Star Wars Day is a globally recognized event that takes place every year, typically on the 4th of May. This particular date was selected due to its clever wordplay on the iconic Star Wars line, “May the Force be with you.” The day shows the world coming together to revel in their mutual love for George Lucas’ legendary Star Wars franchise.
Activities to mark this special day include Star Wars-themed events, dressing up as favorite characters, and watching series of the films, connecting fans from across the world through the magic of this monumental saga.
History of Star Wars Day
Star Wars Day, popularly known as “May the 4th Be With You”, is an informal, yet widely embraced observance by fans of the legendary Star Wars saga created by George Lucas. The origins of officially marking this day dates back to 2011, although the beginnings of the phrase predates this.
The phrase took shape originally in a humorous and unplanned fashion, thanks to the British Conservative Party. On May 4th, 1979, when Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the UK, the party ran an advertisement in The London Evening News stating “May The Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations”.
The date was cleverly picked for its play on the famous phrase “May the force be with you” - an iconic quote from the Star Wars series. The apparent resemblance between “May the Fourth” and the quote was seen as an apt match for a Star Wars tribute.
Lucasfilm, the company holding the rights to the franchise, along with The Walt Disney Company, which purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, played significant roles in providing official recognition to Star Wars Day.
The inaugural organized celebration of Star Wars Day took place in Toronto, Canada, specifically at the Toronto Underground Cinema in 2011. Activities included a movie marathon and a contest for the best costumes. Since then, recurring fan events around the world have amplified the popularity of the day. Today, Star Wars Day is celebrated globally with a variety of activities such as themed parties, social media posts tagged with #StarWarsDay, unique merchandise deals and more.
Star Wars Day Timeline
Star Wars Release
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the original Star Wars film is released in theatres, starting the Star Wars phenomenon.
First Star Wars Day Celebration
Although fans commonly celebrated Star Wars Day before 2011, this was the year when the first large, organized events took place.
Disney Acquires Lucasfilm
Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm has a significant impact on the franchise, leading to more emphasis on Star Wars Day in subsequent years.
Official Recognition by Disney
Disney officially recognizes 'May the 4th' as Star Wars Day with celebrations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The release of the highly anticipated 7th Episode in the Star Wars saga renews enthusiasm for Star Wars Day.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Opens
Disney opens their Star Wars-themed land at Disneyland, further cementing Star Wars Day's place in pop culture.
The Bad Batch Premieres on Disney+
Star Wars Day marked with the premiere of the animated series 'The Bad Batch' on Disney+'s streaming service.
Ideas to Celebrate Star Wars Day
Star Wars Movie Marathon
Gather your friends and family for a Star Wars movie marathon. Watch all the movies in chronological order together, turning your living room into a miniature theater.
Dress Up Competition
Have a Star Wars-themed cosplaying party. Let your friends dress up as their favorite Star Wars character and host a competition who absolutely nailed their character looks and gets a Star Wars-themed prize.
Lightsaber Duels
Create your own lightsabers using safe materials and set up mock duels. It's even better if it's somewhere dark with the lightsabers glowing. It's great fun and an awesome opportunity for some fantastic photos.
Build Star Wars LEGO Models
If you and your friends enjoy LEGO, invest in some Star Wars sets and hold a building party. You can even set a timer to see who finishes building their model first.
Star Wars Gaming Evening
There are countless Star Wars video games, board games, and card games. Host a gaming session and dive into Star Wars universe while having a friendly competition.
Star Wars Trivia Night
Hold a trivia night based on the Star Wars universe. Design challenging trivia questions and see who knows the most about the galaxy far, far away.
8 Interesting Facts About Star Wars
Yoda’s species remains a mystery
The species and home planet of Yoda, the wise Jedi Master from the original trilogy, have never been named. Not even in 'The Mandalorian', where The Child (or 'Baby Yoda', as fan refers him) belongs to the same species.
E.T. species exist in Star Wars
In the galactic senate scene of 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace', you can spot some members of E.T.'s species, linking these two iconic Spielberg and Lucas universes.
Han Solo's improvised line
The famous line 'I know' that Han Solo says to Leia after she confesses her love to him in 'The Empire Strikes Back' was actually improvised by Harrison Ford.
Chewbacca’s voice is an animal mix
The distinctive voice of Chewbacca is actually a mix of different animal sounds including bears, lions, badgers and other growling animals.
Leia’s ‘Huttese’
In 'Return of the Jedi', when Princess Leia is disguised as Boushh and threatens Jabba with a thermal detonator, she speaks in the Huttese language. Her lines translated means 'Because he's holding a thermal detonator.'
Anakin’s creation
At one point, George Lucas planned to have Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker be separate people. However, in later scripts he combined them into the same character.
James Earl Jones went uncredited
In the original 'Star Wars: A New Hope', James Earl Jones, who provided the voice of Darth Vader, asked not to be credited. At the time, he considered his contribution small.
The original quote
The famous line 'Luke, I am your father' is actually misquoted. The real line is 'No, I am your father.'
Star Wars Day FAQs
Next Star Wars Day Dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 4th | Thursday |
| 2024 | May 4th | Saturday |
| 2025 | May 4th | Sunday |
| 2026 | May 4th | Monday |
| 2027 | May 4th | Tuesday |
| What is the pattern? | Every May 4th | |
Star Wars Day Word Search
- Jedi
- Skywalker
- Yoda
- Lightsaber
- Chewbacca
- Stormtrooper