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It was my pleasure to meet the 501st Mountain Legion at Starfest Convention over the weekend. I had a chance to attend their panel and to speak with them one on one. I had no clue the 501st existed in Colorado. For those of you not familiar with the 501st, it is a large group of Star Wars enthusiasts who don authentic Star Wars costumes and are active in various charities.
501st Legion (Vader’s Fist) was created by Albin Johnson to provide a place for costume enthusiasts to show off their Stormtrooper armor and a place to promote Star Wars. Since then, the 501st has put their costumes to good use by volunteering for various charities, including the American Red Cross, Toys For Tots, and Hero (Dedicated to the families of law enforcement).
The 501st is divided into garrisons, which are then divided into squads. For Colorado, the Garrison is the Mountain Garrison, which has three squads: Snowy Range Squad, Pikes Peak Squad, and the Mile High Squad. There is a command staff, and from time to time, the squads will meet together creating a tight knit group of friends.
What really struck me was how interactive the 501st Mountain Garrison was during the Starfest Convention The whole team was energetic, friendly, and willing to take a dozen photos. It was fun to watch how children interacted with the Stormtroopers, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia. What was also wonderful was seeing them interact with the children, and how much care they took to make it a special experience for everyone.
They also created a Han Solo in carbonate display (see picture below), which was totally awesome for taking your picture in. They also had a Jawa in the corner with glowing eyes and conducted an auction for The Make A Wish Foundation (Make A Wish R2 - KT Auction).
I had the opportunity to attend one of their panels “Meet The 501st”, in which I was able to learn more about joining the 501st and what they were really all about. What I learned from this panel was that the costumes that they wear are not store bought. Even the Stormtrooper costumes and Jawa costumes are handmade. This is really incredible, considering how complicated some of the Star Wars costumes can be.
Another interesting tidbit is that the 501st does not charge for events. They are fully involved in their local communities and take their duties seriously. Be sure to check out their many charity events, local community events, and conventions. They stay very busy.
Those interested in joining the 501st Legion; I highly recommend contacting them either on their forum or if you run into them at your local convention. Also, check out the website for more information. There is a lot to consider before joining, but they are more than willing to help you out.
If you’ve sworn only to wear robes of a Jedi Knight, check out their sister organization The Rebel Legion which was involved in the auction at Starfest. They also had an amazing Milinium Falcon photo display where you could take your picture with Princess Leia or a Rebel X-Wing Fighter. Their website information is below, and they work right along with the 501st.
I hope to run into the 501st again. I had an awesome time hanging out with them and taking photos at Starfest. I even snagged a Tie Fighter photo! Thank you guys of the 501st Mountain Garrison for a great experience! May The Force Be With You!
WEBSITES:
501st Vader's Fist http://www.501st.com/
501st Mountain Legion http://www.mg501.com/
Rebel Legion http://www.rebellegion.com/
Rebel Legion Mountain Base http://www.rebellegion.com/base.php?b=15
501st Legion (Vader’s Fist) was created by Albin Johnson to provide a place for costume enthusiasts to show off their Stormtrooper armor and a place to promote Star Wars. Since then, the 501st has put their costumes to good use by volunteering for various charities, including the American Red Cross, Toys For Tots, and Hero (Dedicated to the families of law enforcement).
The 501st is divided into garrisons, which are then divided into squads. For Colorado, the Garrison is the Mountain Garrison, which has three squads: Snowy Range Squad, Pikes Peak Squad, and the Mile High Squad. There is a command staff, and from time to time, the squads will meet together creating a tight knit group of friends.
What really struck me was how interactive the 501st Mountain Garrison was during the Starfest Convention The whole team was energetic, friendly, and willing to take a dozen photos. It was fun to watch how children interacted with the Stormtroopers, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia. What was also wonderful was seeing them interact with the children, and how much care they took to make it a special experience for everyone.
They also created a Han Solo in carbonate display (see picture below), which was totally awesome for taking your picture in. They also had a Jawa in the corner with glowing eyes and conducted an auction for The Make A Wish Foundation (Make A Wish R2 - KT Auction).
I had the opportunity to attend one of their panels “Meet The 501st”, in which I was able to learn more about joining the 501st and what they were really all about. What I learned from this panel was that the costumes that they wear are not store bought. Even the Stormtrooper costumes and Jawa costumes are handmade. This is really incredible, considering how complicated some of the Star Wars costumes can be.
Another interesting tidbit is that the 501st does not charge for events. They are fully involved in their local communities and take their duties seriously. Be sure to check out their many charity events, local community events, and conventions. They stay very busy.
Those interested in joining the 501st Legion; I highly recommend contacting them either on their forum or if you run into them at your local convention. Also, check out the website for more information. There is a lot to consider before joining, but they are more than willing to help you out.
If you’ve sworn only to wear robes of a Jedi Knight, check out their sister organization The Rebel Legion which was involved in the auction at Starfest. They also had an amazing Milinium Falcon photo display where you could take your picture with Princess Leia or a Rebel X-Wing Fighter. Their website information is below, and they work right along with the 501st.
I hope to run into the 501st again. I had an awesome time hanging out with them and taking photos at Starfest. I even snagged a Tie Fighter photo! Thank you guys of the 501st Mountain Garrison for a great experience! May The Force Be With You!
WEBSITES:
501st Vader's Fist http://www.501st.com/
501st Mountain Legion http://www.mg501.com/
Rebel Legion http://www.rebellegion.com/
Rebel Legion Mountain Base http://www.rebellegion.com/base.php?b=15
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