Collectors are a special sort, and Star Wars Collectors are no different. Years of dedication make up the smallest and largest collectors. The Collectors’ stage at Celebration will focus on collecting and will include giveaways. This stage is on the third floor in room W307.
Thursday
40 for 40: Highlights from Four Decades of Star Wars Collectibles – A look at forty years of Star Wars merchandise that has filled the homes of avid fans. 12-1pm
The Growing Galaxy of Women’s Star Wars Fashion – A discussion of how Star Wars clothes became a way for women to express themselves whether through commercial or self-made articles of clothes. 1:30-2:30pm
Rancho Obi-Wan with Steve Sansweet – The man behind Rancho Obi-Wan describes the museum and some of it’s prized pieces. 1:30-2:30pm
Star Wars Food Collectibles – Of course, one of the first collectibles I ever owned was a McDonald’s glass with C3PO. This panel discusses the collectibles over the years that have come from food promotions. 4:30-5:30pm
Star Wars Display and Advertising Collecting – Star Wars merchandise is an important part of the Star Wars mythos. It appeared as soon as the first movie came out. This panel will talk about the displays and adverts used in stores to promote their products. Most retailers couldn’t wait to get rid of them and early collectors are glad to explain how they scooped them up. Of course, this led to others doing the same thing and this panel is about those stories. 6-7pm
PopMinded by Hallmark – Hallmark will discuss their 2017 line of collectibles and what is coming in the future. 7:30-8:30pm
Saturday
Star Wars Fan Girls; Star Wars Geek Girls – As a male, the idea that Star Wars is only for boys is, frankly, stupid to me. However, I know it has been hard for the female fans to have their fandom taken seriously. The panelists, Zoe and Lizzy, discuss how their fandom has grown and the obstacles on the way. They will discuss how they gained the confidence to do their own podcast. 10:30-11:30am.
The Art and Packaging of Vintage Star Wars Toys – Come to this panel to learn the stories and history of the packaging for Star Wars toys from the original trilogy era. 12-1pm
Displaying Your Star Wars Collection – Regardless of the level of your collection, this panel will show you how to show off your collection! 1:30-2:30 pm
The Star Wars Funko Pop! Vinyl Explosion – Funko Pop! is a phenomenon in the nerd collecting universe and Star Wars is no exception. This panel will talk about vinyl toys and the history of the organization and their work with Star Wars. They will discuss collecting and displaying as well. 3-4pm
Star Wars Original Props and Costumes – Collecting items from the movies takes some of the most dedication. Early stuff was discarded; later items had people knowing how much they were worth. This panel will give you some entry points to this world. 4:30-5:30
Star Wars Collecting: Social Media & Networking – We are not a breaking news type of blog, but we have been early on a few announcements due to our connections in collecting groups on social media. If you are a collector, social media connections an absolute must have to keep your collection growing. 6-7pm
Inside Star Wars Insider – Jonathan Wilkins, editor of Star Wars Insider, will talk about the magazine and its history. 7:30-8:30pm
Saturday
The Force of Fan Fashion – A panel that looks at the fashion of Star Wars fans and how they express it. 10:30-11:30
40 Years Later: Star Wars Original Film Memorabilia – A look at the collectibles that came with the original movie from every piece of the making of Star Wars from production to advertisements. This is a must see for Star Wars historians. 12-1pm
Hallmark Star Wars Collectibles – Hallmark started making handcrafted ornaments in 1996 and continue to today. Add this to their cards, buttons, plushes, etc. Hallmark has had a long history with the saga. This panel will look at the history of the two companies. 1:30-2:30pm
Star Wars at the Movies: Vintage Theatrical Advertising and Collectible Ephemera – The original trilogy came at the tail of a certain style of movie marketing that focused on printed promotional items. This history-focused panel will look at these promotional items and tie-ins. 3-4pm
A Star Wars Collector’s Journey – Supercollector Gus Lopex discusses how he became the collector he is today. He will share how to stay within your budget. 4:30-5:30pm
Fakes and Scandals – Every story has a dark side, and Star Wars collecting is, unfortunately, no stranger to this. From forgeries to bait and switches, this panel of expert collectors will help you stay protected 6-7pm
Space Narrative: Storytelling in Star Wars Games – This game-focused panel will discuss how they fit in the Star Wars universe. They also will talk about the future of Star Wars gaming and what we would like to see. 7:30-8:30pm.
Sunday
Costuming with Flagship Eclipse – This panel will discuss cosplaying from the Expanded Universe. 10:30-11:30
Bounty Hunting for Exclusives – In this panel, rare and one of a kind items will be discussed by some expert collectors. 12-12:45pm
Collecting Star Wars – A Singaporean Perspective – Star Wars is truly a galactic phenomenon. Star Wars has always tried to reach all audiences which mean promotional items unique to certain regions exist. This panel looks at those items and the influence of Star Wars in Southeast Asia and Singapore in particular 1-1:45pm
Time Travel to Vintage Toy Factories Around the World – A roundtable discussion will look back at the production of Star Wars toys in the 80s. 2-2:45pm
Star Wars Collecting in Argentina – Much like the Singapore market, there was merchandise that was released in Argentina is that is sought after. This panel will examine these items. 3-3:45pm
From Star Wars to Rogue One: Unique Promotions from Spain – The around the world tour of collectibles in different countries ends with Spain! 4-4:45
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