Celebrating STAR WARS

Spencer is always first off the mark with Celebration fan events and this year is no different! The Not-So-Virtual Cantina is a great way for fans arriving in Tokyo a little early to hang out ahead of the main event (or maybe to relax a little if you've already spent a few days exploring Japan or Tokyo Disney). Whilst details aren't finalised yet, the Not-So-Virtual Cantina is planned to take place on Thursday, April 17, from 8pm-11pm and all are welcome. You'll be able to find all the details on their Facebook event page as they are announced.

With tickets about to go on sale there's currently two competitions for our American friends to win tickets to next year's Star Wars  Celebration in Japan! The first is from Regal Cinemas, offering their Regal Crown Members a chance to win a trip for two. The promotion is in conjunction with  The Phantom Menace's 25th anniversary this weekend but no purchase is necessary. Click here to see all the ways you can enter . Competition closes 11:59pm ET on May 4. The second competition comes from Japan's National Tourism Organization, celebrating US-Japan Tourism Year, and will open on May 11 alongside the third annual Japan Parade in New York, with this year's parade featuring a commemorative "May the Force Be With You in Japan" float in celebration of the event! Full details will be announced on May 11, with the competition running until September 30. You can find more details here .

  You know we're getting closer when you get the first look at the official merch! Last week StarWars.com  gave us a preview of the official merchandise that fans will be able to pre-order alongside their tickets later this week. This time around you'll be able to get the traditional logo shirt (and other merch) in English, Japanese, and a mix of both languages. These items will be priced between ¥1560-6200 (specific pricing not announced). All of these items have now been added to the Celebration Store page and will be available alongside tickets later this week. Tickets will be going on sale on Thursday, May 2, at 19:00 EST (US) / Friday, May 3, at 08:00 JST (Japan). There will be an exclusive presale for those who had Jedi Master VIP tickets to Celebration Europe 2023 taking place on Wednesday, May 1, at 12:00 EST (US) / 01:00 JST (Japan). This year tickets, and any merchandise purchased with them, will not be shipped in advance. All tickets and merch pre-orders will be col