Our History
In the summer of 1988, George Lucas generously loaned his personal collection of miniatures, props, and costumes for display at the Marin County Fair. The exhibit was an instant success. Inspired by its popularity, a new category was introduced in the exhibit hall: Creatures & Models, encouraging sci-fi-themed art submissions. These entries were judged by professional model makers from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and the category thrived throughout the 1990s.
However, by the early 2000s, submissions began to decline. Robert Nidds, then head of the Creatures & Models Department, began exploring new ideas. Alongside Fair Director Jim Farley, they secured a NASA spacesuit for display and thought that sci-fi costumes would make a great companion exhibit.
Around this time, Mike Morris, who worked for Pyro Spectacular—the fair's fireworks vendor—shared his enthusiasm for Star Wars with Jim Farley. When asked if he knew any Star Wars costumers, Mike brought in Ian Hiebert, a former ILM employee who owned a high-quality replica Darth Vader suit. The Darth Vader costume was displayed alongside the NASA suit, and this marked the beginning of what would become the Marin Galactic Outpost.
Costumers from various fan clubs were invited to join, and the live costume performances quickly became a highlight of the fair. As their popularity grew, the Creatures & Models exhibit gradually faded and was eventually replaced entirely by the Galactic Outpost.
Mike and Ian were soon joined by talented costume creators Karen Katich and Tami Ashford, who took over much of the planning and daily operations. By 2025, the Marin Galactic Outpost celebrated its 20th anniversary and remains one of the fair’s most popular attractions.
Charles Barboni, who succeeded Jim Farley as Fair Director, recognized the success of the Outpost and allocated additional space to support its continued growth.
The Marin Galactic Outpost is a 100% volunteer-driven exhibit. It receives no external funding—every costume, prop, and piece of equipment is provided by the participants themselves. All characters are portrayed by dedicated fan volunteers, each bringing their own expertly crafted costume replicas to the event.
We’re proud to collaborate with amazing local fan groups, without whom none of this would be possible:
The Rebel Legion
The 501st Legion
Mandalorian Mercs
Bay Area Bounty Hunters
Bay Area Droid Builders