By Ashton York

For fans of a galaxy far, far away, there is an exciting, intergalactic event coming to Fayetteville on “Star Wars” Day this year. 

Reyetteville will take place at the Fayetteville Town Center Saturday, May 4 from noon to 6 p.m. General admission to the family friendly event will cost $12 at the door and $8 if ordered online before the event, but children 15 years and under get free entrance.

Costume contests, local vendors and “Star Wars”-themed trivia are just a few of the events that will take place at Reyetteville. The Reyetteville experience revolves around the joy and nostalgia for fans of “Star Wars,” no matter what generation of the fandom you are from.

Reyetteville hosts Emily Walker and Evan McDonald have held other events in the past, most of which were adult-only. Their brand, Fruitcake, is all about hosting nostalgic events to bring out the inner child in adults.

One well-known event they have is the Fruitcake Holiday Market, which is a holiday and nostalgia-themed market. It first happened in November and December 2023, and the host’s plan to continue it annually.

“Each individual event that we do is connected to nostalgia in a different way,” Walker said. “We always try to hit on the different types of nostalgia for all different generations.”

Fruitcake is hosting another event called “Fruit Salad” May 18. Fruit Salad will also include a small business market, along with cocktails and bingo. It will even have an after party that includes a drag show and dance party, continuing until midnight.

The idea for a “Star Wars” market came to Walker when she noticed that May 4, “Star Wars” Day, falls on a Saturday this year. Walker said she has connected with “Star Wars” differently as an adult than she did as a child.

Walker said she wants people to know that everyone is welcome at this event, even if you know nothing about “Star Wars.” 

“Fandom events can be a little intimidating if you’re not a super fan or if you haven’t watched the movies a hundred times,” Walker said. “I think a big part of what we’re trying to do is we want everyone to feel like they have a space to have fun. You can come in at any level of knowledge and you would probably still have a great time.”

Walker said she and McDonald were inspired to create these events so adults in the Fayetteville area could go out and have fun without worrying about kids. Reyetteville is the first of their events that is open for children.

“I was a little kid when the prequel series was coming out, and my dad was a little kid when the original series was coming out,” Walker said. “I guess for me, it was a family thing and something I related to my dad with. When I was in college, I found my own stride as a fan. I guess because I was an adult, I connected with them in a different way.”

Walker says they both hope to bring the nostalgic feel from their past events into the new “Star Wars” program in May, even though it is not just for adults.

“We both love ‘Star Wars’ and we’re from different generations of fans,” Walker said. “So we are trying to get a bunch of different elements in this one event, highlighting the different generations of ‘Star Wars’ fans and how we can all come together and have fun.”

Reyetteville will feature a traditional vendor market, and most vendors will have fandom-themed items. Not only will it have “Star Wars” options, but the market will also sell anything from “Marvel” to “Lord of the Rings” products.

There will be three separate rounds of “Star Wars” trivia and a costume contest with prizes throughout the day. Also, live artists and face painters will be present for the first several hours of the event.

One of the live artists is Melspace Creative, a “self-taught rug tufter specializing in pop art and whimsical abstract art,” according to the Melspace website. Her booth will have “Star Wars” items that she creates on the spot.

There will be some book booths with local stores such as Underbrush Books from Rogers. Underbrush Books will sell sci-fi and fantasy books for different ages.

Gear Gaming, a Fayetteville-based game store, will have an interactive gaming station at the market. This booth will let visitors try a “Star Wars”-themed Dungeons & Dragons game.

Docking Bay, a Fayetteville-based business, will be making 3D-printed models of droids, masks and other “Star Wars” items. 

A variety of food and drinks will be offered at the market, as many of the local vendors are based around cooking. Corndogs, roasted nuts, bakery items and more will be available.

The hosts are still searching for more vendors to participate in Reyetteville, as new businesses are continuously added to the lineup.