The Blums are the typical American family … two kids, jobs and a house in Upstate New York. That is, until the weekend comes and the family transforms into the bad guys from “Star Wars.” • What: Hannaford Kidz Expo
• When: Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Where: Empire State Plaza in Albany
• How much: Free
• Info: www.cdparentpages.com
Nicky Blum and her family are part of the 501st Legion’s Garrison Excelsior, an international costuming organization that focuses on bad guy costumes from the “Star Wars” universe. Blum, the group’s events coordinator, said members of the organization dress up as the “Star Wars” characters and appear at events all over Upstate New York with a goal to raise money for charities. The group will appear at the ninth annual Hannaford Kidz Expo, which will take place at the Empire State Plaza on Saturday, March 8. Blum has been a devoted “Star Wars” fan for as long as she can remember.
“There was a local Star Wars fan club in my city where we would talk about the movies and books. No costumes, but then we started getting into costumes, and I found out about the 501,” Blum said. “I joined the group with a Jawa costume.” These aren’t your typical Halloween costumes. Blum said the costumes must be movie quality.
“We look like we stepped right out of the films,” Blum said, which can sometimes be shocking to the kids who visit them at the public events. Blum’s husband has a Stormtrooper and a Chewbacca costume, and her two children, ages 7 and 10, also have Jawa costumes. “When my husband and I got an R2-D2 unit, we thought it fitting that we have a bunch of Jawa costumes to go with it,” Blum said. Blum said the group started with just a handful of people in 1997 and now has more than 6,000 members worldwide. But don’t think you will join the group as Princess Leia or Han Solo. “It has to be a bad guy,” Blum said. “The person who founded the 501 with his Stormtrooper, was trying to keep it as Stormtroopers, but then it evolved to other bad guys, and it’s been this way for over a decade.” The Star Wars group has attended the expo for seven years. In the past, they have collected donations for the Children’s Hospital, Make a Wish and the Ronald McDonald House. The characters will be on hand to take pictures with the kids. “The R2 builders club will also be joining us, which is a group who focuses on building R2-D2 units,” Blum said. The 501st Legion’s Garrison Excelsior is just one of hundreds of participants in this year’s Kidz Expo. The expo, which strikes a balance between education and entertainment, will feature bounce houses, arts and crafts, live shows, a reptile display, educational events and more. The event draws thousands of people every year and features more than 100 vendors, exhibitors and activities. New this year is the Jason Morris Judo Center. Morris is a silver medalist from the 1992 Summer Olympics and will be on hand at the expo to introduce kids to martial arts. Also debuting this year is a miniature golf course presented by MVP Healthcare; a room where kids can try out different instruments from Rocky’s Music Studio and the Albany School of Rock; the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey “Built To Amaze” and more. Joe Brill, a spokesman for the event, said some of the popular favorites will return, including the bouncy rides, Reptile Adventure and information stations for parents. “In addition to the nutrition education, there are different vendors who will be on hand with information about summer camps and the different things parents can take advantage of such as college savings programs, summer camps, health care, sports clubs, dance studios and amusements parks,” Brill said. The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.