Celebration III Set for Indy
January 23, 2004
Event Extended to Four Days: April 21 to 24, 2005
The biggest Star Wars party will be even bigger, will return to Indianapolis, and has been extended to four days. Star Wars Celebration III, the much-anticipated fan gathering, has been confirmed for the Indiana Convention Center, April 21 to April 24, 2005.
"We had such a great experience with Celebration II, that it just made sense to return to Indianapolis," says Steve Sansweet, Director of Content Management and head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm. "Only this time, we're going to do it bigger and even better. It's going to be an event that no fan will want to miss."
Celebration II, also held in Indianapolis, attracted more than 26,000 fans from around the world. Advance indications point to a significant increase of attendants for Celebration III. To accommodate this larger audience, Celebration III will occupy the entire convention center, with the exception of the RCA Dome. Furthermore, it is now a four-day event, with the doors opening to the public around midday on Thursday, April 21.
Gen Con LLC will manage the convention on behalf of Lucasfilm and the official Star Wars Fan Club. "Gen Con is thrilled to be working with Lucasfilm on this very special event," said Peter Adkison, owner of Gen Con LLC, producer of Gen Con Indy, which also is held at the Indiana Convention Center. "Together I know that we will produce an event that will not only meet, but exceed, fans' expectations. With Lucasfilm behind this show 100%, it's going to be the biggest party in the history of the franchise."
The Celebration III announcement comes much earlier than similar announcements for the first two conventions. "We want to give our fans all over the world the chance to plan their vacation time for this one-of-a-kind event," said Sansweet. "We've already been getting requests for information from Australia to Hungary."