Category: Happenings

Event coverage from yesterday, today & tomorrow – The fanfare through our eyes.

Join Rancho Obi-Wan for a party, a convention, an exhibit, or an outing. Photos and videos from past Star Wars Celebrations, Rancho Obi-Wan Galas and more. As we prepare for future events we will bring you along on the journey. As we find photos from events past we’ll be sure to share.
 
 

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A Message From Steve Sansweet About Change in Gala Plans for 2022

A Message from Steve Sansweet

Stuff does indeed happen. Despite our best intentions and plans, we have made the painful decision to cancel the Rancho Obi-Wan in-person 2022 Gala, which we had previously announced would be Aug. 20. Frankly, Star Wars Celebration sapped our energy, resources, and ability to arrange things in a timely or quality fashion.

But the good news is that we’re working to have something new and exciting online for mid-August. With the positive feedback from our joint four-collection display at Celebration, we’ve decided to provide an online look not only at usually hidden treasures of Rancho Obi-Wan, but also a virtual look at the collections of super collectors Gus Lopez, Duncan Jenkins, and Lisa Stevens & Vic Wertz.

We’ll be sending more detailed information closer to the date about how you can view the Rancho Obi-Wan Facebook Live presentation of Star Wars collectors’ heaven. It will be our gift to you, and we hope you’ll join us that day for the fun and information.

Steve Sansweet is owner and Executive Chairman of Rancho Obi-Wan, former Head of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm and contributor to StarWars.com, and previously the longest-running Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal in Los Angeles.
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MANY Thanks to MANY people for a Successful Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022!

For this year’s Star Wars Celebration, ReedPop asked us to create a high-quality exhibit to fill 6,000 square feet on the third floor rather than our normal 900 square feet in the exhibit hall. That’s a great big empty room to fill, so we partnered with fellow collectors and Rancho Obi-Wan Board members Gus Lopez, Duncan Jenkins, and Lisa Stevens and Vic Wertz to execute the vision for this space. Each of the four collections is unique and provided a balance of amazing objects from concept, to screen, to collectible, to fan-made. We have many people to thank for helping bring this vision to reality for Celebration in Anaheim.

Rancho Obi-Wan Boba Fett to Bo-Katan Exhibit

We welcomed just over 8,000 visitors over four days, and we hope the experience we created for you brought a lot of joy, laughter, warm feelings of nostalgia, and the rush of awe and wonder. Thank you for coming!

Rancho Obi-Wan Boba Fett to Bo-Katan Exhibit

Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022

Our main exhibit, Boba Fett to Bo-Katan: The Evolution of the Mandalorians, and four smaller exhibits, What’s in a Name, The History of Star Tots, Cascading Grogu in Ombré, and 10 Years of Rancho Obi-Wan, took seven months of brainstorming, planning, curating and designing. We ultimately brought almost 600 unique objects from all four collections to display in 20 different cases.

Star Wars Celebration Anaheim Exhibit

We also had our popular wheel spin, the general store, a fundraising raffle, and—new this year—a Create Your Own Sketch Card program area. We received 347 brilliant works of art from all ages around the world (including one from the man himself, Dave Filoni).

Star Wars Celebration Dave Filoni Sketch Card

Our mission to inspire came to fruition at this single small table at the exit of the Boba Fett exhibit. We had created a story, found objects in our collections to support that story, displayed them for visitors to enjoy, and then watched them pour that inspiration into works of art. To come full circle, we’ll be scanning the art and sharing them on our social channels over the next many months. I guarantee these pieces will, in turn, inspire others, and so the mission is fulfilled exponentially!

Star Wars Celebration Sketch Card

Ultimately, bringing this exceptionally large exhibit to Celebration was exceptionally hard. I’ve likened the experience to running a marathon and then immediately running several sprints. But at least our gang of volunteers was running together and picking up one another when one of us fell. Rancho Obi-Wan may be the result of Steve Sansweet’s passion, but its foundation is a group of incredible people who work hard, who work often, who care for the collection as their own, and who care for its founder and fellow volunteers as their family.

Star Wars Celebration Thank You

Please join me in thanking the following 76 people for getting it done:

Steve Sansweet
presents
The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience
at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022

Star Wars Celebration

Introducing
The Saga Museum
a World-Class Collaboration
featuring the collections of
Steve Sansweet
Gus Lopez
Duncan Jenkins
Lisa Stevens & Vic Wertz

Star Wars Celebration

Produced by Anne Neumann

Boba Fett to Bo-Katan Exhibit

Research
Vic Wertz

Story
Vic Wertz
Steve Sansweet

Curating
Anne Neumann
Dan Norgan
Duncan Jenkins
Gus Lopez
Lisa Stevens
Michael Wistock
Rich Smolen
Vic Wertz

