Proceeds From Star-Studded Event Will Benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Sofia Vergara will be the official host of the 2020 Opening Night Premiere Gala of the The 25th Annual LA Art Show
Los Angeles, Calif. – The 25th Annual LA Art Show is proud to announce that actress Sofia Vergara will be the official host of the 2020 Opening Night Premiere Gala being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Wednesday Feb. 5 from 8 – 11 pm. The beloved Colombian actress is known for her role as Gloria Delgado on the ABC television series Modern Family. The long-running, multiple-Emmy award-winning series is currently in its 11 and final season.
Proceeds from the event will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the sixth year in a row. Thanks to generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their children live.
All proceeds from the sale of Patron and Vanguard tickets and 15 percent of sales of Friend tickets will go directly to the charity. All attendees of the Opening Night Premiere party are supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children. ®
In addition to food, beverages, live music and art, gala attendees will be given a special sneak peek of the LA Art Show’s 200,000 square foot of programming featuring more than 100 galleries from 18 countries. They will have first dibs to explore DIVERSEartLA, a celebration of pride in LA’s cultural diversity, view Oscar-nominated Kazuhiro Tsuji’s three-dimensional portraits of legendary, historical figures and get up close to 25 years of red carpet dresses designed by Sue Wong (and worn by stars like Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Minnie Driver and others).
The LA Art Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center from Feb. 6 – 9. As the city (and west coast’s) largest art fair, and one of the most diversely programmed in the world, the LA Art Show features a comprehensive lineup of exhibitors not only in contemporary and modern art, but also classical and other specialized art scenes that often command their own dedicated shows.
OPENING NIGHT PREMIERE Wednesday, February 5, 2020 Red Card & Patrons Preview | 6pm – 11pm Opening Night Premiere | 8pm – 11pm
SHOW HOURS Thursday, February 6, 2020 | 11am – 7pm Friday, February 7, 2020 | 11am – 7pm Saturday, February 8, 2020 | 11am – 7pm Sunday, February 9, 2020 | 11am – 5pm
LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER – SOUTH HALL 1201 South Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90015
Beverly Hills, Calif. – Many 2020 Oscar nominees including Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron,Cynthia Erivo, Leonardo DiCaprio and Renée Zellweger enjoyed the opportunity to meet, mingle, and pose for the annual “Oscar class photo” at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, CA on Monday, January 27th. Leading up to Oscars 2020, the annual Nominee Luncheon reflects an important moment of community and celebration on the path to Oscar Sunday. You can see these stunning photos linked in the gallery below, giving an up close and personal look at some of the many talented faces nominated for the 92nd Oscars. – By Steve Dove Oscar.com
Watch the Oscars 2020 nominees get ready to take their class photo!
Los Angeles, Valencia, Calif. – Trying to compose my thoughts on the shock of what has happened and why this is having such a profound affect on us. I think Kobe Bryant represented the best of what humanity can accomplish, whether you just observed him peripherally as a familiar face, or happened to catch him filming a McDonald’s commercial as I did, at Valencia Glen Park here in Santa Clarita back in the early 00s or holding court with the LA Lakers as diehard fans. He represented all of the good that a person can do with their talent, fame and wealth in encouraging youth and his concern for safety in sports, his contributions to the world of sports and entertainment, so many more things that can and will be said. He was the face of Los Angeles, synonymous with the Lakers and beloved around the world. This is a tragic loss, beyond comprehension. – By Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style
Raw emotions, inexplicable, I am in tears, shocked, shaken when I heard on CNN “and local news, Kobe Bryant killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. This is so sad, can’t believe it. I can’t explain it but I’m just sobbing, shaking right now, can hardly compose myself. Just shaking with dread at more subsequent news…….These thoughts are from an ordinary person in LA, didn’t know him personally, only saw him once from a few feet away filming a commercial here in Valencia. His life touched so many without even know it, his smiling face said it all. Our hearts are so collectively broken. A loss beyond measure. – By Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style
Ensemble Cast from Universal Pictures and Illumination’sWorldwide Blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets FilmsReprise Their Roles in Universal Studios Hollywood’s All-New Ride, “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!” Opening in Spring 2020 – All-Star Cast Includes Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate,Tiffany Haddish, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Jessica DiCicco and Tara Strong.
