Comments on: Star Wars Celebration I: The Real Insiders’ Club

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:48:04 +0000

I have the dubious honor of hearing Anthony Daniels go on a cursing rant because fans were having to stand out in the rain waiting on space in the tents. Since it’s been so long, I’ll share this little dark secret. The event was offering t shirts and lanyards to volunteers which had the logo on the front and the word “STAFF” on the back. We grabbed the gear and although we did help out, more often than not, we used our ill gotten garb to procure first seating in the show tents where the stars of the movies were being interviewed. We had a great time and I still have the lanyard badges that we swapped and traded for over the weekend. On the last day, I bumped into Anthony Daniels and just so happened to have my SW Encyclopedia in hand…across the picture for the C-3P0 entry, Mr. Daniels signed my book. The commemorative poster from the event is now hanging in my man cave.

By: Dak

Dak — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:57:31 +0000

That was indeed a wet one. I was there with my two daughters. The funniest incident I can recall was the morning the three of us shared a limo with Ray Park. The day before, we had been seated up with the VIPs close to the stage when Ray came out in full Darth Maul regalia to be introduced to the crowd for the first time. VERY powerful, music, martial arts, the piercing look and all. My youngest aged eight turned to me and said with a dash of real fear, “Daddy, this is very scarry.” Well, next morn we are there chatting with Ray (this time as Ray Park) at the hotel standing around waiting for the limo, and I start saying to the girls, “Hey, isn’t Ray a nice young man?” They had no clue who he was. After the third or fourth time, one of them comes back with the old “Dad, why are you being such a jerk?” line. When I finally told them who he played, they were completely baffled. Ray smiled, continued chatting them up and very coolly shook their hands. Epic!

By: Darth Myon

Darth Myon — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 09:26:31 +0000

The real star wars convention is where it first started… Comic Con!

By: MEGANSKYWALKER

MEGANSKYWALKER — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 03:02:45 +0000

cant wait till next years

By: obiwen

obiwen — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:31:13 +0000

I read an article about Celebration I in Entertainment Weekly, put it down and said to my family “We are going there if they ever do this again!” Celebration II was on the weekend of my son’s First Communion and I was his Religious Education Teacher. But we have been to every Celebration in the U.S. since! WE love them!

STAR WARS IS FOREVER

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:36:39 +0000

I was there and had an awesome time!

We reall should’ve gotten achievement badges each time we succeeded in making it through a line to get into something. You had to really work to figure out where you went to do which things.

And I have never before in my life gotten so wet in the rain that I was soaked literally to the skin.

But it was SO worth it! I’d never been around such a large group of fellow fans all in one place. You always had someone to talk to about something. You got to see the celebrities and, in some cases, interact with them.

It was an awesome party! (But I’m still looking for someone to issue a medal for surviving it.)

By: Gary Companion

Gary Companion — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:20:56 +0000

Hi Mary,
I had the pleasure of meeting you in Toronto in 2011 with my R2. You provided some batteries when R2 was drained.

I wasn’t able to be at C1 either but let me say that I’m certain you ‘get’ Star Wars and you understand the fans. For that, you have been and always will be ‘Part of the Tribe’. If that seems Star Trekish, it’s definitely coincidental.

Gary.

By: Jason R.

Jason R. — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:59:15 +0000

Great post Mary! I’m in the same boat as you, I missed CI because of a choir concert my senior year of college. I’ve been to all of the U.S. celebrations starting with CII and have had an amazing time meeting other fans from around the world. I’ve heard many fans talk about the first celebration and while it did sound grueling it also was a real bonding experience (yes, I’m one of those people that secretly wishes they were there). Keep up the great work.
Can’t wait for CVII!

By: Devin R.

Devin R. — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 04:57:33 +0000

Thank you for bringing back some great memories, Mary. Even though I was only 10 years old at the time, my memories of Celebration I are some of the best Star Wars memories that I have. Although the venues of subsequent Celebrations have improved, the celebrity guest lists have grown, and attendance has exploded, I still consider Celebration I my favorite Celebration.