A galaxy far far away visits Mesa Community College for May the Fourth celebration
A May the 4th Star Wars celebration took place at Mesa Community College on Saturday evening where cosplayers were in attendance for 13th annual Battle of the Badges event.
Mesa residents did not have to travel to a galaxy far far away to meet some of cinema’s most iconic characters as guests took photos with the many Star Wars themed cosplayers in attendance at John D. Riggs Stadium.
The event created by Arizona Law Enforcement Outreach & Support, was part of the Battle of the Badges charity flag football game to raise funds to support the injured officers in the line of duty.
Battle of the Badges also awarded scholarships to students pursuing degrees in the first responder field during the games halftime.
Among the festivities were roaming jedi and villainous members of the empire that gathered to share their passion for the iconic franchise.
“Well obviously May the 4th is the most important day in the whole year, okay maybe second of Christmas but we’ll go with that,” joked Mike Sherm, who was dressed as iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett.
Sherm’s son is a Pinal County officer that was playing in the flag football game and when reached out to see if they could get some Star Wars personnel, he was eager to sign up.
The event brought together many fans who share a love for this franchise that has been around for 47 years and generated nearly $12 billion in value to the Disney company.
“I think all the individuals around here are like minded,we’re service members whether it be to the public or to the country and it’s just refreshing to be in such a humbling environment,” added Sherm.
Cosplayers were often pulled aside for photoshoots where they showcased their costumes and accessories such as lightsabers and blasters.
The event featured many high quality costumes from different eras of the franchise. From characters in the original franchise such as Boba Fett, Emperor Palpatine, and Tie Pilots, to new faces of the series such as villain Kylo Ren.
Being in these costumes in Arizona heat is no easy task. Sherm shared a secret on how various stormtroopers and bounty hunters are able to deal with the heat under the helmet. Installed fans are placed to make a cooler interior for the wearer to be as comfortable as possible.
