The inaugural Galaxypalooza has been and gone. Saturday 6 June 2026 saw The Mill Arts & Events Centre in Rayleigh, Essex taken over by the one-day event for Star Wars fans, by Star Wars fans. And what an event it was.
Throughout the day, hundreds and hundreds of attendees filled both floors of the centre to enjoy the packed schedule of panels, the fantastic offerings from the curated vendors, and the engaging signers from across the films and series. With VIP ticket holders gaining early access from 9am, the good vibes and atmosphere started early and remained until the last vendor had packed up. For those who attended the after party at the Half Moon pub, hosted by Level Up Leroy, the good times continued late into the night.
We were delighted to welcome Yan Miles to the event. In front of a packed-out panel area, the Emmy Award-winning editor discussed his work on Andor with BAFTA-winning editor Robert Frost during the “The Editing of Andor” panel. Yan discussed his work on five episodes of the show across both seasons and provided real insight into the editing process, working with Tony
Gilroy, his own hands-on input to scenes and much more. The full panel was made available for
the galaxy to enjoy in episode 346.
That same episode also included our very own panel, “The Andor Panel”, in which we sat with Alex Blake, Jonathan Cass, and Matt Beauman-Jones to discuss their experiences working across the show in various roles. We were even treated to a piece of Ghorman shrapnel that Jonathan carries with him wherever he goes, and Matt Beauman-Jones may have dropped the name of a planet that appears in the upcoming Ahsoka Season Two…
Elsewhere, during the fantastic “Real-World History and Star Wars” panel with Dr Chris Kempshall, hosted by Dr Samuel Thomas of Durham University, Chris discussed the process of creating and publishing the exceptional “The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire” and offered some exciting tidbits about his upcoming book, “Star Pilots” (due for release in October 2026), including the reveal that Hera Syndulla will be one of eighty pilots to be included in the book as part of in-universe interviews and archival information, all presented by Wedge Antilles.
“The Original Trilogy” panel, hosted by entertainment journalist Eammon Parks-Jacobs and MCM stage host Luke Winchester, saw attendees hear stories from Michael Carter and David Stone of their time working on the original films, including the prosthetics and costumes, challenges and experiences on set, and reflecting on the enduring legacy and cultural impact of Star Wars.
The origins and execution of the famous Darth Vader hallway scene in Rogue One, along with stories from the production — including the various versions of the film, filming on Jedha, and the uncomfortable armour — were discussed by first-time convention guest Torin Pocock and Samantha Alleyne, the first female stormtrooper, during “The Rogue One” panel, also hosted by Eammon Parks-Jacobs.
Attendees also heard about the upcoming The Price of Freedom fan film in great detail in a bumper panel hosted by Luke Winchester. The minds behind the film discussed its concepts and inspirations, production challenges, their approach to film making,
and so much more.
The wonderful David Whiteley shared stories with Mark Newbold of Fantha Tracks his excellent Star Wars documentaries – including “The Galaxy Britain Built: The British Force Behind Star Wars” and “Toy Empire: The British Force Behind Star Wars Toys”.
The history between LEGO and Star Wars was discussed in the first panel of the day between Graham E. Hancock (Editor of Blocks Magazine) and James Burns of Jedi News. The discussion also covered recent projects, including “LEGO Star Wars The Force of Creativity”, rare memorabilia, potential plans for 50th anniversary celebrations of Star Wars, upcoming Star Wars milestones and their importance to LEGO content, and much more.
The final panel of the day, “The Art of Star Wars”, saw artists Paul Fry and Paul Shipper discuss their journeys, creative processes, inspirations and advice for budding artists (amongst other subjects) with Chris and Jay (Lucasfilm-approved artist) from Loth Chats.
Attendees also had the opportunity to meet talents from across Star Wars, including the aforementioned panel guests, as well as Ross Sambridge, James Taylor, and Ross Beadman. It’s been great to see people’s photos, selfies and autographed memorabilia across social media with these fantastic artists.
From those who attended the event, Neil Tobin said, “It was so much fun. My eight-year-old came out of there absolutely buzzing and the three-year-old asked to watch a ‘Star War’ when we got home, Practically perfect in every way. Congratulations to everyone involved. Same time next year?”. Antony Green also commented, “Such an enjoyable day! It felt like Celebration had come to Rayleigh”.
‘The Clone Mandalorian’ said, “Guys, you absolutely smashed it! You nailed the social aspect of this event so much, I absolutely loved being able to catch up and chat with so many awesome people within the UKSW community. Most of all, it was lovely seeing you both so involved in the day, it’s so rare to see organisers getting so stuck into the day, but it was so clear that you were
enjoying it as much as we all were! You should be so, so incredibly proud! YOU brought all those amazing people together, a true showcase of what Star Wars is all about: unity of people from all walks of life. Thank you for giving me my genuinely most favourite event since celebration was in London and thank you for having me as a guest and judge, that was a truly meaningful touch, I can’t wait til we can do it all again next year! Now where’s that fast forward button?”
Finally, a comment from John Payton Photography caught our attention. He said, “Fantastic event – very well done to you all for organising. Hope you’ll be back. It was particularly sweet for me as I headed up the campaign to save the Mill Hall from demolition. Our main argument was the love of the venue by the community and the fact that events like this would never have been possible in the small 100 seat replacement centre. Thrilled that this was possible – and as a die hard lifelong Star Wars fan, it really was special to see you succeed.”
The staff at the Mill Arts & Events Centre were sensational throughout the entire organisation of the convention, and were crucial to the success of the event. Their hard work and dedication was at the heart of the event, and we would award them all the Yavin Medal of Bravery if we so could.
Special and heartfelt thanks must also be directed to the fantastic team behind the event, who worked tirelessly to ensure the convention was organised, ran smoothly, and that everyone who attended had a wonderful experience. As we look ahead to what the future holds for Galaxypalooza, we can’t lose sight of the joy that was felt on that Saturday in June.
As a wise man once said, this is where the fun begins.