| Star Wars Celebration | |
|---|---|
 The logo for the nextStar Wars Celebration, to be held in Japan in 2025 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Space Opera |
| Frequency | Recurring |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Inaugurated | April 30, 1999; 25 years ago (1999-04-30) |
| Most recent | April 10, 2023; 23 months ago (2023-04-10) |
| Next event | April 18, 2025; 13 days' time (2025-04-18) |
| Organized by | ReedPOP |
| Website | www |
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Star Wars Celebration is a large fanconvention held to celebrate theStar Wars franchise. The event is usually held annually (with a few exceptions) in varying locations around the world, and commonly features a host ofStar Wars project announcements,panel discussions featuring actors, producers and writers, screenings, exhibits, cosplay and merchandise sales. It began in 1999, whenLucasfilm held the firstStar Wars Celebration inDenver, Colorado to celebrate the upcoming release ofStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
| Name | Date | Attendance | Venue | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebration I | April 30 – May 2, 1999 | 20,000+[1] | Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum | Denver, Colorado,United States |
|
| Celebration II | May 3–5, 2002 | 27,000+[2] | Indiana Convention Center | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States | |
| Celebration III | April 21–24, 2005 | 29,000+[2] | |||
| Celebration IV | May 24–28, 2007 | 35,000+[2] | Los Angeles Convention Center | Los Angeles, California, United States |
|
| Celebration Europe | July 13–15, 2007 | 29,000+[2] | ExCeL Exhibition Centre | London,United Kingdom |
|
| Celebration Japan | July 19–21, 2008 | 17,000+[2] | Makuhari Messe | Chiba,Japan |
|
| Celebration V | August 12–15, 2010 | 30,000+[2] | Orange County Convention Center | Orlando, Florida, United States |
|
| Celebration VI | August 23–26, 2012 | 35,000+[3] | — | ||
| Celebration Europe II | July 26–28, 2013 | 20,000+ | Messe Essen | Essen,Germany |
|
| Celebration Anaheim 2015 | April 16–19, 2015 | 50,000+ | Anaheim Convention Center | Anaheim,California, United States |
|
| Celebration Europe 2016 | July 15–17, 2016 | ExCeL Exhibition Centre | London,United Kingdom |
| |
| Celebration Orlando 2017 | April 13–16, 2017 | 70,000+[4] | Orange County Convention Center | Orlando,Florida, United States |
|
| Celebration Chicago 2019 | April 11–15, 2019 | 65,000+[5] | McCormick Place | Chicago,Illinois, United States |
|
| Celebration Anaheim 2020 | August 27–30, 2020 |  Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic; rescheduled to August 2022; later rescheduled to May 2022[6][7] | |||
| Celebration Anaheim 2022 | May 26–29, 2022 | Anaheim Convention Center | Anaheim,California, United States |
| |
| Celebration Europe 2023 | April 7–10, 2023 | ExCeL Exhibition Centre | London,United Kingdom |
| |
| Celebration Japan 2025 | April 18–20, 2025 | Makuhari Messe[8] | Chiba,Japan | ||
TheStar Wars Celebration was held from April 30 to May 2, 1999, at theWings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado, just three weeks before the release ofThe Phantom Menace. An event "for the fans, by the fans," the event took place in the hometown of the OfficialStar Wars Fan Club, headed by Dan Madsen. "The Fan Club is based here in Denver," says Madsen, "so we thought it would only be appropriate that the Celebration be held here."[9]
The firstStar Wars convention since 1987, the Celebration held activities including actor panels,THX theater demonstrations, behind the scenes footage fromEpisode I, and the world premiere of the "Duel of the Fates" music video. The grounds boasted a vendors tent, and the museum hosted an exhibition consisting of props from the officialLucasFilm archives, including a full-scale model of Anakin Skywalker's podracer and a life-size X-wing model (a 3/4 scale replica made in 1996 for the Special Edition release, and still residing at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum).[10]
From May 3 to 5, 2002, Celebration II was held to celebrate the upcoming release ofAttack of the Clones. The convention was moved toIndianapolis, Indiana, to make use of the largerIndiana Convention Center.[11]
Downtown Indianapolis was invaded by multitudes ofStar Wars fans.[12] The initial projection of 15–20,000 people per day based on advance ticket sales was well surpassed and reached critical mass on Saturday. The estimated final tally was a little over 75,000 people[citation needed] for the three-day event. The two busiest spots were the Fan Club store and the autograph section, specifically forCarrie Fisher. Highlights of the event included theRick McCallum Spectacular and theStar Wars 25th Anniversary Concert on Saturday night, performed by thePhilharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis.[13]
TheStar Wars Celebration returned to Indianapolis from April 21 to 24, 2005, to commemorate the release of what was then thought to be the final film in the saga,Revenge of the Sith.[14] With over 34,000 fans in attendance over the course of four days, Celebration III brought actor panels, costume contests, fan films, and diorama building to the Indiana Convention Center.[15] The Lucasfilm archive provided many important props and costumes for display. One of this Celebration's most noteworthy events was the unprecedented Q&A session withStar Wars creatorGeorge Lucas, his first such appearance since theStar Wars 10th Anniversary Convention in 1987. With approximately 10,000 fans in attendance (over the course of 3 half-hour sessions), Lucas personally answered several dozen fans' questions about the saga.
