Whether you’re a veteran Star Wars enthusiast or someone just jumping into the franchise, Star Wars Celebration is a place for all fans of the galaxy far, far away to come together and celebrate what they love the most. But cons can be daunting, especially if you’ve never attended a convention before. This simple guide helps give you a quick overview of what you need to know and what you can expect from Star Wars Celebration 2019.

When?

April 11-15th, 2019 (Thursday – Monday)

Where?

McCormick Place in Chicago, IL

How much?

Well, that’s a big of a loaded question. There’s a “Thursday Bounty Hunter Preview” which is in limited supply that will give fans access to the show floor, Celebration show store, autographs and photo ops. It’s basically a day to explore without having to worry about missing any panels. That’s $55 to buy now, or $65 at the door, until they sell out.

Most fans opt for a five day ticket to make sure that they have full access to each day of the convention. Prices went up a little bit from last year – this year it’s $215 in advance or $225 at the door.

For Friday – Monday, it’s $75 to buy online, or $85 at the door.

There’s also the VIP Jedi Master Badge that costs $850 dollars and allows you a private shopping experience, VIP room, first access to panels, express lanes, private meet and greets…and of course, they already sold out minutes after the tickets went live.

How do I get a ticket?

The tickets for Star Wars Celebration went live on June 5th. You can buy them at the door or buy them on the Star Wars Celebration website by clicking here. If you buy your ticket before March 8th, 2019, it will be mailed to you. If you live internationally, you can have the choice of having your tickets mailed, or you can pick them up when you arrive.

What about kids?

Kids ages 6 and up must have a ticket, and be accompanied by an adult if they are under 16 years of age. A five day ticket is 100 in advance, 110 at the door, and a 1 day ticket is 35 in advance or 45 at the door.

Where do I stay?

There are hotels located around the area. If you are part of the 501st or Rebel Legion, check in with your garrison: they may have reserved hotel rooms for participating members. Don’t forget to also check out airbnb and other home stay options as well!

Where do I park?

As we draw closer to Star Wars Celebration, more information about where to park will be announced. There are lots available, however there usually is a small fee.

So what do I do there?

Panels. Shopping. Photo ops and autographs. Cosplay competitions. Interacting with other Star Wars fans. There’s a lot to see and do! While the full guest list and schedule has not yet been announced, there are some things that you should familiarize yourself with before you go.

There are multiple “stages” and different events happen at every stage. This means that you will miss certain events in favor of others – it helps even out capacity and guarantees that there’s always something going on that you might be interested in:

This year, the Celebration Stage is going to be in the Wintrust Arena. It’s usually the biggest venue and holds the best not-to-be-missed events. Last year the Celebration Stage hosted George Lucas, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill on the first day, as well as a Q&A with The Last Jedi director and cast. Events will appear here Friday – Monday.

The Galaxy Stage also features different cast members and a variety of different Star Wars entertainment. It will also be live Friday – Monday.

The Behind the Scenes Stage is always a fan-favorite, featuring many of the “behind the scenes” masters who give you a glimpse of the Disney magic that goes on behind the curtain into helping the Star Wars brand function. It’ll be live Friday – Monday as well.

The Fan Stage is another great place to check out, especially if you’re interested in meeting and interacting with other Star Wars fans. Cosplay panels, learning about how to build your own droid from members of the R2 Builder’s Club and fan-hosted game shows can be found here.

If you’re a Funko enthusiast or love the Black Series figures, you definitely don’t want to miss the Collector’s Stage, which features panels by expert collectors who have amassed interesting collections throughout the years.

There’s also something called the Star Wars University, where you go to, you guessed it!, learn about Star Wars. They have writing and drawing workshops, classes in show production, and many other fun, hands on events to help broaden your Star Wars knowledge and expertise!

These are just a few of the panels and events that you might be interested in. There is a lot to do at Star Wars Celebration, as well as many vendors that come to sell unique Star Wars merchandise, some from past Celebrations that are hard anywhere else. Whatever you choose to do, there’s enough activities to guarantee that you’ll never be bored!

Wait, I still have more questions!

And that’s great! We There’s a lot to cover, especially if this is your first con. Definitely head over to SWC’s official FAQ page for more information or post it in the comments below and our veteran Star Wars Celebration attendees will be sure to answer them as best they can!

We’re constantly working to expand our FAQ page to answer the questions that you want the answers to, so please send in your questions so we can help make this next Star Wars Celebration the best it can be!

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