Remember, Remember, the 5th of November.
This famous opening line of a traditional English folk rhyme commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, but more importantly, it’s a day that many remember, even if they remain unaware of the significance of the event itself.
Pop culture is the opposite, though, as fans obsessed with a book, TV series, manga, anime or character have a tendency to get caught up in the minutiae, but how do you share that love with others who may not be as invested?
Movies, TV shows, and video games aren’t just pieces of entertainment but also gateways to another world, a way to escape from a decidedly less interesting reality. These forms of media don’t just provide temporary entertainment either, as it allows like-minded individuals to share their passions, forming fandoms spanning people from all around the globe coming together in the spirit of camaraderie.
This sense of unity can extend beyond the confines of the internet too, as sometimes, the popularity of an entertainment franchise and the strength of its fanbase are so high that it results in the creation of a special day dedicated to celebrating the IP, and although these aren’t holidays in the traditional sense, they are still global celebrations that hold a special place in fans’ hearts.
And fandom is more than happy to identify a special day that signals to the world that this is the one day that everyone can publicly come together to honour and recognise a pop cultural phenomenon. But as always, this special day has to be of some significance, to unify the majority of, if not all, fans.
The most famous of the days would be when Star Wars fans globally celebrate their love for George Lucas’ iconic franchise on 4th May every year, not because it was the date that any of the original trilogy of movies premiered, but because it’s a pun of the franchise’s iconic line, “May the Force be with you”, which sounds a lot like May the Fourth.
The first recorded reference to this pun occurred in 1979, just two years after the original Star Wars premiered. Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 3 May, and to express support, a half-page advertisement on page 13 of the London Evening News stated, “Dear Maggie, May the Fourth Be with You. Your Party Workers.”
Impressive.
Other dates of choice are not so obvious. The Alien franchise celebrates its big day on 26 April because the original Ridley Scott movie took place on the moon, LV-426. Americans write their dates numerically with the month first, 426 becomes 4/26, hence 26 April.
British spy James Bond gets his celebration on 5 October with James Bond Day, not because of any book published by author Ian Fleming, but because it was the premiere of the very first live-action film starring the secret agent, Dr No.
Then you have the long-running Star Trek franchise that celebrates Star Trek Day on 8 September, the day the first episode premiered in the US in 1966, but that fandom also celebrates First Contact Day on 5 April. This is the in-universe day that mankind made first contact with a visiting alien species, the Vulcans.
Not to be outdone, you might have heard that Star Wars fans have also built on May the Fourth and also unofficially celebrate the next two days – 5 May and 6 May – as well. Why? Well, that’s because you can refer to 5 May as Revenge of the Fifth, a wordplay on the 2005 film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Oh, but it doesn’t stop there because 6 May is also celebrated by the fandom, as nothing says you love Star Wars as much as Return of the Sixth, a pun on 1983’s Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as 6th sounds like Sith, the evil Force-wielding group from the series.
And these days, such occasions are not just celebrated by fans, but also the studios, merchandise companies and related rights owners, to make this day more impactful. If there’s a new trailer for a Star Wars movie or Disney+ series, a new project or product launch, May 4 is the perfect day to premiere it.
At the recent Ghostbusters Day (8 June) held in New York City’s FDNY’s Hook & Ladder 8 firehouse, which was used as the base of operations for the quartet of paranormal hunters in the original 1984 Ghostbusters film, Sony Pictures revealed Ghostbusters: Night Shift, a new animated series co-produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix, slated to premiere in 2027.
Interestingly enough, not every major IP (intellectual property) has taken advantage of a special day of the year to earmark global celebrations. It was only recently in May 2026 that the Japan Anniversary Association announced that 7 April will now be officially recognised as Gundam Day in Japan. The date was selected as the first episode of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime aired in Japan on 7 April, 1979.
That’s right. The 47-year-old mega anime, manga, movie and toy franchise, which has reportedly calculated to have sold 10 Gundam models for every man, woman and child in Japan (by 2011), with over 450 million Gunpla units sold as of 2015, will finally start recognising an official Gundam Day in 2027.
