Cool and Different Ways to Celebrate Star Wars Day: May 4th, 2024
The celebration was embraced by Disney and Lucasfilm so much that the fans started celebrating the next day as well i.e., May the 5th, popularly known as ‘Revenge of the Fifth’, a play on Episode III - Revenge of the Sith title. On May 5th, fans celebrate different Sith Lords by embracing the dark side.
The first Star Wars movie Episode IV: A New Hope was released on May 25th, 1977. This day is also celebrated as "Geek Pride Day" for the impact of the Saga on pop culture. It’s clear that May is the month of Star Wars.
The upcoming Star Wars Day i.e., May 4th, 2024 is a day for the Galaxy far, far away.
Know different ways to celebrate Star Wars Day alongside its history, significance, and meaning for the fan community.
It’s Fourth Not Force - History of Star Wars Day
Well, it’s hard to track the origin of the celebration, but in the early 2000s online communities and fandom started celebrating May the 4th as an unofficial Star Wars day, which was later embraced by Disney’s Lucasfilm in the 2010s.
The first use of the phrase ‘’May the Fourth Be With You’’ has nothing to do with movies or fandom. It was used by the conservative party of Britain as an Ad in a British newspaper on May 4th, 1979 after Margaret Thatcher became the prime minister of the UK. In bold letters, the headline was: "May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie”.
This pun on the phrase ‘’May the Force be with you’’ connected with the public. Even though the Ad wasn’t significant, it surely planted the seed in the minds of fans. In 2011, the first Star Wars Day was celebrated on May 4th. Since then, fans eagerly wait for the day to celebrate and enjoy in different ways.
Know Many Ways to Celebrate Star Wars Day
There are many ways to celebrate this iconic day. The ones that capture fan imaginations are:
Movie Marathon: The Ultimate Celebration
The most satisfaction one could get from this day is by revisiting movies or introducing oneself to the Saga. There are essentially two ways to watch Live-Action Star Wars movies:
01. The Chronological Order - Timeline of Saga 02. The Release Order - Timeline of Fandom |
The canon consists of 11 Live-Action movies: The Skywalker Saga (09) and Standalone Movies (02).
The Skywalker Saga consists of 03 Trilogies - Original Trilogy, Prequel Trilogy, and Sequel Trilogy.
Original Trilogy:
Episode IV A New Hope Episode V The Empire Strikes Back Episode VI Return of the Jedi |
Prequel Trilogy:
Episode I The Phantom Menace Episode II Attack of the Clones Episode III Revenge of the Sith |
Sequel Trilogy:
Episode VII The Force Awakens Episode VIII The Last Jedi Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker |
There are Animated shows like The Clone Wars but lately, Disney is focussing on Live-Action shows. Shows like The Mandalorian and Andor struck a chord with both Audiences and Critics.
Watching these movies and shows is going to take some time, so be prepared to plan your breaks, manage snacks, comfort yourself, and then have fun.
One could elevate his or her celebration by expanding their knowledge of Galaxy far, far away by exposing themselves to these wonderful shows and knowing about different lightsabers that appeared in the Saga.
One should also watch standalone films.
There are 02 Standalone Movies:
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Solo: A Star Wars Story
Recreating Iconic Duels
By recreating iconic lightsaber duels from the franchise, one could ignite his or her Star Wars Day. Here are tips on how one can achieve that:
1. Selection Of Duel - Select the duel that you want to recreate first. You can select from the classic duels between Luke vs. Vader in Bespin, Obi-Wan vs. Anakin on Mustafar, or Rey vs. Kylo Ren on Starkiller Base.
2. Selecting Your Lightsaber - You have to select an appropriate blade that matches your cosplaying skills. You can explore through the ARTSABERS sabers collection. Many of these blades are available at heavy discounts.
3. Dressing Up - The selection of costumes is also an important factor in recreating a duel scene. Always make sure to keep safe first.
4. Elevating Duel Experience - Set up the duel by choosing props with realistic sound effects. One could also use music in the background that compliments the scene. Get your friends involved and have fun.
Embracing Merchandise and Finding Easter Eggs
There are multiple merchandise that will appeal to many fans and could be a booster for the celebration. One could choose from different merchandise T-shirts that may match his or her vibe.
One could also explore through a lightsaber collection and build their perfect blades. We here at ARTSABERS have an exquisite collection of different lightsabers inspired by iconic characters’ blades from Saga.
Different collectibles include laser guns and even Lego sets.
One should also try to find interesting easter eggs in different Star Wars projects. Multiple theories are going around the internet to boost your Star Wars Day celebration experience.
Significance to Fan Community
This day matters to the fan community for all the right reasons. Here are reasons why this day means so much:
- Sense of Community - It’s a time of the year when fans can come together and celebrate their love for the epic space opera i.e., Star Wars. It’s a reminder that they are part of a huge community that crosses cultures and generations.
- Day of Creativity - Fans across the globe use this day as an opportunity to express their creativity. They indulge in different activities like sharing jokes and memes online, creating fan art, dressing up in their favorite character costumes, and recreating iconic lightsaber duels.
- Day of Self-Introspection - The franchise is filled with complex themes of good and evil, complex moralities, abuse of power, friendships, and betrayals. This gives fans and frankly, anyone to self-reflect on their lives.
This day is a celebration of the Saga where this huge Star Wars fan community expresses their love for each other and the franchise and it gives them a sense of a big beautiful diverse family.
Concluding Star Wars Day Celebration: May the Force be with you!
Star Wars Day is a global phenomenon that will be celebrated by fans till the end of time. It’s an opportunity for them to give their love to the franchise that has given them so much over a long period of time.
It’s a day to revisit classics, recreate duels, indulge in fan theories, dress up costumes, and spread love for the Saga.
The importance of this day is in creating a sense of camaraderie among Saga enthusiasts. It's a day to honor common interests and showcase originality. It serves as a reminder that fans of Star Wars belong to a large and diverse family.
So, the upcoming Star Wars day - May 4th, 2024: Feel free to showcase your appreciation for the franchise and celebrate the day to its fullest potential.
May the Force be with you! Or as I would like to say - May the Fourth be with you!