With almost no notice, as most have experienced, Dan did a signing event for his wine and vodka on May 13th, 2009 here in Scottsdale, AZ. The event was from 4-6 pm so most of us had to make arrangements with our jobs and our team members that couldn't make it unfortunately didn't have enough notice. The wine shop was small and the line was formed around the store and then outside. We were in line for about an hour before we got up to him. We made the decision to not go to the event in full gear. We didn't want to be a distraction at the event and wanted to keep the focus on Dan and what he was there for.

We had one of our AZ Ghostbuster logo hats made with the addition of “Honorary Member” added to the back to give Dan. He loved it as well as our logo and took our new team info pamphlet and business cards. Our time with Dan was short but we all got either his wine or vodka and some kind of GB item signed. Ronin (slimer28) and John (JackIvyGB) got some of their original artwork signed. It was an awesome experience to meet someone we've all admired and hopefully we'll get to meet him again someday.

Line in store



Dan signing the Ghostbusters Making Of Book



Captain Matt Haynes meeting Dan



Dan going for a handshake



Dan Matt H and Jeff



Neal and Matt S getting items signed



Back of Dan's hat

That's freakin awesome.

Dan looks really happy to be wearing that hat. Almost childlike.

I'm incredibly jealous.

He was very happy. Here's a post from our member John from over on Gbfans about his experience with Dan, he was farther back in line from us because of work.

JackIvyGB
It was incredible to meet a man that has given me so much inspiration since before I could remember. I learned to walk by dancing to the GB theme song whenever I heard it as a baby. I learned to draw by drawing GB over and over and over, filling sketch book after sketchbook from the time I could grip a pencil until now. I learned to write through making up my own adventures for the team, often placing myself as a part of those adventures. Countless halloweens spent patrolling the neighborhoods around town in my little suit and RGB pack in the car while my dad drove, playing the theme song with the windows down. Joining the Arizona Ghostbusters and feeling how awesome it was to take something that made me so happy and use it to make others happy. To build my own gear, to have a uniform with my last name on it. All 21+ years…finally culminating in the ultimate wish fullfilment:





I had it at my side and after I shook his hand and had him sign a couple pictures I had, I started to lift it up and he smiled and knew exactly what I was going to ask. I handed it to him and he looked at it. It's not an awesome trap by any means. Just something nifty to hang from my belt. But he looked back at me, grinned, thrust it in my direction, and uttered the words I had always dreamed of hearing directed at me. It played out just like I had written so many times in the stories from my childhood.

"…Dr. Ray Stantz handed me the trap and said 'Welcome aboard'."

:blush: What a rush.
I had planned to just get the pictures signed, but the lady behind me asked to see the posters and I ended up telling her about me making the props. She asked if I had them with me and I told her the trap was in the car. It had been there since a while back and I just thought about it then, but as soon as I did, I knew I had to do it.

I tried to take a picture for the couple behind me of them with Dan, but I was so shaky it came out blurry. I only wished that it hadn't gone by so fast. I got there a little later than the rest of the team, and only about 20 more people had lined up behind me before they cut it off. I got to tell him it was an honor to meet him, showed him the pictures, which he thought were cool and recognized the rest of the team that had come by earlier, shook his hand, took the picture and that was that. All in all though, I must say, only after I stopped to look at the pictures on my camera did it kick in that I'd met Dan. As Jeff said, it was very surreal. But very awesome. :mrgreen:

More pics:

OMG I WANNA MEET HIM SO BAD! is there any sort of appearance schedule so I know when he will be in a state near me?

I wish. There is none. I emailed his company a few months ago and they said sometime in May he'd be coming but no exact date. I had to keep checking the local community calendar. It popped up just the other day. I've heard the same for all of his events. You can email his company and see if they can give you at least a general idea. They respond very fast.

Here's a couple more pics for from the signing



This about sums up all our reactions



Our local paper the Phoenix New Times put up a blog about the signing featuring several of us here:

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2009/05/last_night_dan_aykroyd.php

thats awesome do you have the e mail addy for his company? can you pm it to me?

It's no secret, it's on his website, here's the link

http://www.danaykroydwines.com/About-Us#

I talked to be Fiona and Seth

a couple of those pics with Dan's hat down…For a second I could have sworn it was William Shatner. I wish I could get to meet him. You guys are lucky bastards.

You're right. I never realized that. I'm sure due to the massive amount of pics taken of him he keeps that hat and glasses usually on. I actually think he may have been blocking the camera flash in one pic, or going for a handshake. I'm not sure. He's a lefty.

Keep an eye out for him.

JimPhelps;143146
a couple of those pics with Dan's hat down…For a second I could have sworn it was William Shatner.

oooooohhhhhhh……… burn