Roll your eyes all you want, but here are some of the notable celebratory Geeky Celebration Days across pop culture that you should be aware of. Please note that there are plenty of popular days to celebrate, and since this covers everything from books, films to TV shows to anime and video games, so we’re only selecting the key ones that get recognised globally, are tied to a major IP and have a major cultural impact.
Which means you won’t see the likes of National Science Fiction Day (2 January ) that celebrates science fiction as an influential genre, held on the birthday of famed sci-fi author Isaac Asimov. Our apologies to fans of Winnie the Pooh (National Winnie the Pooh Day, 18 January) or Barbie (National Barbie Day, 9 March) – there are other geekier IPs out there. And to shoppers – the annual Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Nov 11 (11/11) shopping festivals don’t make the list either.
From pop culture icons like Star Wars and James Bond to anime giants like One Piece or video game legends like Mario, these IPs have made such an impact on their fans as to warrant a special day of celebrations, which usually fall on dates important to the franchise. Who wants to guess what icon is celebrated on 10 March? Perhaps you should read it as MAR10, a clear indicator of Nintendo’s Mario, which not only references the franchise but also makes it even easier for fans to remember.
Here’s a list of geeky celebration days fans should note down in their calendars, arranged in order of their dates:
Pokémon Day
27 February
Pokémon Day celebrates the anniversary of the original release of the Pokémon Red and Green video games in 1996, and the start of the Japanese media franchise that now consists of toys, animated series and films, a trading card game (TCG), and other related media. An annual celebration since 2016, this marks a day when many special events are held around the world, such as TCG tournaments, the release of limited edition merchandise, or most notably, a massive franchise live stream known as Pokémon Presents, where new games and updates are announced.
And it only seems befitting that an IP as massive as Pokémon would see a day of its own, as it has grown to be one of the highest-grossing media franchises in the world, generating over US$150 billion in lifetime revenue. Most popular of all is its collection of over 100 mainline video games and spin-offs, with the next entry in the franchise, Pokémon Winds and Waves, heading to a tropical archipelago inspired by Southeast Asia sometime in 2027.
MAR10 Day
10 March
Originally conceived as an unofficial occasion by fans of the Super Mario video game franchise, but later acknowledged and endorsed as a formal holiday by Nintendo since 2015, MAR10 Day derives its name from the similarity between the date and the name of its titular hero. Over the years, the company has celebrated MAR10 Day with the occasional contest or party, but most importantly, it is the day when Mario titles get massively discounted on the Nintendo eShop.
In 2025, Nintendo even partnered with JetBlue on MAR10 Day and unveiled a custom-painted Airbus A320 aircraft, the “Cloudtop Cruiser”, painted blue with images of Mario and his friends on the side, with Mario-themed decorations adorning its interior seats and entertainment screens.
First making his appearance in the 1981 game Donkey Kong, the iconic plumber has grown into a household name, with the franchise grossing over US$60 billion thanks to its huge library of games spanning classic platformers and racing games like Mario Kart, to two lucrative animated films.
Gundam Day
7 April
This celebration marks the newest of the bunch, as 7 April has finally been officially designated as Gundam Day by the Japan Anniversary Association,, and will be officially celebrated from 2027. Paying homage to the first broadcast of the Mobile Suit Gundam anime on 7 April 1979, Gundam Day is set to be the day which sees the biggest announcements surrounding the anime and Gunpla, with various initiatives already planned to be rolled out every year.
Extremely popular in Japan, it has grossed over US$5 billion in retail sales alone by 2000, and spawned numerous anime series and films. Director Jim Mickle (Sweet Tooth) is currently working on a live-action film starring Sydney Sweeney (The Housemaid) and Noah Centineo (Street Fighter).
Superman Day
18 April / 12 June
You know a franchise is big when it has not one, but two days dedicated to celebrating it. The first Superman Day was 12 June 2013, and was a date selected by DC Comics and Warner Bros to celebrate Superman’s 75th Anniversary, which also coincided with the release of Man of Steel. In 2025, the occasion was subsequently changed to 18 April, honouring the anniversary of the Man of Steel’s historic debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Warner Bros often marks the occasion by hosting pop-up experiences around the world, alongside new attractions at Warner Bros. Studios.
