Date: 2023-04-07 – 2023-04-10
Location: ExCel, London
Type: Convention
Costume: none
I am exhausted after partying and celebrating Star Wars with 30.000 of my closest friends for days on end last weekend. I had a blast!
Star Wars Celebration is the largest Star Wars fan convention in the world. It is not held annually, and moves around. The last time it was in Europe was in 2016, also in London.
At a Star Wars Celebration you’ll typically find:
- The main Lucasfilm panels on the large stages.
- Smaller panels on smaller stages or rooms.
- Vendors and booths selling all kinds of starwarsy things.
- Large props, perfect for photo opportunities.
- Food courts
- And thousands upon thousands of people, all sharing the same love for Star Wars as you.
And that last point is perhaps the most important. Even the most introverted of us can walk up to a random group of people and ask about an esoteric character in an obscure novel, and chances are that they know exactly who you are talking about and engage in conversation. It is very rewarding!
I didn’t get into any of the main panels other than Bad Batch, which was a bit disappointing, but I did get to see all of the guests on the showfloor stage, and I did attend a few smaller panels. And I spent a lot of time on the showfloor, visiting all of the vendors, looking at stuff.
I didn’t bring my costumes since I haven’t any good way to transport them by air yet. On Friday I sported my FISD racing shirt, on Saturday I wore my BHG racing shirt and on Sunday I wore my BHG jacket. I don’t remember what I wore on Monday.
My Celebration haul was four art pieces, a signed photo with Katee Sackhoff, lots of t-shirts and other stuff.
Aside from the convension, we attended meet ‘n’ greets and afterparties, visited the filming locations for Rogue One and Andor and ate lots of good food.
