The Definitive Guide To 'Back To The Future' Anniversary Events And Memorabilia

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you're a fan of Back to the Future, then you should know that not only does this year mark the 30th anniversary of the original film. However, October 21st, 2015 also marks the exact day and year which Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) traveled to the future, and there's a whole slew of celebrations and promotions planned throughout the entire month (including some in 2016) and leading up to that red letter day in the history of time travel.

We've featured a bunch of Back to the Future events and cool stuff before, but we thought it would be better to round up as much as we can for a definitive guide to Back to the Future anniversary events, memorabilia, promotions and more. And we'll also keep adding to this list to keep it as up to date as possible.

Keep in mind that we won't be able to keep track of every single party, screening and whatnot happening around the country, so we're going to try to keep this to the larger or more widespread events and releases, unless they're just truly unique and too awesome to pass up. But if you hear of something Back to the Future related that you don't see on the list below, let us know!

Otherwise, without further adieu, here's all the cool Back to the Future anniversary stuff coming your way.

Events

We're Going Back

Back to the Future

Perhaps the biggest and most special event celebrating Back to the Future, this celebration is taking place in Los Angeles over five days from October 21st through October 25th. The event will feature screenings of all three movies in the trilogy, the premiere of the documentary Back in Time, a hoverboard rig like the one used on the set of Back to the Future Part II, panels with stars and filmmakers, and much more. Get all the details right here.

Back to the Future: Live in Concert

Back to the Future

There will be plenty of marathons and screenings of Back to the Future on October 21st, but this might be the best way to revisit the original film. From now through 2016, fans can watch the first movie in the time traveling trilogy with a live orchestra providing the soundtrack to the movie, complete with new music from Alan Silvestri. Back to the Future: Live in Concert will be touring around the world with 22 different shows planned at the time of this writing. Find out where you can see it right here.

Save the Clock Tower: A Back to the Future Tribute

The White Out Collective, a group of artists from Blizzard Entertainment, have teamed up with Photonic Playground for a special art show paying tribute to Back to the Future.

The exhibit opens from October 3rd at 200 N Bush St, Santa Ana, CA 92701 with original art from Kevin Maginnis, John Polidora, David Vessup, Jeff Chuang, Kenny McBride, Matt O'Connor, Ariel Fain, Neal Wojahn, Jessica Clarke, Peter K Lee, Michaela Nienaber, Ishmael Hoover, Jon McConnell, Eric Braddock, Daehi Kim, and Kieu Le!

At the opening reception, there will be giveaways including a tin lunchbox of Space Zombies from Pluto, "A Match Made in Space" book from the movie, and the Back to the Future Trilogy BluRay set! Otherwise, Save the Clock Tower: A Back to the Future Tribute will be on display through the end of November, but will have a closing reception on November 7th. For more on the event, check out the Facebook page.

The Million McFly March

Million McFly March

On October 21st, fans dressed up as Marty McFly will participate in The Million McFly March, the largest gathering of McFlys in history in order to help raise money for Team Fox to help fight Parkinson's disease. Fans will gather at a Burger King in Burbank, CA, which is where Marty is seen grabbing a hold of a car while riding his skateboard in the beginning of the movie. Where are they going? Maybe just head over there and participate to find out. Get all the details at the event's official website.

Back to the Future Museum Exhibition

Back to the Future

If you happen to be in Italy, Ecomuseo del Freidano will be hosting a Back to the Future exhibit featuring a wide collection of props, costumes and more from the time traveling trilogy, including a DeLorean time machine which fans will be able to sit inside and get photographed. The museum will even be be turned into a small Hill Valley during this time. This exhibition has been on display since July and will be up and running until November 15th. Get all the details on the museum right here.

Back to the Future Cruise

Back to the Future

If you like Back to the Future and supporting good causes, then Back to the Future Cruise to End Parkinson's from November 7th through November 14th just might be for you. This cruise vacation is Back to the Future themed with funds going to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Sea will have various Back to the Future celebrities and crew members along with an Enchantment Under the Sea Dance led by Harry Waters Jr. (aka Marvin Berry), screenings with live commentary, and more. Get all the details on the cruise right here.

Secret Cinema

When we featured Bob Gale's guide to Back to the Future Day events and goodies, he mentioned that Secret Cinema was coming to Los Angeles in March of 2016. They've since reached out to us and told us there aren't any definitive plans in place yet, but there are discussions about making this event happen in the United States. Stay tuned to find out more.

