Move over Captain Kirk.

Riverside is the birthplace of this famed Star Trek character but Captain Picard will be celebrated at this year’s Trek Fest June 23rd and 24th. This year’s festival theme is “30 Years of the Next Generation,” commemorating the television show that ran from 1987-1994, starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Riverside Area Community Club (RACC) President Andy Rodgers tells how The Next Generation will be showcased in the parade, “Usually we have a float and the people who like to come and dress up in costume will probably be wearing Next Generation stuff instead of original series.”

Rodgers anticipates that a certain local hero will make a return appearance, “If it works out we’ve had one of the Herky Hawk parade statues for several years now, and it should be finished by for the event to be in the parade on Saturday.” The statue, which shows Herky giving the “Live Long and Prosper” symbol, had only a primer coat of paint at last year’s festival, but Rodgers says the statue should be finished by this weekend. The Trekfest parade is this Saturday at 10 a.m. Catch the Big Red Radio as it cruises through the parade as part of the KCII Summer Town Tour.