Universal City, CA, (January 22, 2020) – The voice talent behind the lovable furry stars of Illumination’s global blockbuster hits The Secret Life of Pets and The Secret Life of Pets 2 unleash their animal instincts to reprise their roles in Universal Studios Hollywood’s lively new ride, “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!,” opening in Spring 2020, which answer the question, “What are your pets really doing when you’re not at home?”
“The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!” set to open Spring 2020. Cast from Universal Pictures & Illumination’s Worldwide Blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets Films to Reprise Their Roles in Universal Studios Hollywood’s All-New Ride.
This marks the first time the ensemble cast perform the voices of their iconic characters for a theme park attraction. The film’s talent and their alter egos include Patton Oswalt as Max, Kevin Hart as Snowball, Eric Stonestreet as Duke, Jenny Slate as Gidget, Tiffany Haddish as Daisy, Lake Bell as Chloe, Dana Carvey as Pops, Steve Coogan as Ozone, Chris Renaud as Norman, Hannibal Buress as Buddy, Bobby Moynihan as Mel, Jessica DiCicco as Princess and Tara Strong as Pickles.
Adoption day is the ultimate rite of passage for every domesticated animal and the inspiration for this all-new immersive experience as guests assume the roles of stray puppies on the ultimate quest to find their forever homes.
The innovative ride will blend live, dimensional and animated characters with hyper-realistic media and projection mapping to fully immerse guests in a bustling New York City landscape. Seated within ride vehicles that resemble cardboard boxes—reminiscent of where Katie first finds her beloved Max as a puppy—guests will travel along a track towards the Pet Adoption event and the ultimate happy ending: forever homes.
The state-of-the-art ride will employ a series of technological firsts that combine sophisticated facial recognition with enhanced gesture tracking, which helps to identify each guest as a unique stray puppy for the duration of the ride. Every time guests experience “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!” they will likely see themselves characterized as a different stray puppy, creating a uniquely new experience with each ride.
“The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash!” will be located on Pets Place, previously referred to as Baker Street, and adjacent to the popular “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” attractions. With the installation of all-new store front facades, Pets Place will capture the charm of a busy NY street, including an iconic NYC subway station.
With so much to see and do at Universal Studios Hollywood, an Annual Pass invites guests to experience the theme park’s thrill and adventure over and over again. Visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for more details and to save up to $60 on an Annual Pass when purchased online. Offer valid through March 2, 2020. Restrictions apply.
In preparation for the ride’s opening, Universal Studios Hollywood is seeking energetic actors and puppeteers to impersonate the voice of Snowball. To learn more and book an audition by appointment only, please visit www.USHAuditions.com.
About Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Attractions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™”, the new mega attraction “Jurassic World—The Ride,” and the soon to open all-new ride, “The Secret Life of Pets.” Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda Adventure.” The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television production studio where they can also experience such thrill rides as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” and “King Kong 360 3D.” The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.
About Illumination
Illumination, founded by Academy Award® nominee Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event-animated films. The company’s releases include three of the top-eight animated films of all time, and its iconic, beloved franchises—infused with memorable and distinct characters, global appeal and cultural relevance—have grossed more than $6.6 billion worldwide.
Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, is the creator of the hugely successful world of Despicable Me, which includes Minions, the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time and the most profitable film in Universal’s history, as well as the Academy Award®– nominated Despicable Me 2 and Despicable Me 3, which made more than $1 billion at the global box office.
Illumination recently launched two original properties that captivated audiences worldwide: The Secret Life of Pets, which achieved the best opening for an original movie, animated or otherwise, in U.S. history, and the global smash, Sing. And in 2018, Illumination’s Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch had the biggest opening weekend of any Christmas-themed movie in history. Illumination’s upcoming films include Minions: The Rise of Gru in July 2020 and Sing 2 in Summer 2021.
New Year, New You!Kick Off 2020 Fitness Resolutions with Universal Studios Hollywood’s Popular “Running Universal” SeriesFeaturing Characters From DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls FranchiseonSunday, April 26, 2020. Participants Will Receive a Collectible Finisher Medal Featuring Trolls Poppy, Branch or Guy Diamond.
Universal City, CA, January 21, 2020 – Ready to get fit in 2020? Fitness buffs, runners, kids and walkers alike are invited to join Trolls Poppy, Branch, Guy Diamond and your favorite DreamWorks Animation characters in Universal Studios Hollywood’s newest “Running Universal” race with a hair-raising tribute to DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls franchiseon Sunday, April 26. The event features a 5K, a Kid’s 1K and a 10K run.
