Here's why May the 4th is celebrated as Star Wars Day across the galaxy
[May 03, 2025]
By ANDREW DeMILLO
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 “Star
Wars” have an inescapable gravity.
May 4 — or May the 4th, as fans say — 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, “May the force be with you.” 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 “Star Wars” actor
Mark Hamill dropped by the White House a day beforehand.
“I think it's a very clever way for fans to celebrate their passion and
love for ‘Star Wars’ once a year,” said Steve Sansweet, founder and
executive chairman of Rancho Obi-Wan, a nonprofit museum in California
that has the world's largest collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia.
How did it begin?
The phrase “May the 4th be with you” 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 California Legislature
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.
Disney, 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 “Star Wars” fans are enthused about how ubiquitous the
once-underground joke has become. Chris Taylor, a senior editor at
Mashable and author of “How Star Wars Conquered the Universe,” labels
himself a “May the 4th grinch" in part because of its commercialization.
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A Star Wars supporter poses for a photo during a fan convention
called the Star Wars Celebration Japan in Chiba, near Tokyo, Friday,
April 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
 “I love a good dad joke as much as
anyone, but my God you can take it too far,” 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 new series “Star Wars: Tales of the
Underworld” on the date, and it comes as the second season gets
underway for another franchise series, “Andor.”
It also follows the announcement that a new stand-alone “Star Wars”
film installment starring Ryan Gosling will be released in 2027.
Disney marks the day with the launch of new “Star Wars” merchandise,
ranging from lightsaber sets to jewelry.
Most Major League Baseball teams have marked the day in recent years
with special events incorporating “Star Wars” characters. For
example, the San Francisco Giants sold special tickets for
Saturday's game that included a bobblehead portraying pitcher Logan
Webb as “Obi-Webb Kenobi.”
It's hard to find a place where May the 4th celebrations aren't
occurring, from bakeries serving cookies with a “Star Wars” 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 “Star Wars” 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 “YodaRita.”
“I would always joke around and wish people ‘May the 4th’ — but
taking it to this level, I've definitely upped my ‘Star Wars’
nerdiness,” said Michael Sklar, president of the Greater New Hope
Chamber of Commerce.
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