We’re less than one month away from Celebration Europe at the ExCeL Centre in London – how in the name of Bantha Podoo did that happen? If you’re like me then excitement is building by the day and my anticipation is really hitting fever pitch. Each day I find myself caught in daydream wondering about panels I might attend, what exclusives might I be able to pick up or what surprises will be announced. I also find myself making mental notes of things to pack or what I will need to remember.
On that note, I’ve scoured the internet, forums and YouTube videos to bring you an up-to-date list of things you may not have thought about or little titbits that might help in your Celebration experience. This list is by no means exhaustive and the wonderful thing about Celebration to remember is that we all have different tastes, so each person’s experience will be wholly different and unique to them.
Let’s take a look.
TIME
First up is the one thing I’m sure we all need more of everyday. You’re going to want to plan your time wisely. If you’re there for four days then perhaps you can be a little looser with a plan. If you’re going for a specific day or days then getting everything you want to see fiitted in is going to take a Bothan Spy worthy plan. But it can be done. Trust me.
At Celebration Europe in 2016 for various reasons I could only attend for the Friday. In that one day I packed in the following; Mark Hamill panel, visited Rogue One exhibition, did some shopping on the floor, Mark Hamill photo-op, Carrie Fisher photo-op, visited the art show to collect my print, Ray Park autograph, Rogue One panel, visited the Propel model show and squeezed in some more shopping on the floor. I think I had something to eat too. By the time I got on the train home I don’t mind admitting that I was a little emotional. I was overwhelmed with joy. What a day!!! Now, this was obviously a lot in the one day and I was darting around from place to place like a lunatic but I made it work for me. I absolutely loved it because it was MY day. This was my experience. And this is the tip here. I’m not telling you how to plan your time…just make a plan that works for you.
Have a look at the panels that really interest you…don’t get swept away with the crowd. What’s the saying these days? You do you. This year I’m attending for the four full days and the plan is starting to come together very slowly but of course another top tip here is to plan for the unexpected. There will be surprises along the way. As a certain Dr. Jones once said; “I don’t know. I’m making this is up as I go.”
MONEY
The dreaded word but unfortunately it needs to be said. I’ve read dozens and dozens of forum threads for this article and one thing that people keep saying is that no matter what you’re budget, you’re going to go over. I’ve read posts by people concerned that they haven’t been able to save the amount that they wanted but the important thing to remember here is that aside from you’re food/travel/lodgings, etc it is entirely possibly to attend Celebration and not really spend a penny. They’ll be plenty of SWAG on offer. Not everyone is into autographs/photo-ops. Merchandise from the Official Store is often available at a later date. There are dozens of things to enjoy around the convention without you having to buy anything and it’s always worth remembering and asking yourself; is that purchase really worth it right now if you know it’s going to affect you’re mortgage payment next month? And if you have been able to save your goal then good for you!
I started saving last summer bit by bit in small amounts and have reached my goal. But my goal is my goal; I’m not going over. I’ve got my budget and that’s it. There may be certain things you want to pre-order as they’re likely to sell out so keep an eye on those and at this stage surely all the guests have been announced so now maybe you can make an informed decision about who want to get in terms of autographing. No matter how you plan on spending the dosh in April, try to remember this; they’re going to be some friends you make along the way and that’s one thing that money certainly can’t buy.
WHAT TO PACK
If you’re like me then you’ll already have a list. I’ve written it out three times and keep thinking of things to add but here’s a few essentials that might help you make the experience more enjoyable.
Firstly, a water bottle. These are long days and keeping as healthy as possible is important. Buying bottled water also adds up to the cost but at the Excel centre there are ample of free water refill stations located around the venue to save some more pennies and stay hydrated.
Next up is for those who are after photo’s or autographs. Hard earned money is spent on these precious memories and you’ll want to keep them safe throughout the day. You may want a separate bag for these. I say this as I once saw someone at a Comic-Con who had their autos and a drink in the same bag and their bottle leaked all over the place. Heart-breaking to see and if you are putting everything in one place then keep everything apart and invest in a sturdy hardback folder to put autos and photos in. On this, it is worth spending a few quid more on something that you know will protect your purchase.
Next up is a good old trusted Sharpie. Have one to hand as you never know who you might meet walking the floor and you may be able to steal a few seconds of their time for a quick signature or autograph and if you’re taking a sharpy then maybe a small notebook or blank cards are worthy as you can keep them with you to be scribbled on.
Finally, there are all the obvious things. Phone charger, power bank, tickets and cash are all essential but can be easy to forget if we’re rushing.
TIP FOR AUTOGRAPHS
Here’s one which I do personally. It’s my preference that I like my autographs personalised to me. I have no intention of ever selling and I love the unique experience and interaction. These days if I know I’m at an event and there’s someone I want to meet then I always carry a few small pieces of note paper with my name clearly written on. All it says is ‘Jonathan’. I do this for 2 reasons. One; my name has a few different ways of being spelt and I want it spelt how my name is spelt. Nice and simple. The other reason is that I hail from the Black Country and sometimes I’ve found my accent can be a little difficult for some folk to grasp and so to save time and any awkwardness for the signer it’s just easy if I ask for it to say ‘To Jonathan’ and then hand the actor the note with my name written on. They always appreciate it.
Side note; I’m left-handed and freely admit I have awful and just plain illegible handwriting so I always get someone with beautiful calligraphy to write mine.
TWO OF THE BIGGEST TIPS FROM THE INTERNET
I collated as many videos and posts about tips for Celebration as I could and the following two tips kept coming up again and again in almost every article I came across. So, without further ado, the biggest tips for celebration are; comfy footwear and deodorant.
I had some trainers for Christmas and have been breaking them in ever since. We need to think of our weary feet and backs. We want the days to be as enjoyable and fantastic as possible and some nice squidgy trainers will help us do that. The deodorant one did make laugh but it’s a fair point. Maybe carry a small one in your bag that you can quickly whip out and top up with as we go throughout the day.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
This one is mostly a heads up for anyone reading this outside of the UK. Here in old Blighty these past 3 months we’ve had a period of industrial strikes in various sectors. Keep a look out for the Celebration weekend for potential strikes and the effects it could have on trains, the underground tube network and DLR.
AND FINALLY…
There’s bound to be something I’ve missed or haven’t thought of. If there are any tips for our fellow travellers and attendees of Celebration then be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments section on all the social media platforms but I have one more to share with you from my time working and travelling on the road that has saved my sanity countless times. It’s ear plugs. Whether you’re stopping in a hotel where there could be noisy guests at 3am or in an AirBnB with music being played well after midnight or you might even be in hostel with 12 other guests who snore, then ear plugs will be a lifesaver. After all, we’re going to need a good night’s sleep ready to be refreshed for another day of Star Wars goodness and you can get a fairly decent pair of ear plugs from most supermarkets or pharmacies.
If you’re on Facebook then be sure to keep a look out on the various groups for Celebration where they keep everyone updates on the announcements and after parties such as Boonta Eve 4 and the Sunday night #CANTINA 2 concert at the Indigo.
May the Force be with you, look out for us all in our Fantha Tracks shirts and see you all in a few weeks.
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