Kick Off 2020 Fitness Resolutions with Universal Studios Hollywood’s Popular “Running Universal” Series Featuring Characters From DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls Franchise on Sunday, April 26, 2020.
All participants will receive a collectible finisher medal featuring their favorite Trolls characters, hair and all! Runners who complete the 5K can choose between colorful Poppy or Branch medals, while those who complete the 10K will receive a sparkly medal featuring the energetic Guy Diamond. Kids who run the 1K will receive their own exclusive medallion.
This spirited run invites guests to get in the groove and find their happy place as they navigate the theme park and portions of the world-famous backlot while being entertained by characters from the 2016 animated blockbuster and the upcoming sequel, Trolls World Tour (in theaters April 17, 2020), including Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick in the films), Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake) and Guy Diamond, among other DreamWorks Animation characters such as Shrek®, Princess Fiona and Puss in Boots; Po and Tigress, as well as Alex and King Julien.
Registration is now open, but space is limited. Click here for race times, to register and to learn more about the various ticket packages, including Standard, VIP and Play All Day, which includes a one-day park admission to Universal Studios Hollywood. All packages include complimentary parking and post-race refreshments and beverages.
“Running Universal” featuring DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls characters continues Universal Studios Hollywood’s popular “Running Universal” series, which launched with last year’s popular “Minion Run” and “Jurassic World Run.” These unique runs offer participants unprecedented access to sprint their way through Universal Studios Hollywood and parts of Universal Studios’ historic backlot, made famous in more than 8,000 movies and television shows.
Universal Orlando Resort will be hosting its inaugural Running Universal Epic Character Race 5K and 10K weekend on February 1-2, 2020. For more information about “Running Universal” events both in Hollywood and Orlando, visit runninguniversal.com.
A member of hard-rock royalty, Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom), aided by her father King Thrash (Ozzy Osbourne), wants to destroy all other kinds of music to let rock reign supreme. With the fate of the world at stake, Poppy and Branch, along with their friends — Biggie (James Corden), Chenille (Caroline Hjelt), Satin (Aino Jawo), Cooper (Ron Funches) and Guy Diamond (Kunal Nayyar) — set out to visit all the other lands to unify the Trolls in harmony against Barb, who’s looking to upstage them all.
Cast as members of the different musical tribes is one of the largest, and most acclaimed, groups of musical talent ever assembled for an animated film, including Mary J. Blige, George Clinton, Anderson .Paak, Kelly Clarkson, Flula Borg, J Balvin, Ester Dean, Anthony Ramos, Gustavo Dudamel and Charlyne Yi. Kenan Thompson raps as a newborn Troll named Tiny Diamond.
About Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Attractions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™”, and the new mega attraction “Jurassic World—The Ride.” Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda Adventure.” The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television production studio where they can also experience such thrill rides as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” and “King Kong 360 3D.” The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.
The groundbreaking new Disney attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is now open at Disneyland Park in California, adding to the immersive adventures available to guests inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Anaheim, Calif. – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened Friday as Thousands of fans lined up as early as midnight for the opening day of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the new trackless dark ride at Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim theme park. All of the boarding group passes for the entire day were distributed within six minutes, according to Disneyland Guest Relations. The day set a new standard for what a Disney theme park experience can be, with guests becoming heroes of the Resistance in a climactic battle with the First Order.
The first guests arrive at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: GalaxyÕs Edge at Disneyland Park on opening day, Jan. 17. 2020. The ground breaking attraction adds to the immersive adventures available to guests inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new 14-acre land at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)
(L-R) Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Rebecca Campbell, president of the Disneyland Resort and Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, pose inside Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Thursday, Jan. 16, 2019, ahead of its opening weekend at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif. This highly anticipated experience adds to the immersive adventures available to guests inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new 14-acre land at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. (Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort)
Groundbreaking attraction is another jaw-dropping way for guests to live their own Star Wars adventures in the award-winning new land
As the largest single-themed land expansion in Disney history, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is already proving wildly popular by inviting guests to live their own Star Wars adventures in a galaxy far, far away. They join a climactic battle between the Resistance and the First Order in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and take control of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. And while exploring this expansive new 14-acre land, they can sample galactic food and drink, enter an intriguing collection of merchant shops and encounter some of their favorite Star Wars characters, including the resourceful and loyal astromech droid R2-D2.
“Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is epic, immersive storytelling on a massive scale—and our Imagineers have created an attraction that sets a new bar for theme park experiences,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance puts guests at the heart of their very own Star Wars adventure, and is the most advanced, action-packed attraction Disney has ever created.”
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which also appears at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, has been recognized by several prestigious organizations for excellence in design and execution:
Academy Award-winning® composer John Williams was nominated for a Grammy by The Recording Academy in the Best Instrumental Composition category for “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite.”
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was named to TIME’s list of World’s Greatest Places 2019, recognizing destinations that are breaking new ground and leading industry trends.
The land earned two Thea Awards from the Themed Entertainment Association. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge won Outstanding Achievement – New Park Land, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run won Outstanding Achievement – Attraction.
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions honored the land with three Brass Rings during its annual awards gala in November. Savi’s Workshop won for Best Hard Good Item; Droid Depot won for Best Visual Merchandising; and the lovable Porg won for Best Plush Item.
The Toy Association nominated the buildable droids in Droid Depot for 2020 Creative Toy of the Year.
These accolades speak to an entirely new kind of Disney experience happening every day inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. And now the next grand chapter in this story is about to unfold with the debut of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Welcome to the Edge of Wild Space: Black Spire Outpost on Batuu
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge builds off decades of collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987, when the original Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland.
They came together once again for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, transporting guests to the remote planet Batuu, a new location in a story that began in 1977 with the first Star Wars film. It is a far-flung destination along the galaxy’s Outer Rim, on the frontier of Wild Space – the uncharted region beyond all known star systems. The planet is home to Black Spire Outpost, an infamous port for smugglers, traders and adventurers wishing to avoid any unnecessary … entanglements with the First Order.
When guests arrive on Batuu, they come across aliens, droids and other inhabitants of this planet as they search for rare and unique goods, discover unusual food and drink, or join a crew seeking adventures. Along the way, guests may encounter some familiar faces, including Rey, Chewbacca or even Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and his Stormtroopers.
Star Wars Adventures Come to Life in Two Thrilling Attractions
For more than four decades, fans of Star Wars films have imagined what it would be like to race through the halls of a Star Destroyer or blast across the stars inside the Millennium Falcon. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge features two signature attractions that turn those dreams into reality.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance brings guests into the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance, including a faceoff with Kylo Ren. The journey takes guests aboard a full-size transport shuttle and then into a nearby Star Destroyer on a thrilling adventure that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. One of the most immersive, ambitious and technologically advanced experiences in Disney history, the attraction uses multiple ride systems working together to create a seamless story on a cinematic scale. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California, and opened in December 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. A virtual queue* for the new attraction is available at Disneyland Park. Guests must be inside Disneyland Park with their tickets scanned to obtain a boarding group in the virtual queue. Guests can learn more about the virtual queue at Disneyland.com.
In Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests climb into the cockpit of “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” for their own Star Wars adventures. They take the controls of the Falcon in one of three unique and critical roles as the ship hurtles through space. Some are pilots, some gunners and some engineers, creating multiple ways for guests to engage with the attraction in an experience that responds in real time to the actions they take.
A Diverse Menu of Food and Beverages Await
What does Blue Milk or Green Milk actually taste like? That question and more is answered when guests visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and experience the new land’s expansive array of food and beverages. Vendors offer various local favorites such as an Outpost Mix of flavored popped grains from Kat Saka’s Kettle, a unique popcorn snack with a combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors.
At Oga’s Cantina,** even the blaster-bolt scorches on the walls tell a story. Here, guests gather to share their tales from around the galaxy as they enjoy exotic beverages served in unique vessels and listen to spirited musical entertainment provided by DJ R-3X, otherwise known as Rex, the former Starspeeder 3000 pilot droid from the original Star Tours. Rex re-invents himself as the cantina’s DJ, and he’s as quirky and talkative as ever.
A multi-purpose transport shuttle docked on top of a large hangar beckons guests into Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, a designated location for traveling food shuttles. Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs is in much demand for his culinary skills, so he moves from site to site in a modified Sienar-Chall Utilipede-Transport that becomes a mobile kitchen and restaurant. His travels across the galaxy allow him to fill his pantry with exotic ingredients he uses to make new and unusual dishes. He is proud to present Tuggs’ Grub, a “traveling diner for diners traveling,” inspired by dishes he created during his time working for Maz Kanata on Takodana.
