Star Wars Day: Its meaning and why it is celebrated on May 4th

You may be wondering why on May 4, the Star Wars fan you know is going around saying, “May the Fourth be with you!” The simple explanation is that that date is Star Wars Day. But it wasn’t invented by George Lucas, nor was it a marketing gimmick by the now-owner of the highly successful and money-churning franchise. This year, the beloved movie series will be celebrated on Saturday, May 4.

The advent of Star Wars Day was purely an initiative of those who love the galactic saga George Lucas brought to the silver screen in 1977. Upon purchasing Lucasfilm, Disney happily supplied fans with annual events and celebrations for the May 4 occasion.

“May the fourth be with you...” creates Star Wars Day

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? In this case a pun “May the fourth be with you,” instead of the Jedi phrase “May the force be with you,” started what has now become an official holiday the world over, and even officially recognized in California.

Back on May 4, 1979 Margaret Thatcher first took office as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and The London Evening News published a congratulatory advertisement by the Conservatives, her political party. The advert read “May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations.” This was the first recorded time that the phrase had been used, now its the catchphrase for May 4 Star Wars fans.

Star Wars Day grows

Since then, the use of the phrase and the fanfare around the day has snowballed. In 2011, the first large organized event for Star Wars Day took place at the Toronto Underground Cinema, where fans gathered for an original trilogy trivia game show, a costume competition, and a screening of films. After the Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm from George Lucas, starting in 2013, the company began to officially recognize the holiday with StaWars-themed events and festivities at its amusement parks.

Still the fans continue celebrations of their own around the world to celebrate Lucas’ creation with new celebrations having yet to get a solid foothold. The day after on May 5, Sith-themedmed holiday “Revenge of the Fifth” is a play on the ‘Star Wars: Episode, III The Revenge of tSithth’ title. The day celebrates the Dark Side or the Sith lords in the Star Wars Universe. Others have chosen 6 May as “Revenge of the Sixth,” a slightly better play on the title. Where there is one Sith, there is always another.