Celebration Orlando 2017 will be my third Celebration, the first in the USA, and I’m mostly excited about meeting likeminded collectors from around the world once again. When I travelled to Celebration Europe 2 in Essen, I knew a few collectors from forum names but hadn’t met any of them before. Within minutes of arriving I was chatting, hanging out and generally having a great time. By the time Celebration London 2016 came along I was already integrated into a great group of friends and thoroughly having a blast. My favourite experiences of both Celebrations revolve around collecting and no place more so than the Collecting Panels.
I was delighted to see that once again in the Collecting Panels there are plenty of nods to Vintage Star Wars Collecting and some of these will be a must for me. Not to mention the extremely generous free Star Wars Tots that are given away at each panel.
This Celebration there is also a Collectors’ Social Room to hang out in W305 and I’m sure many of you will catch me there or around the panels for most of the duration of the show.
Here is a run-down of events of the Collectors’ Stage W307 with some of my takes on what we’ll see:
Thursday
12:00 – 13:00 40:40 Highlights From 40 years of Star Wars Collecting
A fantastic idea for a panel and one that should suit vintage and modern collectors alike. Far too little time to cover everything I expect this panel to be punchy and entertaining. Matthew Fox and Jake Stevens are fellow collectors and podcasters and sure know their stuff!
13:30 – 14:30 The Growing Galaxy of Women’s Star Wars Fashion
One of the biggest growing sectors of recent years and it is fantastic to see that Star Wars Licensees have recognised female fandom since 1977. Some Star Wars collectibles will be shown and discussed, I’m particularly interested in the 1977-1980 period on this one.
15:00 – 16:00 Rancho Obi-Wan
No Celebration is complete without Rancho Obi-Wan; whether this is a visit to the awesome selection of items on display, or a virtual tour or panel it is always fascinating for collectors to learn more about Rancho Obi-Wan and how to help a great cause.
16:30 – 17:30 Food Collectibles
This is an area that I always said that I’d appreciate from afar but more recently my collection has grown to include some food packaging and displays. Struggling with ideas on what to collect and how to display it properly this panel is going to be an education.
18:00 – 19:00 Star Wars Display and Advertising
This is another area of collecting which has grown recently with displays and banners changing hands for large sums of money. This panel will be an overview of the purpose of these displays from 1977 right through to modern day. Ron Salvatore, Todd Chamberlain and Will Grief are experts in this area and will be able to answer all questions that you may have
Friday
12:00 – 13:00 The Art of Packaging Vintage Star Wars
Author of A New Proof, a book on Star Wars 2D artwork, Mattias Rendahl will deliver a panel on what he has found during years of research on Kenner packaging. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of seldom seen sketches and proof designs for the Vintage Star Wars toys that we know and love.
13:30 – 14:30 Displaying Your Star Wars Collection
If you’ve a large collection and very limited space, like me, then this is the panel for you. Several collectors will discuss their trials and tribulations on how to correctly display your collection and give tips on how to preserve your collection for the future.
15:00 – 16:00 Funko Pops
A major recent success story, Funko Pops have divided the community like marmite. Love them or hate them, they’re here to stay and several collectors will be on hand to answer your questions. Some great designs for celebration exclusives with many vintage nods available from the Funko Pop booth
16:30 – 17:30 Star Wars Props
One of the most popular panels Gus and his collecting friends will discuss items in their collection. This is always exciting as you never know what they’re going to discuss. The Sand Person tubes talk in Essen is still talked about to this day.
18:00 – 19:00 Social Media and Networking
How does Star Wars collecting and the community cope with new technology? Several well-known collectors will discuss how to use Social Media effectively, many having already been through previous evolutions such as mailing lists and newsgroups to forums.
Saturday
12:00 – 13:00 Star Wars Original Film Memorabilia
This panel will build on the prop panel earlier and include items that were used to make, market and advertise the original Star Wars movie. I am very confident that there will be items that I have never seen before displayed here.
13:30 – 14:30 Hallmark Collectibles
James Burns and Duncan Jenkins pick up a different Star Wars license this time as they discuss the extremely popular Hallmark range. It’s surprising to learn that Hallmark have been producing items for 20 years now!
15:00 – 16:00 Star Wars at the Movies
Stephen Danley, from The Chivecast, will lead this panel on a true passion of his. Posters, pamphlets, tickets… this panel will appeal to collectors who collect ephemera and want to get an understanding of how they were used to promote the movies.
16:30 – 17:30 A Collector’s Journey
Want some advice on how to start collecting or expanding your range? Gus is ready to share information on how he got started and how to enjoy your collecting journey.
18:00 – 19:00 Fakes and Scandals
Sadly, there have been many cases of fakes in the collecting community including ones that are currently under investigation. Several experienced collectors are ready to share their knowledge on how to spot fakes.
19:00 – 21:00 Collectors’ Social Room
Head over to the Social Room to meet, trade and swap items with fellow collectors. See you there!
Sunday
12:00 – 12:45 Bounty Hunting for Exclusives
How do you track down those elusive, low quantity and rare produced exclusives? Fellow fans are here to share tips and give glimpses into their collections over the years
13:00 – 13:45 A Singapore Perspective
Derek Ho is one of several collectors who live in Singapore and has been involved in the community for many years. I’ve seen many photographs of his collection but know very little on the impact of Star Wars on the region. This is certainly one not to miss.
14:00 – 14:45 Time Travel to Toy Factories Around The World
This panel will include photographs and comparisons of some of the toy producers back in the vintage years such as Kenner, Lili Ledy and Palitoy. You’re likely to wince when you see how are cherished treasures were handled back then!
15:00 – 15:45 Star Wars Collecting in Argentina
Although Top Toys is widely known in the community as being the toy licensee there are many other areas of collecting which have originated from Argentina. There will be photos that you have not seen before in this panel.
16:00 – 16:45 Unique Promotions in Spain
Jose M Arosa is a Spanish collector who will look at how Star Wars promotions worked in Spain. There are some interesting and unique items here going right up-to Rogue One
The Collecting Track Panels do not require wristbands for entry but do get extremely popular. My advice is to arrive in plenty of time if you want a seat. Unfortunately, due to the success of Star Tots, there are some who attend with no interest in the panels. If this is the case, then please be respectful of those delivering the panels and the audience who want to see and hear what is going on.