The Galaxy Far, Far Away just got a little bit farther for fans here on Earth. Disney/Lucasfilm announced on Monday that out of concern over the spread of COVID-19, Star Wars Celebration 2020 has been canceled, and the event won’t return until 2022.
“At Star Wars Celebration, the health and safety of our fans, attendees, exhibitors, guests and staff is always our number one priority,” Lucasfilm said in a statement Monday. “Due to the global impact of the COVID-19 virus and in speaking with local and state authorities on the latest public health guidelines related to indoor conventions, we have made the decision to cancel Star Wars Celebration for 2020.”
This year’s show was scheduled for August 27-30 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The next event will now happen August 18-21 in 2022, also in Anaheim.
Lucasfilm clarified that all merchandise usually sold at the three-day “Star Wars” geek-fest will be available online “in the not so distant future” — and would-be attendees that ordered merch can either opt to have it delivered to their homes or take a refund. Any hotel arrangements made through Lucasfilm’s housing portal will be immediately canceled, and fans have from June 22 until August 26 ro request a refund.
Fans who bought tickets for this year’s event won’t be left in the lurch. Those tickets will still be honored at the 2022 event, but fans can also receive a refund or credit if they don’t want to go in 2022.
This is the first Star Wars Celebration to be canceled since its inception in April 1999 to ramp up fan excitement for “The Phantom Menace.” IndieWire reports the first event drew over 20,000 attendees, and the event has since grown in both audience size and overall scope — in past years the show has done pop-up events in London, Orlando and Chicago.