If there could ever be a convention that was deemed to top all other conventions, the Celebration III in Indianapolis, IN. was a definite contender. For many that may have missed the wet and dreary conditions of Denver and even the seemingly chaotic and misguided atmosphere of the Celebration II, the Celebration III was the 'can't be missed' convention of the last 28 years. If you were set to make only one fandom pilgrimage in your life, it was time to start packing.

The Celebration III was a 4-day event spanning the dates of April 21-24, 2005 at the Indiana Convention Center. This convention, unlike its predecessors, was expanded by a fourth day that later became a lifesaver after one spends over 8 hours waiting in the C3 Store line for an action figure and a sweatshirt.

The event hosted over 40 guest appearances from all six Star Wars films including actors such as Ray Park, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bullock, David Prowse, Warrick Davis and Kenny Baker. Other highlights included memorable pieces from the Lucasfilm archive, a massive exhibitors hall, a life-size X-Wing Fighter as well as a variety of entertainment including informative interview sessions, comedy routines, and even a musical, yes, a musical.

Between the scores of scantilly clad young women outfitted in 'slave' Leia attire, more 501st Legion members than you could shake a gaffi stick at and Jorg Sacul himself, it was a pretty good start to a memorable event and weekend.

The third day was definitely the highlight of the entire event with a rare guest appearance by the Star Wars creator himself, George Lucas. This was the first convention since 1987 that Lucas had made an appearance. The energy that morning beyond the cold, windy, and wet conditions was electric. Many people braved the near freezing conditions of the previous night in anticipation of getting a glimpse of the man who has delivered so much happiness to so many people. It was the most exhilirating moment of the convention for many and one that will never be forgotten by all.

Saturday evening was closed by a well deserved costume party labeled the Celebration at Celebration III. The affair featured a costume contest, a variety of adult/kids games and attractions, live music and even a well-deserved bar.

For those of you who were looking for a once in a lifetime Star Wars convention, the C3, in my opinion, will be a hard one to beat. I hope for everyone that attended the event, it was as special and exciting as it was for all of us at the SWCelebration.com. Thanks to GenCon and Lucasfilm, LTD. for thinking of us once again and thank you, George, for just stopping by.

And for all of you who missed it (again), just remember the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars is in two short years. Who needs a better reason for a Celebration IV than that?

A detailed accounting of the Indianapolis Star Wars Celebration III can be found at the official Star Wars website.