The Marin County Fair will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027 with film screenings, themed exhibit awards and costumed character appearances.
The fair is scheduled for July 1-5 at the Marin County Fairgrounds, 10 Avenue of the Flags in San Rafael. Its theme is “Celebrating 50 Years of a Galaxy Far, Far Away ...,” according to the county’s Oct. 29 announcement.
The theme recognizes Marin County’s connections to George Lucas and the artists, designers and technologists who helped create the franchise.
Lucasfilm co-president Lynwen Brennan said in the announcement that the franchise “has a special connection to Marin County, where Lucasfilm has deep roots and a long history.”
Screenings, exhibits and characters
The county plans daily screenings of the three original-trilogy films at the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium: “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and “Return of the Jedi” (1983).
Screenings will be included with fair admission. The auditorium is scheduled to reopen in January 2027 after closing in June 2023 for improvements that expanded to include structural and utility repairs.
The fair’s competitive exhibits will offer special awards for Star Wars-themed entries across adult and junior categories, including fine art, baked goods, quilting and crafts.
“The Marin County Fair invites everyone to reach for the stars, whether that’s a Millennium Falcon cake, a Wookiee-worthy quilt, a droid-inspired craft or artwork inspired by Tatooine’s twin suns,” fair manager Jennifer Olvera said in the announcement. “We can’t wait to see what our community creates.”
Exhibit guides and applications will be posted on the fair’s website in the coming months.
The county also announced expanded appearances by the Galactic Creations Initiative, a volunteer costuming collective whose members will appear as Star Wars characters around the fairgrounds.
Galaxy Passes go on sale Nov. 27
Galaxy Passes providing admission to all five days will go on sale Friday, Nov. 27, for $85.
According to the county, the passes will be the only admission option available for purchase until single-day tickets go on sale May 4, 2027, known as Star Wars Day.
Ticket and exhibit updates will be available at MarinFair.org.
