Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Chicago Force?
2. How do I join Chicago Force?
3. How many members are in Chicago Force?
4. Are there any age limits on members?
5. How often does Chicago Force meet?
6. Where does Chicago Force meet?
7. What have some of the past events been like?
8. Where did you guys line up for The Phantom Menace? How long was the campout?
9. What did you do for Attack of the Clones?
10. What did you do for Revenge of the Sith?
11. What other future events are being planned?
12. So how can I join an event?
13. What if I have a great suggestion for an event How are spoilers to be handled?
14. Who are the Jedi Council So can I relate my life story for everyone to read?
15. So what else can I do on the website? So how can I find an event?
16. So can I relate my whole life story for everyone to read on the Biographies page?
17. What if I have a question not answered here?


1. What is Chicago Force?
Chicago Force is a Chicago-based sci-fi fan group largely based around the Star Wars films, books, comics and such, although members also declare allegiances to a variety of science fiction and fantasy franchises. Chicago Force first formed in 1999 as an effort to organize a line campout for The Phantom Menace and has stayed together since.

2. How do I join Chicago Force?
Simply add your email on the home page of our website. The lists are low frequency, announcement only and are the best way to stay updated on events.

3. How many members are in Chicago Force?
A typical Chicago Force e-mail update used to hit about 400 people, with 10 new members each month. If you have never received a "This Month in Chicago Force" e-mail message, please sign-up for it. This is the best way to keep informed about Chicago Force events. The sign up can be found on the main page. Our active membership is about 40 fans. There are several different levels of participation; you dictate your own membership terms based on how much you want to get involved with our group.

4. Are there any age limits on members?
The Chicago Force accepts members of any age, race, creed, sex, species or Force affiliation. The only possible restriction might be that some of the events take place in settings for those 21 and older (namely, bars) because the vast majority of members are over 21. But meetings and many other events are open to anyone in the galaxy. We prefer that parents attend CF events with their minor children and that they complete our release form and bring it to events.

You can view and print the release form with Acrobat Reader.

5. How often does Chicago Force meet?
A Chicago Force Event is scheduled at least once every month. Several Chicago Force planning meetings lead up to each event.

There are also several clubs that meet monthly, for those with specific interests. Click on the "Clubs" link above to get more information on them.

6. Where does Chicago Force meet?
Chicago Force is a fan club for all of the Chicagoland area. With this in mind, our events are held all over the city and suburbs. Events roughly switch back and forth between the city and the suburbs. We also make sure to hit all parts of the suburbs form North to West to South.

7. What have some of the past events been like?
Of course our first event was The Line for Phantom Menace. We also had two lines, one city one suburban, for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. We’ve attended the Magic of Myth at the Field, a John Williams concert at Ravinia, have an annual summer picnic at Lincoln Park, had a fan table at Star Wars Celebrations II & III, decorated and managed the Con Suite for Capricon, clubbed into the wee hours at Exit and even met on a roof high above Chicagoland, just like Batman.

8. Where did you guys line up for The Phantom Menace? How long was the campout?
We started our campout the afternoon of Sunday, May 9, 1999 outside McClurg Court theaters in Chicago. We then slept out on the street until May 12, the day tickets went on sale, and we staged another campout the evening of May 18, in anticipation for the film's opening on May 19. Some of our members also ended up camping out at theaters in Skokie and other Chicago suburbs.

9. What did you do for Attack of the Clones?
We had two lines for Episode II, one at the original location at McClurg Court and one at the AMC in South Barrington. We camped out for several days at McClurg Court, made various TV appearances on the local news channels and also sold shirts and lanyard to benefit charity.

10. What did you do for Revenge of the Sith?
Thanks to the generosity of our Board of Directors, Chicago Force bought all the tickets for the midnight showings on the only two digital showings of ROTS in Chicago and sold them to CF members at cost, just to ensure that the real fans got to see the movie and did not have to deal with scalpers. Granted, we did have a disagreement with the building management about lining up on the sidewalk, and one of the digital projectors broke and some of our people did not get to see a digital showing at midnight, but Chicago fans are the best in the world, and we all had a great time just hanging out with each other.

11. What other future events are being planned?
We have several upcoming events on the horizon. Just check our website for updates or join our email announcement list.

12. So how can I join an event?
Events posted on the website are open to everyone. If there are any age restrictions, (Over 21), the event summary will include that information. Any RSVP information will be included in the summary as well. While these events are open to everyone, we may request an email to be sent as a RSVP. Events hosted at a private residence will require an email sent to the sponsor before the residential address is given out. Also, an email response allows us to receive an idea on the amount of people attending the event.

13. What if I have a great suggestion for an event?
Any ideas for an event can be submitted by sending an e-mail to webmaster@chicagoforce.org for consideration by the Jedi Council.

14. Who are the Jedi Council?
The Jedi Council is the governing body of Chicago Force. To find out more about the members of the Jedi Council just click on About Us.

15. So what else can I do on the website?
We encourage you to check out our reports and pics found under the Community link. Also, feel free to add yourself to the Biographies page.

16. So can I relate my whole life story for everyone to read on the Biographies page?
We would like to remind users that this is an open website where anyone can lurk and read. Therefore we have adopted a policy that members do not put their personal information on the Biographies. This includes phone numbers and addresses. Minors are reminded not to include information regarding what schools they attend.

17. What if I have a question not answered here?
If you haven’t found your question here, please send an e-mail to webmaster@chicagoforce.org.