May4 Fun Holiday – Star Wars Day
May 4 is celebrated as Star Wars Day by fans of the popular sci-fi film series, Star Wars. It is one of the two days in a year that recognizes the place of the Star Wars franchise in popular culture.
Star Wars Day is a good day to pay tribute to the Sci Fi series
©iStockphoto.com/ColobusYeti
The date for this unofficial fun holiday comes from the often-quoted phrase within the Star Wars universe, may the force be with you. The expression was first used in the first film of the original trilogy, A New Hope. Characters use it to wish others good luck, usually while parting ways. Fans around the world have modified the expression to create the pun May the fourth be with you.
On May 5, fans celebrate Revenge of the Fifth, a play on the title of the sixth movie in the series, Revenge of the Sith. Some Star Wars enthusiasts celebrate it on May 6 stating that Revenge of the Sixth sounds much closer to the original movie name.
British Origins
The origin of the phrase is thought to date back to May 4, 1979. On this day, Conservatives in the United Kingdom published a newspaper advertisement to congratulate their candidate, Margaret Thatcher, for taking the Prime Minister's office. The advertisement said "May The Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations".
Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars is a film series and franchise created by George Lucas. The film series follows events in a galaxy "far, far away" in the "distant past."
The other Star Wars Day celebrated in the year is May 25. It marks the release anniversary of the first movie in the series, A New Hope, in 1977. This day is also sometimes known as Geek Pride Day.
May 25 is also Towel Day, which celebrates the hugely popular science fiction comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (H2G2) by Douglas Adams.
Admirers of the Star Wars franchise observe May 21 as Talk like Yoda Day to mark the first time the much-loved character Yoda made his big-screen debut in the United States.
How to Celebrate?
- Dress up like Star Wars characters and have a Star Wars-themed party.
- Greet everyone you meet with the phrase May the fourth be with you.
- Organize marathon viewings of the saga, and participate in Star Wars trivia contests.
Did You Know…
...that the South Pacific island of Niue accepts collectible Star Wars-themed coins issued by the New Zealand Mint in 2011 as legal tender?
Star Wars Day Observances
| Fun Holiday: Star Wars Day Observances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name |
| 2024 | Sat | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2025 | Sun | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2026 | Mon | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2027 | Tue | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2028 | Thu | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2029 | Fri | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2030 | Sat | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2031 | Sun | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2032 | Tue | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
| 2033 | Wed | 4 May | Star Wars Day |
