Looking back at the first Chicago TARDIS convention from 2000!

Today is Sunday, the 24^th of November, and yesterday marked the 50^th Anniversary of the British science-fantasy series “Doctor Who.” I myself have been a fan for 17 years (1996-2013), and I’ve never looked back.

This year marks another milestone for me: Next week, I’ll be attending my fourteenth Chicago TARDIS convention, at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. With this in mind, I thought it might be a good idea to go back in time and revisit the first-ever Chicago TARDIS, held in Arlington Heights on Thanksgiving 2000.

The very first souvenir book.

A little historical context for you: Throughout the 1990s, “Visions” was the Midwestern “Doctor Who” and general British TV/SF/fantasy/horror convention. It started in 1990 and ended in 1998, but the dawn of a new century saw Chicago TARDIS rise from Visions’ ashes. Since I was too young for Visions, I feel less than qualified to talk about it…let us move on to Chicago TARDIS.

OK…I have to stretch way back for this one, because up until 2007 or so we used Chicago TARDIS primarily for Christmas shopping; the actual experience was secondary. I was like a kid in a candy store, though!! Just the sheer volume of stuff boggled my little mind, especially when you consider that I had only been a fan for about four years (dear God, how time has flown). The first thing I remember was a car with the license plate number “DRWHO63,” which I’ve seen for most of the years I’ve attended. The second thing was a young woman (?) in a Second Doctor costume with a homemade, radio-controlled K-9 (the Doctor’s tin dog) in tow.

The guests that year were Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh Doctor); Mary Tamm (the first Romana—sadly, she died in 2012); John Leeson (K9); and the crew behind the then brand-new Big Finish audio dramas, one of whom was New Series monster voice-actor Nicholas Briggs. I’ve since seen Sylvester at two further CT’s—2006 and 2012. I affectionately call 2012 “the broke year,” because even though I was unemployed and down to my last $100, I still made the effort to go to the con to get that third picture and complete the set.

Now let me tell you, if there’s one thing you can say about Sylvester McCoy, he is a hoot. We gathered around for the picture, and Mom asked him, “Is it all right if I touch you?” because she feared he might object. Instead of objecting, he belted out, “See me…Feel me…” from The Who’s Tommy, and everyone cracked up laughing. Last year, to celebrate my coming full-circle as a fan, I returned the favor at his Q&A session by reading his monologue from “Survival,” the final episode, but as if the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) were saying it.  It made a lot of congoers' day, I can tell you.

Chicago TARDIS has given me a lot of memories and a lot of new friends over the years. Next week, there won't be a new update, because I'll be at the convention. That being said, though, I will start redecorating the site in time for Christmas! 

Now where did I put those blown-plastic reindeer? (*trips over a cord of tree lights*) WHOOOOAAAAAAHHH!

I'm okay...I'm okay!