Live Long and Prosper in Vulcan, Alberta

There’s a town in Southern Alberta, Canada where each summer the 1800-odd residents put on pointy rubber ears and welcome hundreds of Trekkies to celebrate the home planet of one, fictional, Mr. Spock. Where you can have your photo taken while dressed as a Klingon or an unlucky Red Shirt and sit in the Captain’s chair, commanding Number One to ‘make it so’. Where you can buy a bag of tea emblazoned with the face of Sir Patrick Stewart. Tea. Earl grey. Hot.

Make it so Number One.

Vulcan, Alberta, located halfway between Calgary and Lethbridge, was named for the Roman God of Fire in 1913 by a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway but it’s now known across the alpha-quadrant for it’s unintentional connection to Star Trek. Perhaps this is where Gene Roddenberry got his inspiration? Ok, maybe not. But all it took was one local showing up to a town meeting wearing Spock ears to make the town realize that they could capitalize on the coincidence. They’re now officially recognized by CBS Studios as the Star Trek Capital of Canada.

Leonard Nimoy himself made his first trek to Vulcan in 2010 after failing to get Paramount Pictures to host the premiere of the new Star Trek movie in the small town. Hint: they don’t’ even have a theatre. They do, however, have the Official Star Trek Walk of Fame, a spaceship shaped visitor centre and a replica of the USS Enterprise, named the Vulcan Starship FX6-1995-A.

While in town be sure to swing by the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station. Have a selfie photo session with the life sized Star Trek character cutouts, peruse some memorabilia, and participate in The Vulcan Space Adventure virtual reality game.

A photo posted by Melissa Hogan (@suitcaseandheels) on Oct 10, 2013 at 2:39pm PDT

In 2013 the Trekcetera Museum opened for more Trekkie goodness. It’s home to original, authentic costumes and props used in Star Trek as well as other tv shows, movies and real life events. For a limited time, you can snag yourself a lifetime pass to this quirky museum.

I’m actually surprised that no one has opened a Star Trek themed restaurant in town specializing in dishes like plomeek soup, gespar, and jumbo mollusks. And of course, Romulan ale but pass on the Ferengi Slug-o-Cola. Business opportunity? Who wants in?

Resistance is futile so you better start planning your trip to Vulcan now.