Training Day XI. 501st Legion Parade. Salamanca.

Salamanca hosts the 501st Legion parade, where members from all over Spain gather to conclude with a charity photocall in favor of Aspace in Plaza de Anaya.

The organizers of this edition expect to exceed the figures registered in the last event held in Seville, where 300 participants and more than 15,000 spectators attended, and this year they will be able to join
Portuguese imperial troops.

Activities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a private photocall for Aspace members inside the Julián Sánchez el Charro pavilion; this photocall will open to the general public at 10:30 a.m., outside this pavilion, to support the PeludoSOS association. Subsequently, the Mayor of Salamanca will offer an official reception to the highest representatives of the 501st Legion at the City Hall.

The parade of the 501st Legion troops will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Plaza de la Concordia, passing through María Auxiliadora, c/ Toro, reaching Plaza Mayor, exiting through Plaza del Poeta Iglesias, proceeding along Rúa Mayor to finish in Plaza de Anaya. At 7:15 p.m., the charity photocalls for Aspace will take place in Plaza de Anaya. Those who wish can take a photo with their favorite characters for a voluntary donation that will go to the Salamanca association Aspace to develop an inclusive leisure project for its members.

The City Council supports this charity event through different municipal areas such as the Local Police, Salamanca Film Commission, and the music band.

From the Congress Office, Salamanca Convention Bureau, collaboration has been ongoing with the organizing committee in recent months, preparing the candidacy for this event, facilitating all procedures with the City Council services, and offering advice and dissemination of the event, in addition to guided tours.

Furthermore, through the Association of Hospitality Entrepreneurs, various actions will be developed to offer a specific package for this event, which includes: special rates in hotels, a route of themed menus and tapas, as well as drinks created for the occasion and concerts in establishments under the Salamanca de Noche brand. All these services can be consulted by participants of this event on a microsite created for the occasion, located on the Salamanca Convention Bureau website.

Salamanca Film Commission has actively collaborated in the recording of promotional videos, processing filming permits, carrying out logistics work, and providing municipal spaces.

What is the 501st Legion Spanish Garrison? What do they do?

The 501st Legion was born in the United States thanks to two friends, Albin Jhonson and Tom Crews, who created a kind of club for Star Wars costume replicas, as faithful as possible to the film, to wear them to premieres.

Over time, they began to dedicate events to charitable causes, and the movement spread worldwide. It arrived in Spain in 2004, and this year is special as it marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Spanish Garrison.

Currently, there are over 750 members in Spain, and it is the second-largest Legion in Europe after Germany.

In the 501st Legion, there are Military personnel, Doctors, IT professionals, Shop Assistants, Nurses, Teachers, Journalists, Bank Employees, Drafters, Photographers, Tailors, and even people who don't like Star Wars but have joined for the charitable work. And people of all ages from 18 to 75.

What do they do?: hospital visits to pediatric wards, fundraising with associations such as Mi Princesa Rett, Food Banks, Mi pequeño deseo, Spanish Association Against Cancer, Pyfano, Andrés Olivares Foundation, and many others.

In short, they are a group of volunteers who dedicate their free time to performing good deeds dressed as characters admired by people of different generations. Bad guys doing good.