Observed on May 4 each year, Star Wars Day is built on a pun—“May the 4th be with you.” It is derived from the franchise’s iconic line, “May the Force be with you.”
Contrary to popular belief, the phrase did not originate with creator George Lucas or a studio marketing campaign. It does not even mark the release of the first film, which premiered on May 25, 1977.
The root of the phrase traces back to British politics (of course). On May 4, 1979, following Margaret Thatcher’s election as the UK’s first female prime minister, her Conservative Party placed a newspaper advertisement reading, “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations.”
The political pun caught up as it gradually gained traction among Star Wars enthusiasts. However, until the advent of social media, it remained niche for roughly two decades.
Meanwhile, a more organized celebration of Star Wars took shape in 2011, when Toronto’s Underground Cinema hosted a dedicated event featuring film screenings and a costume contest. In 2012 after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, Star Wars Day was declared an official holiday. From 2013 onward, May 4 became an officially recognized promotional event, incorporating branded logos, theme park activities, merchandise releases, and screenings.
Meanwhile, this is how the internet is celebrating, from the great Harrison Ford to Japanese astronaut Onishi and others.
May the fourth be with you pic.twitter.com/7MpTpIVAgv
— Harrison Ford (@HarrisonFordLA) May 3, 2026
May the 4th be with you. pic.twitter.com/qMsW8UyGtW
— 大西卓哉 （JAXA宇宙飛行士）Takuya Onishi (@Astro_Onishi) May 4, 2026
pic.twitter.com/wUt1PanxUT
— 🥶💎 (@TooMuchSleaze) May 4, 2026
“May the Fourth be with you.” pic.twitter.com/Fe7YOSGjRB— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine) May 3, 2026
Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th Be With You! pic.twitter.com/PGiT68fcf7— Carnival of Horror (@HorrorCarnival) May 4, 2026
Happy Star Wars day! pic.twitter.com/85XS6QDkOQ— Eric Zhu (@EricZhu15029) May 3, 2026
FYI: May 5 has since been informally adopted as “Revenge of the Sith Day,” extending fan engagement by a further day. So for those who missed, ya’ll can still celebrate.
See Also: More Star Wars Scoop On Mashable India Here
Cover: Twitter