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First Contact Day

Fun ยท April 5

A Star Trek fan observance marking the story's fictional first meeting between humans and Vulcans, celebrated with films, episodes and good company.

First Contact Day

First Contact Day falls on Monday, April 5, 2027. That is 160 days away.

Star Trek fans mark First Contact Day as the date when, in the franchise's story, humanity first meets aliens. The visitors are Vulcans, a calm, logical people who notice a human test flight of a faster than light ship and decide it is time to say hello. The meeting is shown in the film Star Trek: First Contact, and the rest of the series builds on what follows from it.

The scene itself is quiet. A ship lands in a small town, a figure steps out, raises a hand in the split-fingered Vulcan salute, and a nervous human tries to return it. There are no laser battles at that moment, just two species deciding to trust each other. For a story about the future, it is a surprisingly gentle beginning.

Fans observe the day the way fans of anything do. Some rewatch the film. Others pick a favorite episode from one of the many series and watch it with friends, or argue cheerfully about which captain handled first meetings best. Costumes come out, and so does the Vulcan greeting, "Live long and prosper," which is harder to pair with the hand gesture than it looks.

The salute is a good place to start if you have never tried it. Hold your hand up, palm out, and part your fingers between the middle and ring fingers, keeping the thumb out. Many people need a few attempts, and some quietly use the other hand to help.

Ways to celebrate

Dates

YearDate
2026Sunday, April 5
2027Monday, April 5
2028Wednesday, April 5
2029Thursday, April 5
2030Friday, April 5

All national days on April 5

Also on April 5

Categories: Fun days