May the 4th be with you on Star Wars Day!
The phenomenon.
It all started back in 1977 with the release of George Lucas’s original ‘Star Wars’ movie, ‘A New Hope.’ The tale of a young farmer who joins forces with a smuggler, a Wookiee, a wise old Jedi, two droids and a princess, who all end up momentarily putting a stop to the Empire by blowing up its planet-destroying space station. With revolutionary special effects and design, that movie set up a franchise that is still immensely popular even today.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Star Wars has its own holiday. May the 4th really came out of nowhere to be celebrated by fans all across the world, and maybe even the galaxy.
Like anything that emerges from the collective passion of a group of people, the Star Wars fan holiday on May the 4th each year has no single point of origin. It has no official commencement year, no formal dedication. It is a grassroots phenomenon that now transcends the English language pun that inspired it. Around the world, “May the 4th Be With You” is more ubiquitously known as Star Wars Day.
starwars.com
No matter why or how, here are some ideas for celebrating May the 4th, or Star Wars Day…
★ Locally, some businesses are offering Star Wars trivia nights:
- Star Wars Trivia – Thursday, May 4, 6:00 p.m. – Hy-Vee, 2930 18th Ave., Rock Island
- Star Wars Trivia – Thursday, May 4, 7:00 p.m. – Five Cities Brewing, 2255 Falcon Ave., Bettendorf
★ Make a batch of Wookiee Cookies with the recipe here! Otherwise, StarWars.com has recipes and arts and crafts you can try with your little Jedi or Sith here.
★ Watch the movies, shows or cartoons! Don’t have Disney+? Check out your local library!
★ Immerse yourself into the world of Star Wars toys without spending a penny! The website GalacticFigures.com has an in-depth look at every Star Wars action figure officially made since the beginning.
★ Even if you can’t make it in person, take a virtual museum tour of Rancho Obi-Wan, a publicly supported, nonprofit museum in California that houses the world’s largest Star Wars memorabilia collection.
★ Wear a Star Wars shirt or hat, or raid your closet to put together a Star Wars-inspired look!
★ If you’re feeling really adventurous, check out ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special,’ the tale of Han Solo and Chewbacca rushing back to Chewie’s home planet of Kashyyyk to celebrate the Life Day holiday, amidst Imperial entanglements. Airing only once on broadcast television on November 17, 1978, George Lucas has said “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every bootlegged copy of that program and smash it.” You can watch it here.
No matter how you celebrate, May the 4th be with you on Star Wars Day!
Did we miss any ideas? Let us know here!
