** Celebration Europe 3 - 2016 - The Event Report PT3 **

End of our first day, Thursday for us. The droids that where there ready for Friday morning, were all set up and ready. Food was ordered and we all made our way outside to await its delivery. Pizza all round lol.

Group pizza

After dropping off our droids, we had to park up. This was something that was an extra cost i didn't need :(. £15 for 24hrs was ok, but I didn't need this as would be staying at a hotel which had parking. One of our members, also concerned about cost savings, found a website called Justpark. This is an online website where parking spaces are advertised, fantastic! Me and Andre T, used the same church car park for the few hours needed, total cost was £3.10. (available from 8am - 9pm) Bargin!
(Recent large financial outgoings meant that I was/am on even more of a tight budget unfortunately).

Once pizzas were done, others were heading for drinks. But i had to find my hotel, check in etc, as wanted to be fresh for the day ahead. So i said my goodbyes and headed the 5 min walk back to my car. I also needed to check my route to Barking train station from the hotel, which was about 10-15 mins walk.

I arrived at my hotel without to much traffic hassle......i joke. But the Ibis hotel was a great relief. I unpacked and got what i needed for the day ahead, ready.

Friday 15th July 2016:
I woke up at seven and after breakfast, made the walk to the station. Its been a few years since i last travelled on the London transport system & first time using contactless travel. It was so simple tho and after my three short train journeys, i arrived, along with a few others at The Excel centre.

My R5-D4 trading cards I picked up Thursday

Mine & JJ's passes

As I walked in, I thought, oh....not such a big que forming in the main hall way. Then I remembered the actual que hall, lol. As an exhibitor, tho because I had bought passes, I wasn't technically issued with one of these, you were allowed through the bag check point via a separate que line.I had to then wait for Oliver to pop down to 'clear me' through into the North side of the Centre, where our stand was in section N9.

I/we all were checking over our droids, batteries charged etc and generally all hyped/nerves for the opening day ahead. Because it was a Friday, the initial crowds were slightly less than expected, but that was probably a good thing lol.

I was asked if I could move R5 to be infront of our iconic Sandcrawler display, made by Paul Wiz, to be next to Giles' R2 & the Jawa's. Around 10am as I walked back round I saw a mini film crew, not an unusual sight, but his time I recognised the presenter lol. I was more surprised that he moved into position right behind my R5!!

Sandcrawler scene

Alex Zane & crew

Short filming complete

So keep your eyes out for something Star Wars related on the TV featuring this man lol

More builders arrived during the morning and the crowds started to gather around the builders stand. So long in fact that it went almost all the way around it!! And stayed this long for most of the day!

Friday's R2 Builders Club stand - ques

Lots of questions were asked about how to build a droid, how much it costs, materials used etc. And lots of happy faces, both old and young :)

More to come of the day in Part 4.......