Star Wars Celebration date, event news 2017: Mark Hamill to host Carrie Fisher tribute

Featured in the image is "Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill.REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

"Star Wars" fans have a lot to look forward to this year. Apart from the eighth installment of the Skywalker saga, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," which is coming to theaters in December, this year also marks the 40th anniversary of the "Star Wars" franchise and a Star Wars Celebration is happening in less than a couple of weeks.

However, it cannot be avoided for these events to have a bittersweet feel as one of the "Star Wars" icons, Carrie Fisher, will not be joining the celebrations anymore. Following her death in December 2016, which has affected the "Star Wars" community as a whole, this year's celebration is set to pay tribute to Fisher's legacy. It has been announced through the official Star Wars website that Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill is coming to this year's Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, and will be hosting a tribute to his on-screen sister.

Earlier this year, Hamill wrote a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, in which he recalled what it was like working and being friends with Fisher. A portion of the article stated, "She was a handful. She was high maintenance. But my life would have been so much drabber and less interesting if she hadn't been the friend that she was."

Fans will be able to attend "Mark Hamill's Tribute to Carrie Fisher" on Friday, April 14. In the panel, he is said to remember the "talent, humor, and legacy" of his co-star.

Hamill is reported to be present in all four days of the event and he will also be taking the stage on the 16th with his own panel called "Hamill Himself," in which he will hold a Q&A with the audience and talk about a variety of topics. According to Screen Rant, Hamill is known to be a "consummate showman who can entertain the audience in a plethora of ways," so his solo panel should be an exciting one.

The Star Wars Celebration will take place on April 13–16, at the Orange Country Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.