Virtual ‘Star Wars’ Convention to Launch for May the 4th

Fan conventions have gone on hiatus as COVID-19 continues to keep the world on lockdown, but that isn’t preventing New York Comic Con and Star Wars Celebration organizers ReedPop from marking next week’s Star Wars Day.

The two-day An Online Revelry: May the 4th Be With You and Revenge of the 5th celebration features multiple virtual events, including live-tweeting movies and episodes of both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, as well as Q&A sessions and discussions with writers and voice actors associated with the franchise. (A full schedule can be seen in the two graphics below.)

Additionally, fans will be able to take part in trivia quizzes and prize giveaways across the May 4-5 period, with ReedPop encouraging usage of the hashtags #Maythe4th and #Revengeofthe5th for those participating. Events will take place across social media accounts associated with multiple ReedPop properties, including New York Comic Con, C2E2, BookCon, Emerald City Comic Con and Florida SuperCon, on both Twitter and Facebook.

The announcement of the Online Revelry event follows similar virtual conventions that have replaced canceled traditional shows in the past couple of months, as fans and creators alike search for a quarantine-safe alternative to the convention season of old. The most high-profile convention to be canceled to date remains San Diego Comic-Con, which was due to take place at the end of July. So far, it’s unknown whether ReedPop’s Star Wars Celebration, currently scheduled for Aug. 27-30 in Anaheim, will similarly be forced from the calendar.