San Diego Comic-Con International is coming next week, July 13-17, to the San Diego Convention Center. The con is referred to as the biggest comic and pop culture gathering in North America. It can be a little daunting, especially for first-timers, with its acres of exhibits and days and evenings of shows and panels.

There is a lot planned for Star Wars fans at Comic-Con International, too. Here are a few inside tips to help you get the most out of your weekend. For a more detailed list, including times for specific prize drawings, check The Insider's Guide to Star Wars at Comic-Con International on starwars.com starting Thursday night.

Start your weekend in the Star Wars Pavilion on the huge Exhibit Hall floor, and come back often. There will be fifteen Star Wars licensees exhibiting in the pavilion, plus Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club, and StarWarsShop.com. Here's just a taste of what they will have to offer:

• The webcam will be set up in the Pavilion, and Hyperspace members can send live, virtual greeting cards to their friends online by posing in front of the cam with their messages.
• StarWarsShop.com -- Comic-Con has the world debute of three cool new products at StarWarsShop.com: the Holographic Princess Leia action figure, a new Comic-Con T-shirt, and Vader: The Ultimate Guide souvenir magazine.
• LucasArts -- Preview Star Wars Battlefront II and Empire at War; Play Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith tournaments start daily at 11:00 AM.
• 3-Day Blinds and Dan River -- Sign up to win the Star Wars Dream Bedroom.
• Alienware -- Check out their "light side" and "dark side" ultimate Star Wars PCs.
• Anthony Grandio -- Comic-Con limited editions: Path to the Dark Side Premiere Pack & Commemorative Cache; Darth Vader checkbook covers. Plus Clone Wars leather checkbook covers; Celebrity autograph sessions.
• Cingular -- Comic-Con exclusive Darth Vader wallpaper, plus Star Wars ringtones and more.
• Code 3 Collectibles -- Silent auction for the #1 X-wing starfighter. Proceeds to Artists for New South Africa.
• Dorling Kindersley Books -- Publishers of beautiful Star Wars books, including Revenge of the Sith Visual Dictionary and Incredible Cross Sections.
• Fossil -- Star Wars watches and collectibles.
• Kurt S. Adler -- It's the holidays in July! Four holiday trees, including Star Wars decorations.
• LEGO -- "Guess the Number of Bricks" contests daily.
• Master Replicas -- Sign up for the "Live the Dream" Star Wars Sweepstakes; Celebrity autograph sessions.
• Official Pix - Stars of the Star Wars saga autographing daily; official photos. Check with Official Pix for specific days, hours, and locations for each star. Amy Allen (Aayla Secura); Kenny Baker (R2-D2); Michonne Bourriague (Aurra Sing); Daniel Logan (Young Boba Fett); Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca); Rena Owen (Taun We, Nee Alavar) Ray Park (Darth Maul); Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian); Matthew Wood (Voice of General Grievous); All autograph appearances are subject to last-minute changes due to professional or other reasons.
• Rubie's Costumes -- Sign up to win high-end, limited-edition Star Wars collectibles.

All give-aways and sale items available while supplies last.

There are a host of Star Wars events planned outside the Pavilion, too.

Friday -- Star Wars Day at Comic-Con International:
Great Star Wars Books on the Horizon. Authors Jonathan Rinzler and Steve Sansweet. 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM; Room 9

Star Wars Trivia Game Show. San Diego Star Wars Society. 12:30 PM -- 1:30 PM; Room 9

Dark Horse Comics: Star Wars: Past, Present, and Future. Editors Randy Stradley and Jeremy Barlow. 1:30 PM -- 2:30 PM; Room 9

Master Replicas -- Star Wars Props. Stephen Dymszo, Vice-President of Product Design. 2:30 PM -- 3:30 PM; Room 9

What's New, and What's Coming at Hasbro. Hasbro's Star Wars Marketing and Design teams. 3:30 PM -- 4:30 PM; Room 9

Star Wars Spectacular from Lucasfilm. Steve Sansweet, the company's Head of Fan Relations, will cap Star Wars Day with peeks and previews into what's on the horizon. 4:45 -- 6:15 PM; Hall H

Saturday -- Star Wars Category at the Comic-Con Masquerade:
Star Wars Category at the Comic-Con Masquerade. The individual or group judged to have the best Star Wars costume will receive a special limited-edition prize from the Lucas Licensing archives. 8:30 PM; Ballroom 20

Sunday -- Kids' Day:
How to Draw Star Wars. Cartoonist Randy Martinez will teach a class especially for kids on how to draw favorite Star Wars characters. Parents should be prepared to have fun, too! 11:30 AM -- 12:30 PM; Room 1 AB