What Is Force Friday? How To Get Free ‘Star Wars’ Merchandise

Friday, Sept. 1 is Force Friday, and that’s a big deal for “Star Wars” collectors. The franchise will have deals on merchandise all over the country, and some stores will also participate in free giveaways.

The first event like this took place before “The Force Awakens” hit theaters in 2015, and now Lucasfilm is launching Force Friday II to celebrate “The Last Jedi.” Many new toys and collectibles from “Episode VIII” will be unveiled Friday, and there will be some special sales to encourage fans to buy the products.

Force Friday II kicks off at 12:01 a.m. Friday, so be sure to check if your local retailers are participating in the midnight madness. The deals aren’t just for night owls, though. The event continues through Sunday, Sept. 3.

All of the new items available for purchase have not been confirmed yet, but the Star Wars website revealed a handful of them. It seems everything from pet toys to Campbell’s soup to replica lightsabers will be released. Good Morning America revealed a handful of new products too. App enabled droids, drones and Lego sets are all coming out. However, not every Force Friday event requires consumers to pay a hefty price tag.

A few stores are giving away some items for free. Check out the freebies available Friday at participating locations while supplies last:

• Disney Stores will give a free “Star Wars” mini poster set to the first 100 people to make purchases on Force Friday.
• Walmart will conduct several giveaways, and prizes include Topps’ Galactic Connexions Trading Discs and “Star Wars Battlefront II” video game posters.
• Toys R Us shoppers will receive a free Funko POP! “Star Wars” T-shirt as well as a free collectible “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” poster.
• Target will hold a raffle for a special “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” plush.

While those are the only retailers advertising free merchandise, it looks like many locations will also have free events worth attending too.

• Apple stores will teach kids how to program Sphero droids and create mazes for the robots. Adults can head to a class that teaches users how to make a “Star Wars” trailer.
• Walmart will allow fans to become inventors during their tech demonstrations.
• Disney Stores will host a special “Star Wars” story time, a Ways of the Force activity and an Art of Drawing: R2-D2 class.
• Books-A-Million will host a special party on Friday from 4-6 p.m. with activities, cosplay events and more.
• 2nd and Charles will host parties on Friday from 4-6 p.m. as well as on Saturday and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Expect games, activities, cosplay events and more.

Of course, if you are planning to spend money during Force Friday, many shops are offering plenty of good deals. JCPenney, Brookstone, Hot Topic, Pottery Barn, FYE, Build-A-Bear and more are participating in the event. See the official Star Wars website for the complete list of retailers.

The promotion is expected to bring out many consumers. After all, “Star Wars” merchandise makes about as much as a big budget movie every year. In 2015, when “The Force Awakens” hit the big screen, $700 million was made from “Star Wars” toy sales.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” hits theaters Dec. 15. The film is directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Gwendoline Christie and more.