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On May 26, 2006, StarWars.com announcedStar Wars Celebration IV (C4) to be held from May 24 to 28, 2007, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of thefirstStar Wars film.[16][17] C4 was located at theLos Angeles Convention Center inLos Angeles.[18] The convention offered a record number of celebrities in the autograph hall, multiple exhibitors, aStar Wars art show, aDarth Vader helmet and Lucasfilm archive exhibits and many fan oriented activities. In addition, there were collector and costuming panels, including sneak peeks of the upcomingClone Wars animated series. Fans were the first to see the footage of this series on Sunday morning as well.[19] Other highlights included conversations withCarrie Fisher andBilly Dee Williams, a visit fromSeth MacFarlane andSeth Green for specialStar Wars episodes ofFamily Guy andRobot Chicken respectively, and an efficiently organized Celebration Store. An estimated 35,000 people walked through the doors for Celebration IV over the Memorial Day weekend.[20][21]
After the event, Lucasfilm sued the hosting entity, GenCon, for a variety of reasons, forcing GenCon into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[22]
On September 25, 2006, StarWars.com announcedStar Wars Celebration Europe (CE) to be held from July 13 to 15, 2007, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the firstStar Wars film.[14] CE was to be located atEarls Court inLondon.[23] But on November 22, 2006, StarWars.com announced due to Advance interest in Celebration Europe the event would be moved to the larger venue located at theExCeL Exhibition Centre[24] in London.[25] The event also had on display some of the largest restoredStar Wars Arcade collection, estimated at around 30 to 40 machines,[26] many of them now rarely seen in the USA or in other parts of Europe. An estimated 30,000 people attended this convention.[21]
On February 23, 2008, Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Lewis Daniel Group announced a three-day event known as "Celebration Japan", to be held at theMakuhari Messe Convention Center near Tokyo from July 19 to 21. The convention celebrated the 30th anniversary of the June 24, 1978, Japanese premiere ofStar Wars. Celebration Japan included live entertainment,Star Wars celebrities, exclusive merchandise, special presentations, uniqueStar Wars exhibits, costume contests, and other activities.[21]
Lucasfilm announced in 2008 that a US-based four-dayStar Wars convention called "Celebration V" would be held in the summer of 2010. In July 2008,Steve Sansweet, director of content management and head of fan relations for Lucasfilm, announced thatBaltimore,Minneapolis,Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles,Anaheim, andOrlando, Florida were competing to host this event. Organizers anticipated that 30,000Star Wars fans would attend no matter which city was selected.[27]
Reed Exhibitions and Lucasfilm announced on December 3, 2009, that Orlando would host the event.[28] Celebration V took place at theOrange County Convention Center from August 12 to 15, 2010. The convention celebrated the 30th anniversary of the secondStar Wars movie,The Empire Strikes Back. It also included many features of previous Celebrations (such asStar Wars celebrity appearances, costume contests, and other fan events) as well as a special one-hour interview between Jon Stewart and George Lucas called "The Main Event".[29] Celebration V marked the first American Celebration appearance forMark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and the last American appearance forCaroline Blakiston (Mon Mothma). Attendance was estimated at 32,000.[30]
Lucas also made an appearance at the nearbyDisney's Hollywood Studios to take part in the "Last Tour to Endor Event", which provided special entertainment for those individuals who attended "Celebration V".
StarWarsCelebration.com announced on June 2, 2011, that Celebration VI would be held in Orlando, FL at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) from August 16 to 19, 2012. The event was later delayed by a week.[31] The convention was held in the same hall of the OCCC as was Celebration V, with a very similar format. Several celebrities returned for appearances at this Celebration (including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Anthony Daniels), and this event marked the first American Celebration attended byIan McDiarmid. George Lucas had not been scheduled to attend, but made a "surprise" appearance.[32] The event hosted the announcement ofStar Wars Detours. Attendance was estimated at 35,000 people.[3]
It was announced at the Closing Ceremonies of Celebration VI (and confirmed on StarWarsCelebration.com) that Celebration Europe II would be held in Essen, Germany, at theMesse Essen fair venue from July 26 to 28, 2013.[33] Major panels wereKathleen Kennedy's inauguralStar Wars Celebration appearance and the first look atStar Wars Rebels. Over 20,000 people attended the event from 40 different countries.[34] The convention celebrated the 30th anniversary of the thirdStar Wars movie,Return of The Jedi.
