Town Square enjoying the activities and signing photos.
Hertbeat fm will be landing their Woolworths sponsored Space Station Roadshow in Town Square to start the Town Centre rocking at 11.30am, just as the screams of one hundred trainee astronauts undergoing their first space launch begin to fill the air. These brave volunteer astronauts will be strapped into a harness before being launched 130 feet into space on a piece of elastic to raise funds for Greenside School, which helps children with severe learning difficulties.
Stevenage Town Square is being transformed, with the canopies over QD Stores, Woolworths and Primark featuring Star Wars, Star Trek and Thunderbirds whilst the West Gate SG1 will be rebranded as Stargate SG1 for the day. Be wary of the Jaffa guards protecting the entrance to the Stargate on the day, and be especially careful of the Daleks who may exterminate any unlucky visitors straying into their path...
The British Rocketry Society will be providing a display of rockets outside the forum, and some eye-catching rockets will be on show along Queensway. Towering over them all will be a 36feet tall Ariane Space Rocket moored alongside the Clock Tower, ready for launch.
Event sponsors Astrium, builders of the Beagle 2 Mars Probe, will be hosting a space filmshow on a video loop in a marquee on top of the Joyride platform. They have also produced an Alien Photobooth and recreated the Neil Armstrong "Man on the Moon" scene. Visitors should bring their cameras to get pictures of themselves as an Alien on Mars or joining Neil Armstrong in one of mankind's most significant moments.
Tracey Parry, Stevenage Assistant Town Centre Manager, said, "We had to come up with something spectacular to follow last year's hugely successful Beach Party and we're keeping our fingers crossed for the same weather. We're urging everyone to come along in Space or Sci-Fi themed costumes to really add to the fun of the event and offering some out-of-this-world prizes for the best fancy dress with age categories for children up to age 8, tweenagers, teenagers and adults. It's going to be a memorable day of Sci-Fi fun for all the family!"
And for those of you feeling adventurous... there's the opportunity to become a Trainee Astronaut and do a Reverse Bungee Jump in aid of charity. Here's the info on that: