May 4th is when people dress as Star Wars characters, say “May the Fourth be with you” and attend special events like the one at Vancouver’s Space Centre.
Of course, not everyone dresses up in costume on the day, but diehard fans of the franchise do. On the radio and in general conversation you’ll hear lots of people making reference to the day and saying “May the Fourth be with you.”
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Star Wars Day at the Zoo | Vancouver Canadians Star Wars Day | Star Wars at the Space Centre | Other Vancouver May the Fourth Events | More Than A Movie at BC Place | Events From Previous Years | Other Information
May the Fourth Events in Vancouver
A small number of Star Wars-themed events take place in Vancouver on May 4th each year. Some years there are special activities at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. There are also celebrations at a number of public libraries, toy stores and night clubs around town. Some years there is a Star Wars Trivia Night at Maan Farms in Abbotsford.
Last year there was also the More Than A Movie event with Kids Up Front at BC Place Stadium.
MORE THAN A MOVIE WITH KIDS UP FRONT AT BC PLACE
Kids Up Front is a charity that helps give fun experiences to children who might not otherwise be able to afford tickets to special events and attractions. They hosted their More Than A Movie fundraiser event on May 4th last year. It took place at BC Place and included food, games and a movie on a giant screen.
Details about the event in 2026 are to be confirmed. Hopefully it happens again this year. See the Kids Up Front website for details.
Star Wars Day at the Zoo
The Greater Vancouver Zoo hosts special events from time to time, including a Star Wars Day in the spring. Last year the event happened on April 27th, so a week before the official May the Fourth date. It will likely happen around the same time at the zoo in 2026. Exact details, however, are to be confirmed.
For information about the intergalactic event last year, click Zoo Star Wars Day 2025.
Vancouver Canadians Star Wars Day
The Vancouver Canadians play minor league baseball from April to September each year. Home games take place at Nat Bailey Stadium, located at 4601 Ontario Street in Vancouver.
This year the team’s Star Wars Day event happens on May 3rd when they play against Eugene Oregon. People are encouraged to dress up in their favourite Stars Wars costumes and apparel. Last year those who dressed up and attended the game got a 50% discount off Grandstand tickets at the box office. Plus, the first 500 kids (ages 12 and under) at the game received free light swords. They are giving away light swords again in 2026. Whether or not people in costume get a discount again is to be confirmed.
See the Vancouver Canadians‘ website for more information about this event and others put on by the same baseball team.
Star Wars at the Space Centre
Special family-friendly Star Wars-themed activities take place at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre on May 4th most years. It’s a day of family-friendly and fun activities from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, although exact details for 2026 are to be confirmed.
At this event children and their families are invited to dress up as their favourite Star Wars characters and enjoy an evening of science demonstrations, presentations and other activities.
Members of Vancouver’s 501st Legion Outer Rim Garrison also attend most years and that makes for fabulous photo opportunities at the event. In attendance are characters like Darth Vader, a number of Stormtroopers and Tuskan Raiders. It’s impressive!
At the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre event you can expect to see lots of young families, Star Wars fanatics of all ages and dozens of people dressed as their favourite Rebel and Empire characters.
See our H.R. MacMillan Space Centre article for general information about the venue.
Other Vancouver May the Fourth Events
May the Fourth events also take place at a number of other Lower Mainland locations. Below is a list of public libraries and other locations where Star Wars characters and celebrations sometimes happen. Some are pretty simple affairs, and others, like the event at the above-mentioned Space Centre, are usually more extensive.
May the Fourth in Vancouver
The Star Wars franchise is sometimes celebrated at the Vancouver Public Library. Last year year there were Star Wars Day events at a couple of the city’s libraries on May 3rd.
The first took place from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Marpole Branch at 8386 Granville Street. The second event ran from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Kitsilano Branch at 2425 Macdonald Street. Both events were free to attend and included Star Wars-themed activities suitable for elementary school-aged children and their parents.
North Vancouver Public Libraries
In 2025 there was a Star Wars Scavenger Hunt at all North Vancouver District Public Libraries. It was a self-guided activity where children searched for droids (or other Star Wars-related things) in the libraries to help complete a special phrase.
As well last year, there was a special Star Wars Photo Booth at Lynn Valley Library (1277 Lynn Valley Road) on May 3rd and 4th. Guests could pose in front of a green screen and get added to a Star Wars scene of their choosing. It was free to enjoy and ran from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm each day.
More Than A Movie at BC Place
It wasn’t necessarily a Star Wars event, but another great event that happened on May 4th last year was More Than A Movie at BC Place Stadium!
More Than A Movie is geared towards children and their families, and features the screening of a popular movie on the massive jumbotron in the stadium. There are also plenty of on-field activities to enjoy (including, usually, the chance to meet some Star Wars characters)!
Last year the event ran from noon to 5:00 pm. The movie was The Wild Robot. As of the last time we checked, details about what’s happening in 2026 are to be confirmed.
Visit the Kids Up Front Vancouver website for more information about this event.
Events from Previous Years
There have been other Star Wars-themed celebrations at venues in the past. Two of them are below. They didn’t happen in 2025, but may return in the future.
May 4th at Greendale Acres
Sweet Spring is a family-friendly flower festival at Greendale Acres Farm in Chilliwack. It runs from early April until early May. The festival features thousands of tulips and other flowers, plus lots of play structures and games for children. Unfortunately, unlike in 2024, there was no Star Wars Day special event last year, but there were plenty of fun things that happened at the festival this season (and plenty of beautiful flowers to check out).
In 2026 Sweet Spring runs until Sunday, May 3rd, so the day before May the Fourth. Special themed days that are happening this season at the farm include the Chilliwack Plowing Match (on April 11th), Tractor Day (on April 12th), Grandparents Day (on April 24th), Princess & Superhero Day (on April 25th).
See our article about the Sweet Spring Flower Festival or visit the Greendale Acres website to learn more about this event.
Other Information
May 4th is just one day before the Cinco de Mayo festivities, which take place on May 5th. Click Cinco de Mayo in Vancouver to learn about Mexican-themed celebrations in the Lower Mainland.
Check out the following for lists of other things to do:
- Vancouver May Calendar
- Vancouver Festivals & Events
- Best Places for Children
- Metro Vancouver’s Top 100 Places
