Let's Celebrate Star Wars Day!

Do you know today's date on the calendar? While it may appear as May 4th to the casual observer, for Star Wars fans, it's "May the Fourth be with you" or translated into Star Wars lingo, "May the Force be with you."

According to Wikipedia, "Star Wars Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May 4th to celebrate the Star Wars franchise created by filmmaker George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through media and grassroots celebrations since the franchise began in 1977. The date originated from the pun "May the Fourth be with you," from the Star Wars catchphrase "May the Force be with you." Even though the holiday was not created by Lucasfilm, many Star Wars fans have chosen to celebrate the holiday - and it has since been embraced by Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company as an annual celebration of Star Wars."

According to USA Today, "The saying comes from a line of dialogue in the 1977 Star Wars film, before the rebel fighters begin their assault on the Death Star, General Dodonna encourages them with the command: "Then man your ships! And may the Force be with you!" It's a saying used by Jedi Knights such as Obi-Wan Kenobi referencing the Force, a form of energy connecting the galaxy, which some Force-sensitive individuals can tap into and enhance their abilities. Saying, "May the Force be with you," is akin to wishing someone good luck."

The first official use of the phrase came on May 4th, 1979, when Margaret Thatcher became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. To celebrate, the U.K. Conservative Party paid for a newspaper ad in the London Evening News saying, "May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations!"

From a branding perspective, the Star Wars franchise is unique. Few movies develop cult followings and become part of the cultural zeitgeist - and even fewer have days of the year named after them. Despite fan adoration, there is no Casablanca Day, no Psycho Day, and no Freaky Friday Day.

A fun way to celebrate today would be to test your Star Wars knowledge with a quiz. So here we go:

(1) What year did the first Star Wars movie appear in theaters? (Interesting note, the movie played in Hollywood's Chinese Theater for one full year!)

(2) Who created the Star Wars franchise?

(3) Who provided the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies?

(4) Which hand did Luke Skywalker lose in his battle with Darth Vader?

(5) What famous catchphrase is said in every Star Wars movie?

(6) What is Chewbacca?

(7) What is the name of Han Solo's ship?

(8) What is the name of Luke and Leia's birth mother?

(9) What are the names of the movies in the final trilogy released between 2015-2019?

(10) What are the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO called that possess a degree of artificial intelligence?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "For some fans, the official Star Wars Day comes on May 25th, the date of the first film's release. The Los Angeles City Council even declared that date to be Star Wars Day in 2007, although the California Legislature voted in 2019 to designate May 4th as Star Wars Day."

And on May 3rd, 2024, a day before that year's Star Wars Day, legendary Star Wars actor Mark Hamill made a surprise appearance in the White House press briefing telling reporters he had just come from the Oval Office, where he asked President Joe Biden, "'Can I call you Joe-Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

And lastly, did you know that next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Star Wars movie? On February 19th, 2027, the celebration begins with a re-release of the 1977 original (a restored version renamed Star Wars: A New Hope) in both regular theaters and IMAX. Of course, lots of related branded merchandise will also be available for purchase as the date gets closer!

SHARE THIS: On Star Wars Day 2015, astronauts in the International Space Station watched Star Wars. #FunFact #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Public Libraries of Jefferson County, Alabama.

Quiz Credit: Holly Parker of Public Libraries of Jefferson County, Alabama.

Here are the quiz answers: (1) 1977, (2) George Lucas, (3) James Earl Jones, (4) Right hand, (5) I have a bad feeling about this, (6) Wookie, (7) Millennium Falcon, (8) Padmé Amidala, (9) The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, (10) Droids.

Visit the Star Wars website:

https://www.starwars.com/star-wars-day

Check out these examples of zeitgeist:

https://helpfulprofessor.com/zeitgeist-examples/