Elsewhere, Ronto Roasters draws attention with its large podracing engine firing up a barbecue pit for mouth-watering Ronto Wraps. When hungry customers queue up to order, they encounter a former smelter droid, carefully turning the spit of meats. Guests can also choose from a variety of exotic non-alcoholic drinks like the Sour Sarlacc or Tatooine Sunset.
The Milk Stand offers two local favorites – Blue Milk and Green Milk. Blue Milk was first seen in “Star Wars: A New Hope” when Luke Skywalker sat down for a family meal. Green Milk was introduced in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” when Luke lived on the planet Ahch-To. Now, thirsty guests can order these colorful frozen drinks as they live their own Star Wars adventures.
Take a Piece of the Star Wars Galaxy Home
In Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge guests encounter a robust collection of merchant shops and stalls filled with authentic Star Wars creations.
The Droid Depot** invites guests to construct their own astromech droids. Patrons pick pieces off a conveyor belt to build one of two core models (R-series or BB-series) and they can customize their droids with various parts and colors. These droids interact with elements throughout the land, enhancing guests’ adventures. Additional accessories can be added to further customize these new friends. The Droid Depot also offers pre-built droids, droid-inspired toys and apparel, and more.
At Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers,*** guests have the opportunity to craft and customize their very own lightsabers. In this mystical experience, guests feel the Force as they build these elegant weapons from a more civilized age.
Inside Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, guests find a selection of rare and mysterious items for sale, representing different eras of the Star Wars galaxy including holocrons, ancient Jedi and Sith artifacts, lightsabers and more. As they explore the nooks and crannies of the shop, guests also see Dok-Ondar at his desk as the large Ithorian checks his inventory and barks the occasional order at his assistants.
In addition to these special experiences, the Black Spire Outpost marketplace features the Creature Stall dedicated to the plethora of rare and fascinating creatures that populate the galaxy, as well as Black Spire Outfitters, showcasing the latest in galactically trendy apparel and accessories. The Toydarian Toymaker stall is full of toys and games crafted by a Toydarian (the flying alien species first seen in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”). And all tourists visiting Batuu will want to make a stop at Jewels of Bith, offering “trinkets to treasure” and other accessories.
Guests can also demonstrate where their loyalties lie with the gear and accessories they purchase within the land. Resistance Supply is a “makeshift” location at the Resistance encampment, selling pins, badges, hats and other accessories to help guests feel like part of the cause. First Order Cargo, meanwhile, is a temporary First Order storage dock easily identified by a never-before-seen First Order TIE echelon ship. The cargo location offers guests a chance to pledge their loyalty by purchasing pins, caps, gear, model ships and more.
Play Disney Parks Mobile App Deepens Guest Engagement with the LandϮ
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the first land within a Disney park designed to integrate with the Play Disney Parks mobile app. The app debuted in 2018 and offers interactive adventures and experiences that bring surrounding environments to life at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
When guests choose to use the Play Disney Parks app in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, they will be able to transform it into their very own Star Wars: Datapad. Using the app provides new opportunities for guests to engage with the land, such as translating a galactic language or learning what’s hidden inside crates and containers.
In addition, guests can use the Play Disney Parks app to interact with elements in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including droids, blinking door panels and antenna arrays. Throughout the day, guests may participate in a multiplayer game throughout the land, “Outpost Control,” to support either the Resistance or the First Order.
Iconic Musical Score for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Music has been an integral part of Star Wars from the moment the iconic themes of Academy Award-winning® composer John Williams first introduced fans to this galaxy. The music for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge continues that tradition with a suite of all-new Williams-composed themes written especially for the land and its attractions. Along with a collection of original cantina songs created by composers and songwriters from around the globe, this new music will deepen guests’ connection to the land as Williams complements and builds upon the fanfares he created for the Star Wars films.
* Admission into Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is subject to capacity and joining the virtual queue does not guarantee entrance to the attraction. Visit Disneyland.com for more information.
** Reservations for Droid Depot can be made in advance at Disneyland.com or through the Disneyland mobile app. A valid accepted credit card number is required at the time of booking, and guests will need to check availability. Droid Depot may also accommodate walk-ins each day, subject to availability. Separate Disneyland Park admission is required.
