Year-long promotional run begins toward 60th anniversary of "Star Trek'

Not many franchises have fueled society’s timeless fascination with the boundless possibilities of a utopian future like “Star Trek.”

Next year the sprawling franchise will add more shows, Lego sets and even a Rose Parade Float in a yearlong celebration of its 60th anniversary.

The hefty lineup of “fan-centric” celebrations was announced by the franchise on its 59th anniversary Monday, known as Star Trek Day. 

The sci-fi franchise began with the TV series created by Gene Roddenberry that debuted in 1966 and has since sprawled into a multi-billion dollar cultural phenomenon.

Today, fans, known as Trekkies, have enjoyed countless movies, spinoff shows and video games based on the original series.

The yearlong celebration will kick off on New Year’s Day, with a float in the Rose Parade in California. The float “will reflect values of hope, inclusivity, exploration and unity,” the franchise representatives wrote in a statement.

The float will also feature the upcoming new series “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” set to launch in early 2026 on Paramount+. 

“Star Trek: Scout” is a new original, animated YouTube-first series. The show is the first preschool extension of the franchise. The first two episodes of the 20-episode run were released Monday, and the rest will roll out into the next year.

A new scripted podcast, “Star Trek: Khan” also released its first episode Monday. 

Following the longstanding success of Lego partnerships with similar franchises like “Star Wars,” the company will partner with Paramount for the first time to bring “Star Trek” to life.

A “Star Trek” cruise will set sail in late February “filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences in celebration of the franchise’s 60th anniversary,” according to the statement. Various “Star Trek” actors, including Shatner and Walter Koenig, will join the voyage.



(AP Photo/Bob Galbraith, File)