Print Version
E-mail This StoryThe Embassy Suites atrium will be deluged with more than 300 parachuters Friday morning. The 120-foot drop provides ample room for the 3.75-inch jumpers, and the spectacle is expected to delight toy collectors from across the country who will converge on Frisco this week for the annual G.I. Joe convention.
After the parachute drop, the event will reconvene on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will include diorama contests, trivia games, obstacle courses, thousands of vintage action figures on display and for sale, seminars, and prizes. Visitors will also have the opportunity to hear from some of the original G.I. Joe vs. COBRA creators, industry guests, and the Hasbro G.I. Joe design team.
“There has never been a more exciting time for G.I. Joe enthusiasts,” G.I. Joe Director of Marketing Michael Ritchie said in a press release. “Convention attendees are looking forward to once again celebrating G.I. Joe’s rich history while eagerly anticipating next summer’s motion picture.”
The theme for the convention is “Countdown to Glory,” as many G.I. Joe enthusiasts will gather to discuss and await the release of the movie “G.I. Joe” in 2009 starring Brendan Fraser.
“There’s a lot of buzz starting to happen [around the movie],” said Mike Surabian, a representative for Hasbro.
Children may enjoy a “Basic Training” area, where they can earn dog tags for climbing a 24-foot climbing wall. Other activities will also be available tailored specifically for kids.
G.I. Joe enthusiasts from all over the country are expected to attend the convention, but organizers are also hoping to attract North Dallas residents. They said they chose Frisco for this year’s convention because there is a large collector community in the Metroplex and Frisco is in a prime location.
This is the first time in 10 years the G.I. Joe convention has met in Texas. In 1998 it was held in San Antonio. Last year, collectors gathered in Atlanta, Ga. The parachute drop has launched the event for the last several years, and Surabian said it will be the highlight of the weekend.
“It’s beginning to become a tradition and a really wonderful way to kick everything off,” he said.
Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children, which includes admission for Saturday and Sunday. Children age 4 and younger are free, as well as Boy Scouts in uniform. For information or to pre-register, visit www.GIJoeClub.com or call 817-448-9863. Admission to the parachute drop is free.