*** Oga’s Cantina and Savi’s Workshop now offer advance reservations, which are highly recommended. Additionalreservations will be made available each day at 7:00am PST for visits that day, subject to availability. Guests will need to check availability and make reservations online atDisneyland.com/Cantina orDisneyland.com/SavisWorkshop or through the Disneyland mobile app.Separate Disneyland Park admission is required.
Ϯ Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations and device settings, and features may vary by handset, service provider or otherwise. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first. Some features require separate theme park admission. Some experiences require in-app purchases.
About the Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year-round.
In one of the most immersive, ambitious and technologically advanced attractions ever created for a Disney park, guests launch into space aboard a transport shuttle, only to be captured by a Star Destroyer and pursued by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren as they frantically search for a way to escape the clutches of the First Order.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, now open at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and, opening Aug. 29, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, transports guests to Black Spire Outpost, a village on the planet of Batuu. Guests will discover two signature attractions – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, available opening day, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opening Dec. 5, 2019, at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Resort in California. (Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks)
As the largest single-themed land expansion in Disney history, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is proving wildly popular as guests live their own Star Wars adventures in a galaxy far, far away. They join a climactic battle between the Resistance and the First Order in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and take control of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboardMillennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. While exploring this expansive new land, they can also sample galactic food and drink, enter an intriguing collection of merchant shops and encounter some of their favorite Star Warscharacters, including the resourceful and loyal astromech droid R2-D2.
Santa Clarita, Calif. – The City of Santa Clarita’sCowboy Festival, presented by California Resources Corporation, is set to return for its 27th year and will take place on April 18 and 19, 2020. William S. Hart Park will once again host the most entertaining festival in the West!
The sights, sounds and swagger of Cowboy life will be on display all weekend and general admission tickets to the main festival at Hart Park are FREE for all visitors.
These special ticketed events include the Californio Fiesta De Rancho Camulos, a concert featuring seven-time Western Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” Dave Stamey and the Cowboy Dance with Syd Masters and the Swingers. Featured events also include the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Tour, featuring a shuttle that will provide tours of famous filming locations from the movie; a concert by Garth Guy, The Ultimate Tribute to Garth Brooks; and a Historical Bus Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley.
The main festival at William S. Hart Park will feature performances across five festival stages, as well as living history entertainers, food vendors, Western gear shopping and activities for all ages. Back by popular demand is the Chili Cook-Off, presented in partnership with Bridge to Home, which will delight taste buds and prove which chef’s recipe rules the West on Saturday, April 18.
Additionally, there will be a limited number of $100 VIP packages available. Each package includes special access to the festival at William S. Hart Park event area, including a VIP shuttle service to and from the festival and weekend admission to the VIP Cantina area, which will provide food and beverages.
The 2020 Cowboy Festival will feature favorite performers from festivals past, including Dave Stamey, New West, Gary Allegretto and Kristyn Harris, as well as a slew of rockin’ newcomers, including Ben Bostick, Alice Wallace, The Shootouts and more.
Leading up to the Cowboy Festival, the Walk of Western Stars will unveil its 2020 inductees on Thursday, April 16. This event will commemorate the inductees’ contributions to Western entertainment history by immortalizing their names in bronze and terrazzo tile, stamped into the streets of Old Town Newhall. There will also be an induction ceremony with a limited number of tickets that will include dinner and presentations.
The City of Santa Clarita is also looking for volunteers to staff the Cowboy Festival and is currently recruiting for festival greeters, activity helpers, ushers and more. To learn more about volunteering at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, please contact Volunteer Engagement Program Supervisor Tess Simgen at (661) 250-3726.
Details and ticket information for special events taking place as part of the Cowboy Festival will be made available in early February. To learn more about the 2020 Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, please visit CowboyFestival.org.
To stay updated on the 2020 Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, “like” the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival on Facebook or follow @CowboyFestSC on Twitter:
Universal Studios Hollywood Celebrates Lunar New Year and the “Year of the Rat, Featuring Po, Tigress and Mr. Ping from the “Kung Fu Panda Adventure” Attraction,a Mandarin-speaking MEGATRON from “Transformers: The Ride-3D” andHello Kitty and Illumination’s Minions, Adorned in Custom-Designed Lunar New Year Attire,from January 23 – February 9. Lunar New Year is Included in the Price of Admission to Universal Studios Hollywood
Click Here for a Sneak Peek at the Annual Celebration
Universal City, CA, January 9, 2020 — Universal Studios Hollywood ushers in the “Year of the Rat,” the first of the Chinese zodiac animals, as the theme park celebrates with the Lunar New Year event from Thursday, January 23 through Sunday, February 9. Lunar New Year is included in the price of admission to the theme park.
