First Contact Day

Template:Spoiler ST

Humans make official contact with an alien species for the first time on April 5^th, 2063

First Contact Day was a holiday celebrated to honor both the warp 1 flight of the Phoenix and first open contact between Humans and Vulcans on April 5^th, 2063 in Bozeman, Montana. (Star Trek: First Contact)

On Earth, children were given a day off from school, although this apparently didn't include all schools. (ST: "Children of Mars")

Captain Kathryn Janeway remembered being off from school and that it was really the only way it was celebrated.

Naomi Wildman and Neelix planned the 315th observation of the event aboard the USS Voyager. The festivities included Zefram Cochrane's favorite food, cheese pierogies, and rock and roll music on Tom Paris's jukebox. At Neelix's insistence, Tuvok gave the Vulcan salute while reciting the greeting given by the Vulcans during first contact: "Live long and prosper." He did not see the point of it, but everyone in attendance applauded. (VOY: "Homestead")

In the 2380s, the planet Mars was attacked by rogue synths on this day. Initial reports indicated that three thousand people had lost their lives in the attack. (ST: "Children of Mars")

Star Trek: First Contact co-writer Ronald D. Moore chose the date for first contact in honor of his son, Jonathan, whose birthday is April 5^th. (Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 273); (AOL chat, 1997))

First Contact Day was also cited in the first draft of the script for ENT: "Fusion" (which had the working title "Equilibrium"). In that script, Trip Tucker told Fraht about this holiday, commenting about it, "'That's kind of dull… just an excuse for kids to get the day off from school."

External link

• First Contact Day at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works