“Course of the Force” Lightsaber Relay Goes to Comic-Con

Lucasfilm Ltd., Nerdist Industries and Octagon team up to bring you Course of the Force, an Olympic Torch style Lightsaber relay from Santa Monica, California to San Diego Comic-Con. This morning was the first leg of the course, and it will go until July 11th when the Star Wars tribute arrives at the convention. All benefits go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and you can follow the event on Facebook and Twitter. After the break, watch a video about the relay and read the press release about Course of the Force’s free concert at Huntington Beach tomorrow.

Free Dan Band Performance at Huntington Beach – Sunday, July 8

Before ending the Course of the Force journey on July 11, cult fave The Dan Band will hit Huntington Beach on Sunday, July 8 for a free performance. The Course of the Force is a five-day relay, July 7-11, for Star Wars™ enthusiasts to celebrate their love of the Saga. The event is held in partnership with Lucasfilm, Ltd., Nerdist Industries and Octagon to raise proceeds for Make-A-Wish®.

The run on July 8 starts in Redondo Beach and will head down the coast before ending at Huntington Beach. When the relay is done for the day, The Dan Band will lead a free concert on Huntington Beach at 8:00 p.m.

Beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday the Huntington Beach Pier will host a “conival” that is free to the public. The “conival” is a festival celebrating Star Wars with merchandise and concessions for purchase, music and giveaways from Course of the Force sponsors. The event will run from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m.

The Dan Band, fronted by Dan Finnerty, plays for sold out crowds from Los Angeles to New York and has appeared on numerous shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen and Last Call with Carson Daly. Finnerty garnered the attention of Steven Spielberg, who served as the executive producer of the band’s concert special, “The Dan Band: I Am Woman.” Finnerty’s scene-stealing movie appearances include Old School, the bat-mitzvah singer in Starsky & Hutch and the wedding singer in The Hangover.

The Dan Band will join Chris Hardwick, The Nerdist, for a live performance at 12:30 p.m. after the five-day Course of the Force lightsaber relay concludes in San Diego. Tickets to The Dan Band performance at the Balboa Theatre on July 11 are on sale now. The price of admission is $20 for premium viewing areas and $10 for general viewing areas. Fans must be 18 and older to attend. Tickets are available online at sandiegotheatres.org.