It didn't begin a long time ago or in a galaxy far far away, but every May 4 it feels like images, memes and promotional deals involving 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 have an inescapable gravity.
May 4 鈥 or May the 4th, as fans say 鈥 has evolved over the years into Star Wars Day, an informal holiday celebrating the space epic and its surrounding franchise.
What is Star Wars Day?
Star Wars Day was created by fans as a sly nod to one of the films' most popular catchphrases, 鈥淢ay the force be with you.鈥 Get it? Good, now May the 4th be with you too.
It's not an official holiday but has become so well-known that even former President Joe Biden marked it last year when dropped by the White House a day beforehand.
鈥淚 think it's a very clever way for fans to celebrate their passion and love for 鈥楽tar Wars鈥 once a year,鈥 said Steve Sansweet, founder and executive chairman of Rancho Obi-Wan, a nonprofit museum in California that has the world's largest collection of 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 memorabilia.
How did it begin?
The phrase 鈥淢ay the 4th be with you鈥 was used by fans in the years after the first film was released in 1977, and even appeared in a British political ad in 1979 celebrating Margaret Thatcher's victory as prime minister on May 4 that year.
For some fans, the official Star Wars Day comes on May 25, the date of the first film's release. The Los Angeles City Council even declared the date to be Star Wars Day in 2007, although the voted in 2019 to designate May 4 as Star Wars Day.
How has it spread?
May the 4th caught on informally among fans through inside jokes shared on social media and viewings of the films to mark the occasion. Businesses eventually joined in on the fun, with brands ranging from Nissan to Jameson Whiskey running ads or posting on social media about it.
, which acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, embraced the day as a way to further promote the franchise with merchandise, special screenings and other events surrounding the brand.
Not all 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 fans are enthused about how ubiquitous the once-underground joke has become. Chris Taylor, a senior editor at Mashable and author of 鈥淗ow Star Wars Conquered the Universe,鈥 labels himself a 鈥淢ay the 4th grinch" in part because of its commercialization.
鈥淚 love a good dad joke as much as anyone, but my God you can take it too far,鈥 Taylor said.
How is it being celebrated this year?
The day is being celebrated on a large and small scale this year. Disney+ is launching the 鈥淪tar Wars: Tales of the Underworld鈥 on the date, and it comes as the second season gets underway for another franchise series,
It also follows the announcement that a new stand-alone starring Ryan Gosling will be released in 2027.
Disney marks the day with the launch of new 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 merchandise, ranging from lightsaber sets to jewelry.
Most Major League Baseball teams have marked the day in recent years with special events incorporating 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 characters. For example, the San Francisco Giants sold special tickets for Saturday's game that included a bobblehead portraying pitcher Logan Webb as 鈥淥bi-Webb Kenobi.鈥
It's hard to find a place where May the 4th celebrations aren't occurring, from bakeries serving cookies with a 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 theme to concerts featuring the memorable scores of the films.
It's a town-wide celebration in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which shares its name with the subtitle of the first 鈥淪tar Wars鈥 film. The town of about 2,600 people, located 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, plans to have costumed characters throughout town with restaurants serving themed items like a 鈥淵odaRita.鈥
鈥淚 would always joke around and wish people 鈥楳ay the 4th鈥 鈥 but taking it to this level, I've definitely upped my 鈥楽tar Wars鈥 nerdiness,鈥 said Michael Sklar, president of the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce.