This spectacular themed Lunar New Year event will take place within Universal Plaza, located at the heart of the theme park. Under a curtain of traditional red Chinese lanterns and stunning plum blossom Wishing Trees, the festivities will come to life as guests discover the 12 zodiac animal signs accompanied by their symbolic attributes. Guests with birthday years that correspond with the “Year of the Rat” are said to be intelligent, witty and charming.
The immersive event will feature Po and Tigress from the thrilling “Kung Fu Panda Adventure” attraction who will greet guests and pose for engaging photos; Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop returns by popular demand to serve up delicious culture-themed food, and Mr. Ping himself will be on hand to interact with guests and take memorable souvenir photos. Guests can learn how to draw Po and take home the drawing as a keepsake memento and, on select days, community cultural performances featuring traditional lion dances will round out the program.
Beloved global pop icon Hello Kitty, created by the lifestyle brand Sanrio, further complements this year’s Lunar New Year celebration when she steps out in style wearing her signature red bow and specially designed Lunar New Year attire. Hello Kitty will be available to meet guests at the Hello Kitty Shop located within the Animation Studio Store.
Keeping with Universal Studios Hollywood’s Lunar New Year tradition, MEGATRON from the TRANSFORMERS franchise will be speaking Mandarin while interacting with guests at the entry of the festivities. The imposing robot leader of the DECEPTICONS will engage attendees in real-time conversation reflective of his persona and will be sure to entertain TRANSFORMERS fans visiting the park. MEGATRON is one of the stars of Universal Studios Hollywood’s thrill ride, “Transformers™: The Ride-3D.”
Illumination Entertainment’s Minions from the theme park’s popular Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride will add to the festivities, entertaining guests in their brightly colored traditional Lunar New Year attire.
The world-famous Studio Tour is available in Mandarin at select times throughout the day. Featuring expertly-trained Mandarin-speaking tour guides, the experience provides insight into the world of movie-making magic as guests enjoy behind-the-scenes access to one of the largest production studios in the world. In-language park maps are also available for guests.
Guests can continue their Lunar New Year celebration at Universal CityWalk’sDongpo Kitchen restaurant which features upscale and modern Sichuan cuisine. Inspired by China’s premier restaurant Meizhou Dongpo, Dongpo Kitchen offers the comforts of a casual dining environment with both indoor and al fresco seating and caters to an eclectic palate with a variety of signature dishes.
Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Attractions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™”, and the new mega attraction “Jurassic World—The Ride.” Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda Adventure.” The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television production studio where they can also experience such thrill rides as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” and “King Kong 360 3D.” The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.
Monthly Talent Show to Feature Chaos, Quirkiness and More at The MAIN. Take Part in New Community Talent Competition to Show Why “You’re the Best”.
Santa Clarita, Calif. – Come one, come all to a new monthly community talent show at The MAIN in Old Town Newhall! The City of Santa Clarita is seeking community members of all ages to participate in a new talent contest called “You’re The Best,” which will make its debut on Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
The showis an outrageous and ridiculous evening of entertainment, fun and mayhem. Audiences will be encouraged to let their hair down, not take themselves or others too seriously, throw inhibitions out the door and expect the unexpected.
The City of Santa Clarita announces “You’re The Best,” talent contest, debuting at the Main in Newhall on January 23, 2020. Community members of all ages invited to participate.
The City is looking for people who sing, dance, act, play music, do martial arts, have an animal act or want to showcase their unique skill. Each month, the winner of “You’re The Best” will receive a $50 gift card, and winners from each month will have the chance to win $500 in the grand finale in late 2020.
The competition is open to all ages and levels of experience. Finding inspiration from old school television variety shows, such as “The Gong Show,” “You’re the Best,” performances will include comedians, dance groups, magicians, animal acts, singers and more!
“You’re The Best” will take place on the fourth Thursday of each month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at The MAIN (24266 Main Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91321).
For more information on the contest, or to sign-up to perform, please visit AtTheMain.org.
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