The Origin of Star Wars Day!

May the 4th Be with you! It's that time again, it's Star Wars Day. Did you know that the phrase "May the 4th be with you" and Margret Thatcher are tied to one another?

Star Wars day is celebrated world wide by fans of the popular movie franchise on May 4th. The reason is, "May the 4th be with you" is a play on words from the iconic phrase "May the Force be with You".  So what does the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have to do with the phrase? Well, "May the 4th be with you" was first used in a article posted by The London Evening News in 1979, on May 4th of course, the day Margret Thatcher took office! It was from an ad from Margret's Political party which stated, "May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations.”

While one would think that day and idea of May the 4th was created and planned by George Lucas and Lucasfilm, they actually had nothing to do with it! According to Gadgets 360, Star Wars day is purely a fan made initiative! Back in 2011, the first large organized gathering of fans of the "Galaxy Far Far Away" took place at the Toronto Underground Cinema. At the event, fans dressed up as their favorite characters, watched screenings of the films and much much more! Once Disney bought the rights to franchised in 2012, they started to officially recognize the "holiday" and started holding annual celebrations and events around the world!

Bonus fact! May 5th is also celebrated by Star Wars fans as, "Revenge of the 5th". It's a play on words for Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. May 5th is a day to celebrate the Sith and Dark Side of the Force, the counter parts to the Jedi and the Light Side!

Wake up with Jarred Becker every weekday morning from 6a-10a on AM 1390 KRFO
Connect with me on Social Media!
Twitter - @Jarred_Becker
Facebook - Jarred Becker