Known for spreading the message of hope, Superman has become one of the most recognisable and influential figures not just in the world of comic books, but on-screen too, with numerous actors taking on the role over the years, like Christopher Reeve (Superman, 1978), Tom Welling (TV’s Smallville), Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, 2013), and most recently, David Corenswet, who donned the cape for James Gunn’s Superman (2025), which grossed over US$615 million globally at the box office.
Alien Day
26 April
Alien Day is an annual promotional event dedicated to the iconic franchise, with its name a clever nod to LV-426 (4/26), a reference to the moon on which the 1986 film Aliens was set. The event usually features various special releases like novels, comic books, video games, clothing and collectables, alongside the biggest upcoming announcements from the franchise, with some theatres around the world even hosting special fan screenings of remastered movie classics. In addition, fans also celebrate the franchise on 12 June, which marks the day the crew of the Nostromo first touched down on LV-426.
Across multiple decades and films, the series has collectively grossed over US$1.3 billion at the worldwide box office and has been responsible for defining the careers of Hollywood icons like Sigourney Weaver, who played Ellen Ripley across the first four films. The franchise would also spawn numerous prequels and spin-offs like Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Earth (2025), alongside a crossover franchise with another sci-fi juggernaut, Predator.
Harry Potter Day
2 May
Set in reference to the fictional anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts in the book series by J.K. Rowling, when Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort and ended the Second Wizarding War, Harry Potter Day was declared as an official holiday by the UK government in 2012 to honour the franchise’s cultural impact. On this day, fans celebrate the franchise by re-reading the books, re-watching the films, or hosting themed parties.
With over 600 million books sold alongside a massive eight-part film series, the franchise is not just a cultural phenomenon but one of the highest-grossing media properties in history, valued at an estimated US$25 billion. Even following the conclusion of its narrative, the series continues to make an impact on fans globally, with its own dedicated themed areas in Universal Studios Florida, California, and Japan, a 2023 Avalanche Software video game Hogwarts Legacy, and an upcoming HBO TV series set to premiere in December 2026, starring newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
Star Wars Day
4 May
Based on the iconic movie catchphrase “May the Force be with you” and transforming it into “May the Fourth be with you”, Star Wars Day is an annual, fan-created holiday where fans take part in movie and video game marathons, hold fan-led events and pop-ups, or dress up as their favourite characters. Since 2013, Disney has also officially observed the holiday with special pop-up experiences or festivities at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Debuting in 1977 with Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, the franchise was created by George Lucas and was initially not expected to succeed. But after the first film became a surprise blockbuster with a massive US$410 million global haul, it quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, expanding to nine mainline films and multiple spin-offs spanning prequels and animated projects.
The franchise shows no signs of slowing down, with its next entry, Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, set for 2027, alongside three other untitled projects in the works, including a film set during the early years of the Jedi, one set between the original and sequel trilogies during the New Republic era, and one about a new Jedi Order.
Goku Day (Dragon Ball Day)
9 May
In celebration of the iconic Dragon Ball franchise, Goku Day is an official celebration registered with the Japan Anniversary Association in 2015, with its name derived from Japanese wordplay based on the calendar month and day, 5 (“Go”) and 9 (“Ku”), forming the name of its protagonist. Goku Day is celebrated by both the community and official studios like Toei Animation and Bandai, and comprises major announcements for upcoming games and shows, alongside exclusive merchandise drops.
Originally written by Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball manga consists of 519 chapters collected into 42 volumes and ran from 1984 to 1995. The franchise has also been adapted into one of the longest-running anime in history, spanning over 800 episodes across five main series and more than 20 movies. The anime franchise is also set to see two new projects – Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, a visually overhauled edition of the original Dragon Ball Super anime set for 2026, and Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, the highly anticipated continuation of the Dragon Ball Super anime that adapts the “Galactic Patrol Prisoner” arc from the manga.
Ghostbusters Day
8 June
Marking the anniversary of the original Ghostbusters film in 1984, the date originally began as an informal fan celebration to mark the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2014, but has since grown into an official occasion, a day where celebrations have often taken place at locations associated with the films, such as Hook & Ladder Company 8, the exterior used as the Ghostbusters’ firehouse headquarters, or via large fan events hosted by Sony Pictures Entertainment and its partners.