Captions
Vic Wertz
Anne Neumann

Interpretive Plan & Design
Anne Neumann
Paula Millstone

Installation
Anne Jenkins
Lisa Stevens
Rich Smolen
Vic Wertz
Freeman

What’s in a Name Exhibit
Duncan Jenkins

Star Wars Celebration 2022

History of Star Tots Exhibit
Gus Lopez

Cascading Grogu in Ombre Exhibit
Anne Neumann

10 Years of Rancho Obi-Wan Exhibit
Anne Neumann

Exhibit Prep Marathon
Aileen Sweeney
Bob Canning
Brian Allbright
Carl Wagner, Carpentry
Consetta Parker, Social Media
Curt Hanks, Graphic Design
Dan Norgan, Technology
David Leonard
Duncan Jenkins
Dwayne Smith
Giuseppe Lipari
Gus Lopez
Jeff Neckers
Kaden Smith
Lisa Stevens
Lorena Gies
Marc Morita
Marino Frugoli
Marlon Sarabosing
Michael Wistock
Phillip Barr
Rich Smolen, Online Exhibit Galleries
Shannon Smith
Steve Gies
Steve Sansweet
Stewart Levy
Tahal Royce
Troy Brierly
Vic Wertz
Yannik Morales

Exhibit Set-Up 200m Sprint
Anne Jenkins
Anne Neumann
Duncan Jenkins
Dwayne Smith
Eric Plummer
Gus Lopez
Jason Neurath
Lisa Stevens
Lorena Gies
Marc Morita
Michael Wistock
Rich Smolen
Steve Sansweet
Stewart Levy
Susan Rogers
Tony Clemens
Vic Wertz
Victoria Webb

Exhibit Management 400m Sprint
Anne Neumann, Manager

Anne Jenkins, Assistant to Steve Sansweet
Consetta Parker, Social Media & Scheduling
Duncan Jenkins, Docent
Gus Lopez, Docent
Jason Neurath, Steve’s personal shopper
Joe Churin, Remote Suburban Support
Lisa Stevens, Docent
Lorena Gies, General Store
Mark Rusciano, Videography
Rich Smolen, General Store
Stewart Levy, Wheel Manager & Chauffeur
Steve Sansweet, Docent
Susan Rogers, General Store & Sketch Card Program Manager
Victoria Webb, Photography
Vic Wertz, Docent

Volunteers
Tracy Kelly, Volunteer Coordinator

Tracy Kelly, On-Site Manager
Angel-Marie Ashley, On-Site Manager
Tony Clemens, On-Site Manager

Aileen Sweeney
Amanda Jamnicky
Anne Marie Lehmeyer
Charmaine Cuddie
Chuck Goddard
Davina Deschain
Derek Fecke
Dwayne Smith
Eric Plummer
Grace Chang
Jason Thomas
Jeff Caffrey
Jeff Ellis
Jennifer Sanders
Jon Nagel
Kay Fluhler
Kelly DuBose
Kenny Dow
Kort Peters
Kris Dow
Laura Takao
Lawrence Green
Marc Morita
Matt Kamimura
Melissa Hillman
Nick Dellow
Nick Gillispie
Peter Jamnicky
Rachael Royce
Reggie Clark
Rosy Mendoza
Steven Newcomb
Tahal Royce
Tammy Ross
Tate Dellow
Toni McIntire
Werner DeGruyter
Wes Middleton
Yannik Morales

Exhibit Tear-Down 100m Sprint
Anne Jenkins
Anne Neumann
Duncan Jenkins
Dwayne Smith
Gus Lopez
Lisa Stevens
Lorena Gies
Marc Morita
Michael Wistock
Rich Smolen
Steve Sansweet
Stewart Levy
Susan Rogers
Tony Clemens
Vic Wertz
Victoria Webb
Werner Degruyter

Exhibit Wind-Down Half-Marathon
Anne Neumann
Carl Wagner
Consetta Parker
Dwayne Smith
Octavia Churin
Steve Sansweet
Stewart Levy
Victoria Webb

The only core group shot we got and which I totally forgot was taken by Victoria (not shown). Something apparently hilarious happened. 🙂


 

 

Anne Neumann is President and CEO of Rancho Obi-Wan, former Volunteer Coordinator and Fan Club Breakfast Manager for Official Pix, and previously a Systems Analyst at the University of Texas at Austin.

See more Star Wars Celebration with Rancho Obi-Wan

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Packing for Rancho Obi-Wan Exhibit at Star Wars Celebration is a Galactic Endeavor!

Preparing and packing for the Rancho Obi-Wan exhibit for Star Wars Celebration is a galactic endeavor… Do you think we wrapped Boba Fett in bubble wrap or encased him in carbonite for his trip to Anaheim? Watch this video to find out!

Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers for always being there to help. *And special thanks to Rex for allowing Boba to borrow his suitcase!

Bonus: Here are some sneak peek photos of a few of the collectibles we’ll be bringing to Anaheim for Star Wars fans of all ages to enjoy.

See photos from Star Wars Celebration 2022!

