Meet 'CHiPs' stars at Indy-area fundraisers this fall

“Chips” fans in Indy, here’s your chance to meet the stars from the 1980s motorcycle cop show.

Chances, rather, as Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox will be in the area for a couple of fundraisers over a fall weekend for Blue Angel Connect.

The first comes with an Oct. 20 picture and autograph session at the Sheraton Indianapolis at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis. Guests can bring their own memorabilia or choose from an 8x10s for Wilcox or Estrada to sign.

A professional photographer will be on hand to snap photos of guests with the actors and a motorcycle from the show. Admission to the all-ages autograph show is $20 and tickets are available at eventbrite.com. Autographs and photo ops are $40 each.

Then, on Oct. 21, Estrada and Wilcox will spend the evening at a gala fundraising dinner at Bradley Hall in Greenfield. The evening includes cocktails, a gourmet dinner buffet and time to mix and mingle with the stars.

General seating is available for $275 each at eventbrite.com.

For an extra special experience, VIPs can buy seats at Estrada’s and Wilcox’s individual tables.

They will also answer questions about their days portraying Ponch and Jon. The family-friendly crime drama that ran on NBC from 1977 to 1983 and had the characters as partners traversing the California highways and roads with nods to pop culture and LA lifestyle.

Separate tickets are required for each event.

The weekend fundraiser is the biggest event produced by Blue Angel Connect since its launch in 2016 with a goal of assuaging distrust of law enforcement officers while providing services to the community.

“The whole purpose of the organization’s formation was to let people know that cops do more than just write tickets and take people to jail,” said Brent Burris, the organization's vice president. Burris was active with the Shirley Police Department in Hancock County when his daughter, then a 11-year-old, came up with the idea.

The signature program had been the Holiday Hope Christmas food and gift giveaway program. Other activities have included school backpack giveaways. Its mission, Burris said, morphed to not only work with local law enforcement agencies, but to assist other local organizations.

Burris said he got the “Chips” reunion idea from a similar appearance of the two stars along with actor Robert Pine in California in early 2023.

“I’d followed them since I was a kid. They kind of helped influence my career to become a cop too,” said Burris, now retired.

Estrada, who was a sworn reserve police officer for the Muncie Police Department, and Wilcox have only started regularly appearing together at events in the past decade, typically to benefit charities.

There were widespread reports of tension between them back in the day.

Neither invited the other to his wedding as their show sat in the Nielsen Top 10, People magazine reported at the time.

During the series' fifth season, Estrada sat out a few episodes in a dispute over syndication profits, and Wilcox failed to return for the show's final season, over allegations of producer favoritism toward Estrada.

Wilcox has said that stories about discord between the two were overblown by show extras and in the tabloids, and that they enjoy their personal appearances together.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Meet 'CHiPs' stars at Indy-area fundraisers this fall