We’re not sure exactly when it started, but for years now May the 4th has been the unofficial Star Wars Day on the internet, allowing people to spread their love of the galaxy far, far away to everyone on social media. But this pun-tastic tradition is now about to become an officially recognized holiday in the state of California. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the California Legislature voted on Thursday May 2nd to officially declare May 4th as “Star Wars Day.” This is in recognition of the Disneyland theme park’s opening of Galaxy’s Edge later this month.
As part of the announcement, a charity group that dresses as Imperial Stormtroopers (the 501st Legion, we’re guessing), along with a hot air balloon that looked a lot like Yoda, showed up at the State Capitol.
So given that Disney has theme parks in both California and Florida, why is only the Sunshine State getting Star Wars Day as an officially recognized day? Galaxy’s Edge is opening at Walt Disney World in Orlando later in the year, while California is getting it first. This is due to construction having gone a little bit faster and more smoothly at Disneyland. It’s also perfectly fitting that Galaxy’s Edge will open in the month of May, as the original Star Wars hit theaters on May 25th, 1977.
We like to imagine a future where Star Wars Day is recognized wide enough to become a true holiday. You know, with days off work and school and everything. Kids and their parents and grandparents can gather around their televisions and watch the entire saga, or just their favorite films in the series. It would be kind of like that scene in Return of the Jedi where Threepio shares the story of the trilogy thus far with the Ewoks around the campfire. This is the future we deserve.
Images: Lucasfilm