Doctor Who Convention Gallifrey One is Coming to an End
Gallifrey One, the largest dedicated Doctor Who convention in the world, will take place for the final time in 2028. The non-profit convention has been running since 1990, taking place each year (2021’s covid lockdown excepted) in Los Angeles. However, Gallifrey One co-founder and program director Shaun Lyon has announced that Gallifrey One 38, in February 2028, will bring the beloved convention to a close.
Writing on the Gallifrey One site, Lyon explains the decision. It comes as key members of the team plan on retiring from running the convention. It will be the conclusion of almost 40 years of tireless volunteer work. Rather than hand over the title and reputation to a new team, the existing board are instead bringing the event to a definitive end. The advance notice is deliberate, in recognition of how far some fans travel to attend the LAX Marriott based festivities. Many Doctor Who fans had a trip to Gally, as it’s affectionately known, on their wish list to achieve ‘one day.’ This announcement is timed to give those fans up to three years to make that dream a reality. Similarly, previous visitors will have a chance to make plans for a last hurrah, or two, or three.
It may be the end of Gallifrey One, but the moment is being prepared for by a new Showmasters LA event
Meanwhile, while the Gallifrey One title and event are being retired, plans are already afoot for an unofficial successor. Jason Joiner and Paul Jones of Showmasters Events have been involved with Gallifrey One for a number of years, proving vital in helping the American team bring in top guests from the UK. John Hurt, Christopher Eccleston, and Jodie Whittaker and among those Showmasters have helped bring to Gally in years gone past. They’ve also been responsible for some of Gally’s most popular strands, where fans can perform script readings with Doctor Who stars, or attend evening receptions with them. The Showmasters team are now making plans to provide the established Gally community with a new convention from 2029 on.
Showmasters are organisers of several tentpole events in the Britisth convention calendar. Their flagship convention London Film and Comic Con takes place twice a year, along with Glasgow Film and Comic Con, and Cardiff Film and Comic Con. They’re also the organisers of Collectormania, London Film Fair, and London Comic Mart. Altogether, almost every month of the year features a Showmasters event, big or small.
The name of the Showmasters Los Angeles event is still unknown, but won’t contain the word “Gallifrey.” In contrast to the current convention, it won’t be a non-profit. However, given that the express intent is to service the existing Gally community, that costs and charges will be more in line with what those fans have come to expect. It will likely be months, or even years, before Showmasters are ready to reveal further details. So we’ll have to wait some time for information like the location of the new convention.
