While some fans choose to wait in line for a premiere or make a fan film, others show their appreciation for their favorite Star Wars character by trying their best to look like them. At this years' Celebration III Costume Pageant, judges and spectators voted on Jawas, Droids, Jedi, Sith, and Padmés of all shapes and sizes.

"I'm beginning to realize that costumers are a unique breed," Costume Contest Coordinator Anne Brown says. "They are really enthusiastic about creating their costumes and they love wearing them and letting other people see them. I think they just love the chance to have their work showcased."

This year's competition broke down into various categories of Hero (any of the Skywalkers, Obi-Wan, Jedi Council members, Chewie, X-wing pilots), Villain (Darth Maul, Emperor, stormtroopers, Darth Vader), Outer Rim (Ewoks, Jawas, Tusken Raiders, creatures, droids, ships, etc.), Child (Ages 0-13, all costume types), Padmé (including Queen Naboo) and Best in Show.

"By dividing the contestants into categories, it makes the show easier to judge and allows us to award more prizes," Brown explains. "We like to give the kids their own category to make it more fun for them. When you consider all the possible costumes that might be entered, the natural divisions are Heroes, Villains, and Outer Rim. I've now subdivided the Hero category and created a Padmé category. We have about 15 Padmés entered, and the surprising thing is that I don't think any are alike. By giving them their own category, the judging will be fairer and the other heroes won't need to compete against ostrich feathers and elaborate trains."

One of the more exciting moments of the pageant involved the enthusiastic crowd participation for the Best in Show Award, which included a "clap off" between two large costume entries of a giant tauntaun and a rather intimidating General Grievous.

"Having a Best In Show winner is only natural," Brown says. "What's fun is that we let the audience vote for Best in Show from among the first-place winners. The fans get to applaud for their favorite costume and they love it."

Of course, just because someone is in a Star Wars costume doesn't mean it's automatically a crowd-pleaser. This year the costumers competing found themselves stepping it up a notch to impress fans that know the difference between a handcrafted Jedi robe, and a store-bought brown bathrobe.

"I think people love to see the creatures, the aliens, and the Amidalas," Brown says. "Those costumes require so much work and fans are really impressed by them. But fans are also pretty savvy and they can tell a great Jedi costume from a poor one."

Aside from the Best in Show award, the difficult task of choosing this year's winners went to various judges including the Revenge of the Sith creature shop supervisors Dave and Lou Elsey who know a little something about Wookiees and various other memorable creature suits.

The judges were asked to look at effort, costume construction, and overall impression. They also kept a close eye on the movement of the costumes to see that they looked and felt accurate.

"The really fantastic costumes are the ones that got all the details right like the headpieces, make-up, prosthetics, weapons, and so on," Brown says. "I remember at another convention, we had a woman in a can-can dress and Jar Jar mask with girly make-up and eyelashes -- she called herself Zsa-Zsa Binks -- it was totally hilarious and the crowd loved it."

This year's list of winners for the Celebration III Costume Pageant:

Best Padmé:
Dawn Murphy -- Meadow Picnic Dress
Best Outer Rim:
Dan Hyatt -- Tauntaun
Best Kid:
Quincy Newkirk -- Queen Amidala
Best Hero:
Drake Conrad -- Luke Action Figure
Best Villain:
Earl Burkist -- General Grievous
Best in Show:
Earl Burkist -- General Grievous

The winners received an acrylic octagonal trophy engraved with the CIII Darth Vader logo.

"I really think that some of these costumers are true artists," Brown confesses. "Instead of working in paint or clay, they work in fabric or fur. This is their chance to put their work on display in front of the fans who will appreciate it most, and the result is an adrenaline rush for everyone."