Carrie Fisher Honored by 'Star Wars' Fans at Lightsaber Vigils, With More to Come
There’s no better way to honor a fallen Jedi than with a lightsaber vigil. In the wake of Carrie Fisher’s death on Dec. 27, Star Wars fans have been staging impromptu memorials across the U.S. honoring the author/actress and her alter ego Princess-turned-General Leia Organa, who — like her onscreen father and brother — had the Force flowing through her veins. The day after her death, on Dec. 28, almost 100 people converged on Anaheim’s Downtown Disney district and saluted Fisher with every make, model, and color of lightsaber, including the one wielded by Leia’s troubled son, Kylo Ren.
That same evening, more than 200 fans had descended on the South Lamar location of the Austin-based theater chain, Alamo Drafthouse, for a lavish lightsaber tribute. “Bring along as many lightsabers as you own, and invite your fellow Wookiees, Bounty Hunters, Ewoks, and Stormtroopers,” the Drafthouse advised on its website. (Additional Alamo vigils were held outside of Austin in such Lone Star State cities as New Braunfels, Stone Oak, Park North, Westlakes, and Laredo.)
The Force was strong at South Lamar last night.
Photos from the Lightsaber Vigil for Carrie Fisher (via @hlkfotos): https://t.co/4gEye5kTvi pic.twitter.com/sq28GoXjO9
— Alamo Austin (@drafthouse) December 29, 2016
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, Chattanooga’s premiere fan group, Chattoonie, hosted a vigil for Fisher and the many other beloved artists the world lost in 2016, including Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds, who died on the evening of Dec. 28, a mere 30 hours after her daughter’s passing.
If you weren’t able to hoist your own lightsaber in tribute at these events, worry not — more vigils for Fisher are planned in the days ahead. The Alamo Drafthouse has vigils planned for its theater in the Mason Park area of Houston, as well as the chain’s Lubbock location on December 30. That same day, the New Orleans-based Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbaccus, which specializes in Star Wars-themed Mardi Gras parade events, has announced a parade in the Big Easy. Honor your General, you must.
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