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Rancho Obi-Wan Members Exclusive Fundraiser May 5th at The Presidio

A Rancho Obi-Wan members exclusive event was hosted by Skywalker Vineyards as part of their May the Fourth celebrations. This private fundraiser took place at Sessions Restaurant at the Presidio in San Francisco, California on Thursday, May 5th.
From 7pm-10pm, everyone got to enjoy:
– Skywalker Vineyards wine tastings and shopping at the Skywalker Ranch general store (and Rancho Obi-Wan items too!)
– Sessions at the Presidio joined forces with Smugglers Cove to provide special tiki eats platter and Star Wars themed drinks.
– Rancho Obi-Wan fundraising raffle with some amazing prizes!
– A small exhibit of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian items to view.
– Steve Sansweet was there to visit with folks and sign autographs.

Special Thanks to Victoria Webb for photography featuring all the fun festivities!

Would you like an invite to our next member exclusive event? Visit our Membership page and thank you for your support!

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Watch Time Lapse Video of Rare Star Wars Billboard Sheets Put Together!

1977 Star Wars Billboard

We took a deep dive into the loft area during our Rancho Obi-Wan Virtual Fundraiser Gala in 2021, and discovered rare Star Wars Billboard sheets from 1977!
There were 24 sheets with the date of 11/18/77 and we handled each with great care.

Watch the time lapse video of our team putting together this beautiful piece of Star Wars history!

Continue reading “Watch Time Lapse Video of Rare Star Wars Billboard Sheets Put Together!”

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Virtual Gala October 23, 2021, 1-4pm Pacific Time

Join us here on the Virtual Museum to celebrate our 10th anniversary! Make sure you have a current subscription to the Virtual Museum in order to view the video stream.

  • If you joined us last year for the Virtual Gala you already have an account here, but you may need to add a Virtual Museum subscription. You can do that by first logging in to your account and then add a Virtual Museum subscription. Reset your password if needed to get in to your account.
  • If you have had a Virtual Museum subscription in the past and it is on pause or has been cancelled you can reinstate the Virtual Museum subscription from your account page.
  • If you did not join us for last year’s Virtual Gala and you do not have a Virtual Museum subscription, please sign up for a new account. You can pause or cancel anytime.

This year we’re going to spend a lot of time inside the museum showing you some of our favorite things. We’ll also show some typical behind-the-scenes projects.

Have a question? This week, please Tweet @RanchoObiWan your question using #askROW for a chance to have your question answered by the Rancho Obi-Wan team.

And let’s do a “reverse” scavenger hunt! Can Steve find it? This week, please Tweet @RanchoObiWan an item you would like Steve to find in the museum using #ScoutingWithSteve

There will be no auction this year, but we will have some merchandise available via CustomInk through November 1st.

Finally, this is a fundraiser and we really appreciate your help.
There are many ways to support us:

We’re super excited to share the museum with you. See you soon!

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May the 4th be with YOU!

Happy day everyone. There’s a lot going on, but find an hour or two to watch our Facebook Lives from last year celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. If you like these videos, get much more by signing up for our Virtual Museum–only $10/month!

Originally posted August 31, 2020

Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2020 was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience booth was to exhibit a selection of items celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. Conceptualized by our docents, Dan Norgan and Michelle Norgan, it would have taken you on a journey from concept to screen to collectible. Here is part 1 & part 2 of a Facebook Live showcasing many of the items that would have been on exhibit, plus others we would not have been able to bring. In addition, in part 1, take a tour through our bedroom exhibit that was installed at Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017. In part 2, take a rare view of one of our back storage isles.

Produced by Mark Rusciano
Support by Consetta Parker

Part 1:

Part 2:

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Happenings: JDRF Charity Tour

In 2013, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of JDRF partnered with Rancho Obi-Wan and Wagner Power Equipment to create the ultimate Star Wars fan fly-away Experience as part of their live fundraising auction.

The Experience raised over $7,000 for the local JDRF chapter. The trip included a private jet flight form Denver to San Francisco, two nights stay in Petaluma, and a membership to Rancho Obi Wan, along with a private, personalized tour. Scott Magerfleisch, a Rocky Mountain JDRF Board member and Type 1 diabetic since 1986, along with his wife Melissa, coordinated with members of the 501st Legion Golden Gate Garrison, and met the winning family at Rancho Obi-Wan for this once in a lifetime Experience. The private tour included all the stops within Rancho Obi-Wan, along with some special photo ops with members of the 501st Legion along the way.

This post is dedicated to Melissa Magerfleisch who passed a year ago today, March 9, 2020. She was a friend of Rancho Obi-Wan–a loving, giving, selfless person and we miss her. These are the charities that were important to Melissa, please support them in her memory, if you can:

  • JDRF Mountain West
  • Harley’s Dream to stop puppy mills
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    Happenings: Star Wars Day with the San Francisco Giants


    Many baseball teams do Star Wars events all around the world (we have plenty of collctibles to prove it), but of all the teams, who better than the San Francisco Giants? After all, George Lucas himself is a California native which has resulted in the Bay Area being a hub for Star Wars. ILM is located in San Francisco, much of the Endor footage was shot in Northern California’s majestic redwoods, and of course Skywalker Ranch is just a short drive from our museum in Petaluma, so when the Giants host a Star Wars day, you know it’s going to be a good day.

    Continue reading “Happenings: Star Wars Day with the San Francisco Giants”

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