Darth Vader, wrestling titans, hundreds of artists return to C2E2 in Chicago this weekend
Exciting news: Darth Vader is taking a holiday vacation from his castle on the volcano planet of Mustafar this weekend ... in Chicago!
Translation: Actor Hayden Christensen, who will reprise his "Star Wars" prequel role as Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Disney+ series, will be among the celebrity guests this weekend when the C2E2 pop culture convention returns to McCormick Place.
Chicago's annual celebration of comics, costumes and entertainment is back after taking 2021 off - the 2020 edition wrapped up just before you-know-what happened.
So, speaking of you-know-what, how will event organizers look out for attendees' safety this weekend?
• Attendees will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test; antigen tests should be taken within 24 hours of arrival, PCR tests 72 hours before.
• Everyone will be required to wear a face covering, so Vader's all set.
• The venue also will be operating at limited capacity with increased sanitization practices.
So. Now that that's out of the way, who else can you see at C2E2?
Local luminaries include Streamwood comic artist Art Baltazar ("Tiny Titans"), "Chicago Party Aunt" creator Chris Witaske and Chicago wrestling legend CM Punk.
Lots of Punk's friends from the squared circle are scheduled to be there, including fellow AEW stars Adam Cole, Matt Hardy, Ruby Soho and more. Oh, and I can't see him now (wink-wink), but WWE superstar (and "The Suicide Squad" star) John Cena will be there, too.
Other celebrity guests include "Mandalorian" and "Breaking Bad" baddie Giancarlo Esposito, "Twilight" stars Jackson Rathbone and Ashley Greene, and Ross Marquand of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "The Walking Dead."
Disclaimer time: Not all stars will appear all three days of the show; check C2E2.com for the full schedule, which is subject to change. Celebrity photo-ops and autographs require a separate fee; panel appearances do not.
And, yes, celebrities are cool, but the best reason to visit a pop culture convention remains Artist Alley, where dozens of local and national artists show their wares. That means comics, children's books, paintings, drawings, posters, shirts, 3D-printed artwork, handmade jewelry and just about anything else you can think of. The Artist Alley lineup at C2E2.com lists more than 350 booths this year - this could be the perfect place to find a unique holiday gift this December.
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C2E2 convention
When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 10-11, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12
Where: McCormick Place South Building, 2301 S. King Drive, Chicago
Parking: Available at McCormick Place and Marriott Marquis Chicago
Public transportation: Short walk from the Green Line stop at Cermak Road and State Street
Single-day badges: $40 Friday, $45 Saturday and Sunday
Adult three-day badges: Sold out
Kids three-day badges: $20
Sunday-only kids badge: $10
Digital ticket: $15 for three-day access to video and/or audio streams of programming available at C2E2.com for 30 days after the convention ends
To purchase tickets and learn more: C2E2.com