Photos from The Rancho Obi-Wan Experience at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2013 and 2016
A Special Star Wars Story from Rancho Obi-Wan Docent Marc Morita
Rancho Obi-Wan docent, Marc Morita, told a very special Star Wars story on May 4th, 2022. We are thankful to Marc for sharing.
You’ll see a lot of Star Wars posts today, and I’m hoping you’ll read this one, too. It’ll make you feel good.
Here’s a Star Wars story. Dwayne Smith is someone who has helped me a ton in the world of my Star Wars fandom. He’s super knowledgeable about the history of the films, the collecting that goes with it, and also the fabrication and design of costumes. He is a tremendous friend to boot.
He pretty much put together my stormtrooper kit at no charge.
As a way to say thank you, I invited Dwayne to come along with me to Disneyland. It was a great time had by all. Dwayne is one of those guys who always feels the need to pay it forward, and he asked how he could repay me. I obviously refused because sometimes you just need to give a gift to say thanks.
He wasn’t happy about that response, so I said, “Just make a small contribution to Rancho Obi-Wan, in my mom’s name, and we’ll call it good.”
So on Saturday, Dwayne and a bunch of other friends gathered at Rancho to prepare for Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, and he presents a perfect Bo-Katan helmet from The Mandalorian to Stephen J. Sansweet and Anne Neumann, which he dedicated to my mom, Helen Morita.
That’s why I love Star Wars, and May the 4th Be With You, always.
Marc Morita is a Rancho Obi-Wan docent and LEGO expert. His current focus is building custom multi-colored versions of Imperial vehicles. In his other life he is a teacher in Napa County with a beautiful daughter and a Basset Hound named Biggs.Take a Closer Look at the 2019 Lucasfilm Crew Gift!
Watch Unboxing of the Star Wars Vintage Collection Archive Edition Books by Blue Milk
Watch unboxing video of items from the Vera Bradley Star Wars collection!
A Message From Steve Sansweet About Change in Gala Plans for 2022
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.MANY Thanks to MANY people for a Successful Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022!
