COLUMBIA, S.C. — Calling all Jedis. May the 4th is Star Wars Day, and we’ve got different ways you can celebrate with your Resistance or Dark Side friends here in the Midlands.
The South Carolina Philharmonic will be playing Star Wars favorites alongside runners at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia for the first ever Star Wars Fun Run and Walk. It begins at 4 pm at Saluda Shoals.
If you are closer to downtown, head to Main Street for First Thursday’s on Main where a special Star Wars Edition of the event will bring Jedis, Wookies, food, music and drinks followed by the SC Philharmonic playing Star Wars Selections.
For those who don't know, Star Wars Day is celebrated on "May the Fourth" because it's a play on the Star Wars line of dialogue, "May the Force Be With You." News 19’s Andrea Mock sat down with SC Philharmonic French horn player, Eric Gifus, to talk about why this music, composed by John Williams, has resonated with multiple generations.
"Because of the genius of John Williams," Gifus said. "He really studied music from Beethoven to Mozart and uses the best of the best and that's why he's still one of the best composers out there."
Williams won the Academy Award for his score for the first "Star Wars" film in 1977 and was nominated for his work on other films. Even 46 years later, the main themes in those films still resonated.
"It makes me feel like a kid again," he said. "The emotion almost always brings tears to my eyes, especially Princess Leia's theme. But there's so many good themes in his music I don't know if we have a single favorite."