The first recorded reference of the phrase being used was on May 4, 1979, the day after
Margaret Thatcher was elected as
Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom. Her political party, the
Conservatives, placed a congratulatory advertisement in the
London Evening News saying "May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations."
[5][6][7][
dubious –
discuss]
In the 1988 episode of
Count Duckula, "The Vampire Strikes Back", a space-faring superhero, Tremendous Terrance, asks Duckula the date and is told, "May the Fourth". As Terrance departs, he tells all below, "May the Fourth Be with You."
[8][
better source needed]
The saying was used in a
UK Parliament defence debate on May 4, 1994.
[9]
Astrophysicist and author
Jeanne Cavelos used the saying on page 94 of her 1999 book
The Science of Star Wars.
[10]
In 2008, the first Facebook groups appeared, celebrating Luke Skywalker Day, with the same catchphrase.
[11]
In 2011, the first organized celebration of Star WarsDay took place in
Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Produced by Sean Ward and Alice Quinn, festivities included an Original Trilogy Trivia Game Show; a costume contest with celebrity judges; and the web's best tribute films, mash-ups, parodies, and remixes on the big screen. The second annual edition took place on Friday, May 4, 2012.
[12][13][14]
Fans (even government officials, such as
Boris Johnson[15]) have celebrated Star Wars in a variety of ways in social media and on television.
Minor League baseball teams such as the
Toledo Mud Hens[16] and the
Durham Bulls[17] have worn special uniforms as part of Star Wars Day promotions.
On Star Wars Day 2015, astronauts in the
International Space Station watched
Star Wars.
[18]
Also in 2015, the carillon bells inside the
Peace Tower on
Parliament Hill in
Ottawa,
Canada played "
The Imperial March" theme from Star Wars, among other space-related tunes.
[19]