Gear up for Celebration 5, because it really is coming to Orlando in August

CV logoWell, it’s official: Celebration V will be in Orlando, Florida on August 12-15, 2010. Registration is set to go live Thursday, December 10th. Four-day passes start at $120, and we’re sure to get more details soon.

It’s hard for me to get excited about this (Florida in August, ugh) but will the location/timing keep you away? I think I’ll still probably go, but I’ve already seen several folks declare that they won’t.

ETA: Quote of the day, from our own @rosiewook:

The 4 Stages of Celebration Announcements: whining, denial, envy, purchase.

Back to news: Wizard has moved Chicago Comic Con back a week to avoid a conflict: Consider that a consolation prize for the midwest fans. (Cross your fingers for an Indianapolis CVI: Their expansion will be done by that point.) As for other major cons, GenCon (August 5-8) will certainly see a few less Jaders, but I doubt the usually stuffed-to-the-gills Dragon*Con (September 3-6) will suffer many ill effects. (Anything to help the elevator wait times.)

ETA 2: TFN talks to Steve Sansweet about the convention.

Rumor: Celebration 5 confirmed? Yeeeaaahh….

GalacticBinder is reporting that ‘reliable sources’ have confirmed a Celebration 5 date and location to them: Mid-August 2010 in Orlando. With all respect to GalacticBinder, I’m not ready to believe quite yet. Alas, I have to hit the hay early tonight, but you may want to keep a weather eye on StarWars.com (Protip: No flash in the archives) and/or @starwars just in case. Or, as they say themselves:

FYI: unless you hear #StarWars Celebration news on @starwars or Starwars.com, it’s NOT official.

Though judging by how far and wide that has been retweeted in the few minutes since it was posted, we’re all far too cynical to believe anyone but LFL themselves at this point.

Could Celebration V really be going to… Orlando?

Let go of your desire to have the con in City X.With Baltimore down for the count, many are assuming that Orlando is pretty much a done deal. It’s certainly not out of the running (and I won’t deny adding several area business feeds to my RSS reader) but people… We really need to be patient.

I know, I know. I’ve been terrible at that myself, particularly when we failed to see much of anything through the summer. But now it’s time to be zen and get in touch with our inner Yodas. It’ll happen when it happens. And if it is in Florida… Well, we’ll deal. One way or another. With margaritas, if need be. Giant, Hoth-themed margaritas.

Report: Celebration V won’t be in Baltimore

The Baltimore Business Journal has revealed that the city’s bid for the 2010 convention has been rejected:

Organizers of the Star Wars Celebration V rejected the city because its convention center doesn’t have enough room, said Tom Noonan, who heads the city tourist bureau. The four-day gathering could have attracted 35,000 visitors and filled 12,000 hotel room nights — a larger impact than any convention the city currently hosts.

The status of bids from Orlando, Chicago or any of the other east coast cities that have been mentioned as candidates remain unknown to us. (via)

Orlando preparing Celebration V bid?

They’re pitching it next week for an August 2010 date, information procured by TheForce.Net says:

A presentation is being prepared for Lucasfilm and Reed Exhibitions next week and the group plans to narrow down the candidate cities to (2) by October 10th. From there, site visits will commence for the rest of the month with a tentative decision to be made by November 1st.

Perhaps just as interesting, is that a second bid is listed for an additional Celebration in August of 2014.

This does not mean Orlando will get the convention(s,) just that they’re trying for it, but I’ve done a bit of research on my own and I believe they could be a leading candidate. But August in Florida? Heat, humidity, and hurricanes? I’m not so sure about that, but at this point it may be their only opening. (I’m still crossing my fingers for Baltimore or Chicago.)

TFN also points out that Reed Exhibitions has been organizing New York Comic-Con. Of course, this is all unconfirmed!

The Star Wars costumes of Dragon*Con

If the reports are anything to go on, there was no missing the many steampunk-themed costumes at Dragon*Con this weekend; No surprise that there were several Star Wars variations. Not surprisingly there were a lot of stormtroopers, bounty hunters and your other standards, but Cardinal Vader may be a new one. (Though one must admit it isn’t much of a logical leap.) Or we can just go straight for the crossdressers. Or the ever-popular Spaceballs. (Photo at right by Ryan James.)

And this adorable no-frills two-person AT-AT costume was a big hit with the #dragoncon tweeters. How about them boxes? But for sheer ‘ah, screw it’ daring, my vote goes to these guys.

And in conclusion, baby.