May the 4th episode be with you at film event!
STAR Wars fans will be able to meet actors from the latest film and enjoy a screening of Episode IV at a unique event next month.
Miltos Yerolemou, whose wide range of acting credits includes Game Of Thrones and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, will appear at the event along with Southport-based Mel Pickup, who played Athgar Heece, in Episode VII.
Called May The 4th Be With You, the event will be held on the internationally recognised Official Star Wars Day and will feature a Q&A with the actors and a special showing of the original Star Wars film, also known as A New Hope.
The event has been organised by Andy Sciacca, who has been attending conventions for more than 30 years and organising them since in 1995.
Andy, who is also hosting the UK’s only Game Of Thrones convention in Southport, said: “I’ve been a lifelong Star Wars fan. I remember going to see it in 1977 at the Odeon in Southport.
“I remember going to every viewing I could. I’d go out at the back and then straight back in the queue for the next one!”
The event is being held in memory of Star Wars legends Carrie Fisher, better known as Princess Leia, and Kenny Baker, aka R2D2, and will raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation.
Carrie died aged 60 in December, while Kenny, a familiar face in Southport pantos, died last August, aged 81.
Andy said: “I spent a lot of time in a hostel when I was younger and the only toy I had was a Princess Leia, so it has always meant a lot to me. “I wanted to do this for Carrie Fisher and Kenny Baker, who also sadly died not long ago, so that I could in some way pay tribute to their memory. “Carrie was very involved with the Make A Wish Foundation, so all the money raised from this will go to them. Vue Cinema have kindly let us use their venue and there’s going to be a couple of stars from the most recent chapter, as well as Darth Vader and Kylo Ren cosplay characters. “Everyone who goes will get a free popcorn and coke and there’ll be a green screen photo booth so you can have your picture taken on the Death Star.”
A raffle and auction will also be held to raise money for the charity, and Andy was keen to pay tribute to local businesses that helped with the events.
He added: “We do get a lot of help from local businesses – Bar and Burger Co and the Windmill have helped a lot in the past – and it really is vital.
“It’s really down to them that we can keep these things going, with the prizes and the rooms and everything else they give.
“We just need more support from businesses to keep these events in Southport for all the fans here.”
The event will take place from 6pm on Thursday, May 4, at Vue Cinema, Ocean Plaza.
Tickets cost £9 and are available from mersey-sci.com