The original Ghostbusters film was a massive commercial juggernaut, grossing roughly US$295 million worldwide on a US$30 million budget, which made it the highest-grossing comedy of its time. Following a less successful sequel in 1989 and a mixed-review reboot in 2016, the franchise was revitalised for a new era with two new films, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), with the overall franchise surpassing the US$1 billion milestone at the global box office.
The ghostly adventures don’t stop there, however, as Netflix is set to breathe new life into the franchise once more with an animated series, Ghostbusters: Night Shift, which takes place in 1994, New York, five years after the original film, and sees a new group of four younger Ghostbusters – Zoe, Travis, Mike, and Mity – fighting a new wave of ghosts that attack the city.
One Piece Day
22 July
Commemorating the publication of the first chapter of One Piece in Weekly Shōnen Jump in July 1997, One Piece Day is an annual celebration dedicated to the fandom established as an official anniversary by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2017, often comprising massive multi-day events or live-streams (although it might not occur on the day itself) where the latest announcements surrounding the franchise are made, such as the debut of new games or shows.
Alongside Dragon Ball, One Piece stands as one of the most successful Japanese manga/anime of all time, with over 1,185 manga chapters since its debut in 1997 and over 1,170 anime episodes since 1998. The franchise also received a Netflix live-action adaptation in 2023, which will see its third season, titled The Battle of Alabasta, in 2027, alongside a modern anime remake, The One Piece, debuting in February 2027, which condenses the original anime into more palatable chunks by cutting unnecessary filler and speeding up the storytelling.
Spider-Man Day
1 August
Honouring the iconic and spectacular web-slinger, this date commemorates the publication of Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, which featured Spider-Man’s first appearance. The annual celebration is often home to fan events and cosplay gatherings, film screening marathons, special releases and promotions for comics, video games, collectibles, and merchandise, alongside charity initiatives that spread the hero’s enduring message that “With great power comes great responsibility.”
And Spidey certainly holds a lot of power, especially in terms of on-screen adaptations, with eight standalone live-action films since 2002, and two animated Spider-Verse spin-offs. Over the years, many faces have taken on the mantle of the web-slinger, such as Tobey Maguire in the Sam Raimi film era from 2002 to 2007, Andrew Garfield in Marc Webb’s Amazing era, and Tom Holland in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland is also set to don the mask once more in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is set to release on 30 July 2026 and sees the hero protecting New York City while facing a strange physical evolution.
Star Trek Day
8 September
Star Trek Day is an annual informal commemorative day that celebrates the US premiere of the original Star Trek series in 1966. To mark the occasion, platforms like Paramount+ often feature marathons of iconic episodes or sneak peeks at new series in the universe alongside organising fan-engagement events, while video games like Star Trek Online host special in-game events. Alongside the main celebration, fans also honour the franchise with First Contact Day on 5 April, referencing the day of the fictional first contact between humans and aliens as depicted in the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact.
Like its iconic motto, “To boldly go where no one has gone before”, the Star Trek franchise has constantly evolved over the years since its inception with the 1966 original series, growing into a massive franchise comprising 13 movies and 13 TV series, with its films grossing over US$2.2 billion globally, and its TV shows surviving the test of time thanks to reruns. The franchise is also set for a new cinematic journey thanks to Paramount’s upcoming film reboot, which features a plot separate from its predecessors, written by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.
Transformers Day
17 September
Marking the date in 1984 when the original animated series first premiered, Transformers Day has become an annual opportunity for fans worldwide to revisit the adventures of iconic characters such as Optimus Prime and Megatron via special screenings of classic films like 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, while looking ahead to future projects and franchise announcements from Hasbro and its partners, ranging from new toys, comics, and video games.
While Transformers has seen notable success in the film space, grossing over US$5 billion across its five live-action Michael Bay films, two reboots, and one animated origin movie, the true money is made from toy sales, with every movie release essentially being giant, expensive commercials for toys. It’s no surprise then that the Transformers toy line is one of the most commercially successful franchises in history, generating over US$25 billion in global revenue since its launch in 1984.
