The much-loved Capital Sci-Fi Con will return in the new year
Two legendary Doctor Who stars are set to appear at a charity event next year.
Edinburgh’s much-loved Capital Sci-Fi Con is set to pitch up once again in the Corn Exchange, inviting special guests from the world of film and television, comic book writers and artists, traders and the best of science fiction movie set pieces to take over the venue from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 February.
2020 is set to be the biggest year yet, with guest appearances confirmed from Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and David Bradley, following in the footsteps of Peter Capaldi, Sylvester McCoy and Peter Davison as the fourth and fifth Doctors to get behind the event.
Baker has remained a key part of Doctor Who lore, reprising his role in stage productions and audiobooks since leaving the show in 1986. Bradley, a much loved star of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, revived the late William Hartnell’s original Doctor in a 2017 Christmas special, which also starred Capaldi and introduced current Doctor, Jodie Whittaker.
The not-for-profit family friendly pop culture, comic and movie convention donates all profits to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – better known as CHAS - Scotland’s national children’s hospice service which cares for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
Organised for fans by fans, 2019’s event attracted nearly 10,000 visitors, with some making their way from as far afield as Brazil and Norway, raising over £62,000 for CHAS, taking the overall total since 2016 to an out-of-this-world £250,276. Many more guests are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Laura Campbell, senior community fundraiser at CHAS, said: “We’re thrilled to see the event coming back again next February. It’s appropriate to bring Sci-Fi Con back on Valentine’s Day because there’s clearly so much love out there for it! The £250,000 raised by Capital Sci-Fi Con over the last four years equates to the cost of funding six full-time nurses for one whole year – it’s an incredible amount.
“The team have not only worked tirelessly over the past four years to organise these extremely successful events and bring the cream of the crop from the sci-fi world to the Scottish public, but they also take the time to visit families at the hospices to spread joy with their amazing costumes.
“We can’t wait to welcome Colin and David to the fold and see who else will bring a bit of star dust to the Corn Exchange next year!”
Organiser Keith Armour said: “Sci-Fi Con season starts here! Fans can find our causeplayers at The Gyle’s Christmas parade on 20 November and the Howgate’s festive market in Falkirk on 7 December.
“As has become tradition, we will also be out in force, raising money for CHAS with cosplay on Thursday 19 December at the midnight screening of the new Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker at Edinburgh Cineworld in Fountainbridge.”
In Scotland, nearly 16,000 children and young people live with life-shortening conditions and CHAS is determined to reach every family who needs its services. CHAS works across Scotland, able to provides its hospice services nation-wide for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions. CHAS offers palliative, respite and end-of-life care from Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch.
The CHAS at Home service supports families with the services of a hospice yet in their own homes across the whole of Scotland. Through its Diana Children’s Nurses working in hospitals across the country they can support families and clinical teams.
Capital Sci-Fi Con 2020 will take place at Edinburgh Corn Exchange from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 February, 2020. Tickets are available here.