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It was announced at the closing ceremonies of Celebration Europe II that Celebration Anaheim would be held in Anaheim, California, at theAnaheim Convention Center, from April 16 to 19, 2015, with an anticipated turnout of about 50,000 fans.[35]
This event was one of the most anticipated due to the December 2015 release ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens with most news and info on the film being kept secretive prior to the event. The entire celebration was broadcast live online free via www.starwars.com and theStar Wars'YouTube channel. The long-awaited second teaser trailer for theStar Wars: The Force Awakens premiered on April 16, 2015, during the opening panel of the event which also included many of the stars of the upcoming film, new and old, directorJ. J. Abrams along with producer and president ofLucasfilm,Kathleen Kennedy.[36] The following day, fans were treated to the trailer for the upcoming videogame,Star Wars: Battlefront while on the third day the trailer for the second season ofStar Wars Rebels made its debut. The Celebration closed out its fourth and final day with fans being shown an exclusive teaser trailer forRogue One, which was released in December 2016. This is the first of two anthology films, which are also known as the stand-alone or origin story films.
Celebration Europe III took place from July 15 to 17, 2016, at the ExCel center in London, England. "Jedi Master VIP Tickets" sold out immediately.[37] Original trilogy starsKenny Baker andCarrie Fisher died in 2016.
Celebration Orlando took place from April 13 to 16, 2017, in Orlando, Florida. The convention celebrated the 40th Anniversary ofStar Wars: A New Hope and the upcoming film,Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This was the firstStar Wars Celebration thatHarrison Ford attended. He made an appearance during the opening panel celebrating the 40 years ofStar Wars held on April 13 which also included other stars and people important to the franchise includingKathleen Kennedy (president ofLucasfilm) and a surprise appearance byGeorge Lucas andJohn Williams with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, who performed parts of the soundtrack.[38] A special tribute toCarrie Fisher was held byMark Hamill on Friday, April 14.[39] A teaser trailer ofStar Wars: The Last Jedi premiered on Friday, April 14.[40] On Saturday, April 15 it was announced that season 4 ofStar Wars Rebels would be the last season of the series.[41] The celebration was once again streamed live and free via StarWars.com and theStar WarsYouTube channel.
The thirteenthStar Wars Celebration was held from April 11 to 15, 2019 insideChicago'sMcCormick Place. A teaser trailer and title reveal forStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker occurred on April 12;[42] a franchise mural including art from the upcoming film was also unveiled.[43] A trailer for the upcoming gameStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was also showcased as well as teaser reels forThe Clone Wars Season 7 and the newDisney+ exclusive show,The Mandalorian. It was announced in June 2019 that Celebration Chicago drew an estimated 65,000 fans.[44]
Also duringStar Wars Celebration Chicago, Lucasfilm sound editorMatthew Wood teased that there would be a newLego Star Wars Game.
It was announced on April 15, 2019, the last day of Celebration Chicago 2019, that in 2020, the nextStar Wars Celebration would be held for the second time at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.[45] On June 15, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 Celebration had been cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, with the next event scheduled to be held from August 18 to 21, 2022. The event was later moved forward by three months.[46][47][48] Several newDisney+-exclusiveStar Wars series were promoted, includingYoung Jedi Adventures,Tales of the Jedi,Obi-Wan Kenobi,Andor andAhsoka.[49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56]
The fifteenthStar Wars Celebration was held at the ExCel Centre in London, England for a third time from April 7 to 10, 2023, which was part of The Walt Disney Company's centennial celebration. This celebration promoted several newDisney+ series includingAhsoka,The Acolyte andSkeleton Crew, and upcoming video game sequel,Jedi: Survivor.Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was also promoted,[57] and it was announced thatTales of the Jedi would return for a second season, and three newStar Wars films were in development after a long film hiatus, including a film set 15 years after the events ofThe Rise of Skywalker withDaisy Ridley returning asRey.[58] Additionally, the celebration commemorated the 40th anniversary ofReturn of the Jedi, with the film receiving a limited theatrical rerelease from April 28 to May 1 (in the United Kingdom) and from April 28 to May 4 (in the United States).[59]
It was announced on April 10, 2023 during the Celebration Europe 2023 closing ceremony, that there would be no celebration in 2024. Instead, the next Celebration would be held in Japan in 2025. This three-day event will be held at theMakuhari Messe Convention Center near Tokyo for a second time from April 18 to 20.[60]
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