Batman Day
Third or Fourth Saturday of September
Initially celebrated on 23 July 2014, a date selected by DC Comics and Warner Bros. to celebrate Batman’s 75th anniversary and coincide with San Diego Comic-Con 2014, Batman Day is an annual event organised by DC Entertainment, which has subsequently been hosted on the third or fourth Saturday in September. Festivities typically include comic book giveaways, costume events, or film marathons, alongside the iconic Bat-Signal being lit in the night sky in certain cities around the world like New York, Tokyo, and London.
Batman has redefined the superhero archetype by proving that a hero without superpowers could stand alongside gods and aliens, becoming one of the most influential fictional characters ever created, with a legacy that extends beyond comic books and into films, with multiple titles released over the decades, spanning campy action flicks 1997’s Batman & Robin to darker modern takes like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Matt Reeves’s 2022 The Batman reboot. The film franchise’s next entry, The Batman Part II, is set for release in 2027 and will see Robert Pattinson’s caped crusader coming face-to-face with Sebastian Stan’s Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face.
James Bond Day
5 October
First recognised by Eon Productions in 2012, James Bond Day falls on the anniversary of the 1962 London premiere of Dr. No, the very first James Bond film starring Sean Connery. While this celebration is commonly commemorated through social media, fans often host Bond-themed gatherings, while theatres sometimes host screenings of classic films.
Initially created by British author Ian Fleming in his 1953 novel Casino Royale, the iconic 007 agent has become a global symbol of espionage and style, shaping both the spy genre and blockbuster filmmaking since his first movie outing with 1962’s Dr. No. Since his on-screen debut, the character has been portrayed by seven actors over 25 films, and with Amazon MGM taking over the IP in 2025, the studio is now on the hunt for the next Bond, recently tapping casting veteran Nina Gold to find a fresh face to play the iconic role.
Back to the Future Day
21 October
Marking the date that Marty McFly and Doc Brown travelled to the future in the 1989 film Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Day gained prominence on the actual date itself, 21 October 2015, when companies like Pepsi, Nike and Toyota released products inspired by the film. Since then, it has become an annual occasion where fans get together for screenings, community events are hosted, and announcements of new merchandise, collectibles, books, and other franchise-related products are made.
Despite having just three movies, the Back to the Future franchise has become a beloved icon in pop culture by redefining the time-travel genre, driving home important themes like facing the consequences of one’s choices with a fun, easy-to-digest storyline. The franchise also introduced enduring cultural symbols like the DeLorean, its iconic time-travelling machine, and remains a constant reference point when discussing the future of technology, with many comparing the film’s vision of the future with real-world inventions.
Doctor Who Day
23 November
Commemorating the release of the first episode of the sci-fi series airing on the BBC in 1963, Doctor Who Day celebrates one of the longest-running and most influential science fiction television series in the world. Over the years, many special episodes of the series have aired, such as The Five Doctors (1983) and The Day of the Doctor (2013), which saw the appearance of multiple Doctor Whos across history on-screen at once in celebration of anniversaries.
As a cornerstone of British pop culture, Doctor Who has continued to revolutionise the world of TV science fiction since its debut in 1963, combining educational themes with historical adventures and imaginative storytelling that has captivated audiences of all ages. The show’s unique concept of regeneration has also allowed it to grow while introducing new interpretations of the iconic Doctor, such as the versions portrayed by David Tennant (2005 – 2010), Matt Smith (2010 – 2013), and most recently, Ncuti Gatwa (2023 – 2025), with many of the series’ iconic elements like the TARDIS and the Daleks still being instantly recognisable sci-fi symbols till this day.
Bonus 1: Free Comic Book Day
First Saturday of May
This is less a celebration of one particular franchise, but an industry as a whole, formed as an annual promotional effort by the North American comic book industry to attract new readers to independent comic book stores. Over two thousand comic book shops worldwide give out millions of books, sometimes even hosting special appearances and fan-signings by comic book artists.
Bonus 2: Tolkien Reading Day
25 March
Organised by the Tolkien Society since 2003 to encourage fans to celebrate and promote the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit), the annual celebration derives its date from the downfall of the Lord of the Rings (Sauron) and the fall of Barad-dûr according to franchise lore. The Tolkien Society hosts official global reading sessions both online and in person, with external parties like libraries, museums, and fan clubs also joining in read-alongs.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
