STAR WARS DAY TORONTO 2011

Star Wars Day Toronto 2011 was the first ever May 4 Star Wars Day event in the world. Previous to that, “May the 4th Be With You” was an internet joke. It took place in an age before Disney acquired the brand, when the sequel trilogy seemed like all the Star Wars movies we were ever going to get. Life-long Star Wars fan Sean Ward shared with his friend and fellow fan Alice Quinn the idea that Star Wars Day events would one day be a big thing all over the world, and they had an opportunity to claim the flag and forever say that the first one happened in Toronto.

The main attraction at this event was a cinema screening of an epic collection of Star Wars tributes and parodies from the Internet. The costume contest and trivia game show were a big hit, sparking the idea to make them the main focus the following year.

Toronto Underground Cinema owned a vintage 35mm print of the original 1977 Star Wars theatrical trailer, which was screened for the first time in decades at this event.

Special thanks to the 501st Canadian Garrison and our celebrity judges Natasha Eloi, Fearless Fred, and Lauren O’Nizzle. Thanks to Michael Nus for production assistance, and to Edge 102.1 FM for our first media hit!