A long time ago on a sidewalk far, far away...

More than a year before the theatrical premiere of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," people around the world began planning strategies to obtain tickets for this premiere event. "Star Wars" fans from Toronto, Los Angeles and Melbourne created CountingDown.com, a Web site that provided a meet-up destination for people who wanted to relive (or experience for the first time) the phenomenon of the "Star Wars" ticket line.

A group of New York volunteers came together under the banner of NYLine Countdown, and arranged to hold a line at Manhattan's historic Ziegfeld Theater. In the late '70s and early '80s, people waited for hours - or even days - to secure opening night tickets at the box office. With the advent of telephone and Internet ticketing services, the notion of ticket lines was fast becoming obsolete. As NYLine staff had already negotiated with the Ziegfeld to obtain its participants' tickets before they went on sale to the general public, the line was more of a symbolic gesture - a chance to celebrate with fellow "Star Wars" fans and to raise money for the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.

NYLine participants gathered in shifts on the sidewalks of West 54th Street from May 1 through May 19, 1999. In addition to fans from the tri-state area, people from as far away as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands showed up, just to be a part of the opening night "Star Wars" audience in New York City.

From the moment NYLine members cheered as the words "Star Wars" burst on the Ziegfeld's screen, an Episode II line was inevitable. Many familiar faces returned to that same stretch of sidewalk, and more than a handful of new fans showed up for the Episode II line, which ran from April 29 to May 16, 2002. Despite many more cold, rainy shifts than in 1999, nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the opening night crowd.

With the final "Star Wars" film scheduled for release May 19, 2005, NYLine staff members and fans worldwide are already planning one last sidewalk celebration. If you live in the New York area, or intend to join the squadron of fans who will be descending on New York for the Episode III premiere, keep in touch by continuing to visit NYLine.org.