May the Fourth at the National Carillon

Canberra’s most devout Star Wars fans braved the cold to turn out in droves at the National Carillon for a unique celebration of the date, May the fourth.

To mark May the Fourth (unofficially Star Wars Day), the National Carillon played some of the most iconic music from John Williams’ score of the film series.

Overriding the normal Westminster Chimes which Canberrans have been accustomed to hearing from the Carillon, Peter Bray and Harrison Whalan, two of the country’s top carillonists, opened the hour long exhibition by playing the main theme to Star Wars.

As the clouds continued to roll over and the wind picked up, the ominous Imperial March rang out across Lake Burley Griffin; an apt song for the conditions or at least apt conditions for the song.

Throughout the opening songs, the crowd continued to swarm in as the car parks filled up beyond capacity. Families laid out picnic blankets while public servants took out their lightsabers from underneath the corporate drag.

While the event only lasted an hour and weather left a lot to be desired, the number of people who turned out to hear a new take on some of the music from their favourite film showed that the first ever May the Fourth at the National Carillon was a success.