Those who spend a few days at the Star Wars Celebration in London sometimes get the feeling that they have ended up on a film set. Over four days, this convention brings together 45,000 fans, most of whom have dressed up as one of their favorite heroes or villains from the Star Wars movies and series.
A number of trends stand out. Of course there are still the Darth Vaders and Princesses Leia from the first movies. But nowadays there are so many derivative series available on streaming service Disney + that countless other variations stand out more.
This year, among the younger female fans, who mainly come from Europe, Asia and North America, Ahsoka Tano, the rebel, warrior and Jedi who has played supporting roles in the series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, but will soon have its own series. Performer Rosario Dawson, who introduced the series in a talk show in London, saw many lookalikes pass by who had dressed themselves in her costume and imposing headdress. Some had even applied Ahsoka’s dark red complexion. An Italian lover had even sat in front of the mirror at five o’clock in the morning to measure the appearance. The result deserves respect.
Anyone who enters this subculture will mainly find nice admirers who will give a lot to mingle with like-minded people. That costs a few cents. One hundred euros must be paid for a day ticket of the Star Wars Celebration. But it only gets really pricey if one can’t resist the temptation to grab a hold of the huge amount of merchandising on offer.
500 euros for Baby Yoda
Some examples; a Stormtrooper helmet costs 45 euros, a Return of The Jedi lunch box costs double. Tattoo artists are also present and charge hefty prices, ranging from $150 for a modest image to $500 for the popular Baby Yoda from The Mandalorian. An American visitor takes the cake with a tattoo of Princess Leia on her calf that has cost her 2,500 euros in several sessions.
Those who want to delve even more into the Star Wars universe can also purchase holiday trips to the former film locations. A trip to Tunisia for four days costs 2000 euros to see where Luke Skywalker once walked.
Despite the congestion in the corridors of the Excel London Complex, the atmosphere at the convention is friendly. Sometimes there are seemingly spontaneous parades of fans who imitate the prison riot from the Andor series, among other things. Lots of screaming, but it doesn’t get really scary. Rather endearing.
One of the masters of ceremonies at the Four Days Marches is American DJ Elliot, who has attended almost all 15 Star Wars Celebrations. He does quizzes on stage which show that the science fiction series and films appeal to different generations. For example, during a competition for the best person to imitate a sound from Star Wars, a London doctor can stand on stage next to a teenager from France to be eligible for an exclusive T-shirt.
In his pep talks, the DJ constantly insists that the fans should fraternize. “I met my best friends at these conventions. Star Wars creates a bond between people. There have even been marriages. So give your neighbor or wife a hand. Who knows, something beautiful will emerge.”
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