Back to the Future Props and Wardrobe Auction

As part of We're Going Back, there will be an auction on October 24th in Los Angeles for various props and wardrobe pieces from the Back to the Future trilogy. ScreenUsed is behind the auction, and the above video shows some of the stuff that will be up for grabs, provided you have enough cash to beat out other die-hard Back to the Future fans for the goods. Some cast members will be on hand to help with the auction as well.

Hit the next page for Back to the Future theatrical re-release and screening details.

Back in Time trailer

The Movies

Marathons and Screenings

Back to the Future DayMichael J. Fox Theatre Marathon – On October 21st, the Michael J. Fox Theatre is hosting a marathon screening of the entire trilogy with all proceeds from the events benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Because it's for charity, tickets will cost $121 per person, but that also includes a light lunch and a semi-formal dinner as well as photo opportunities with a full-scale DeLorean Time Machine. If you want to buy tickets, as long as it's not sold out yet, head over here.Washington West Film Festival – The festival will be hosting a trilogy screening on October 21st as well as a screening of the first film with special guests Bob Gale, Christopher Lloyd and Claudia Wells. Check out the festival's website for more information.CinePlex – The Canadian movie theater chain is hosting a series of screenings for Back to the Future all across Canada. The first two films will be screened on October 21st while the entire trilogy will be screened on October 25th. To find out more, including which theaters will be participating, head to Cineplex's event page right here.Arclight – The Arclight in Los Angeles is hosting a Back to the Future marathon on October 21st, and what's cool about this one is that it's beginning at 4:29pm, which is the exact time that Doc and Marty travel to the future in Back to the Future Part II. Get tickets right here.AMC Theatres – The theater chain is hosting a marathon on October 21st that begins with Back to the Future at 4:29pm, continues with Back to the Future Part II at 7pm and ends with Back to the Future Part III at 9:30pm. Tickets will be sold individually at the pre-noon ticket price which will vary at each participating AMC Theatres location. Confirm with your local theater that the marathon will be playing there.

There will be tons of other anniversary screenings, so be sure to call your nearest theater chain and check back here for updates of where you can see Back to the Future on the big screen again.

Amazon Prime Exclusive Streaming

Back to the FutureAmazon will have the exclusive streaming rights to the entire Back to the Future trilogy for the entire month of October. So if for some reason you haven't bought the movies on home video, it might be time to get that Amazon Prime subscription activated so you can enjoy them at home for the 30th anniversary.

Trilogy Blu-Ray and DVD Re-Release

backtothefuture-completebluray

On October 20th, Back to the Future is getting a Blu-Ray anniversary release, including a special new set that comes in Flux Capacitor casing and also includes the Back to the Future Animated Series available for the first time on DVD. Get all the details on that re-release right here, and pre-order it from Amazon right here. There's even a short film featuring Christopher Lloyd that will explain why the 2015 of today isn't the same 2015 from Back to the Future Part II. Watch a tease of that short right here.

Back in Time

Back in Time for SlashFilm

The documentary chronicling the making and legacy of Back to the Future is debuting on October 21st, and in addition to premiering at the We're Going Back event, it will be available on iTunes that same day. You can pre-order the documentary right here. If you haven't seen the trailer for the documentary, you can watch it right here.

Hit the next page for Back to the Future books and video game details.

Back to the Future

Books

We Don't Need Roads

Back to the Future

If you're interested in the making of Back to the Future, earlier this year Caseen Ganies book We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy hit shelves and you can currently buy it for about $12 on Amazon, or $10 if you have a Kindle.

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History

Back to the Future

Coming on October 20th is Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History, a new book looking at the history and legacy of Back to the Future. Here's the official synopsis:

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History is a stunning journey into the creation of this beloved time-traveling saga and features hundreds of never-before-seen images from all three movies, along with rare concept art, storyboards, and other visual treasures. The book also features exclusive interviews with key cast and crew members—including Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and more—and tells the complete story of the production of the movies, from the initial concept to the staging of iconic scenes such as the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance and the hoverboard sequence. The book also delves into the wider Back to the Future universe, exploring the animated television show and Back to the Future: The Ride. Written by Michael Klastorin—the production publicist on the second and third movies—with Back to the Future expert Randal Atamaniuk, this book delivers a range of surprises from the Universal Pictures archives and also includes a wealth of special removable items. Comprehensive, compelling, and definitive, Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History is the book that fans have been waiting for.

Removable items include:

  • Hill Valley High School Tardy Slip
  • Back to the Future The Ride security pass
  • Save the Clocktower leaflet
  • Sepia photograph of Marty and Doc from Part III
  • Marty's note to Doc from the first film with the envelope
  • George McFly's book
  • Jaws 19 movie poster
  • George and Lorraine's prom photo
  • Doc's flux capacitor sketch from the first film
  • Doc's note to Marty from 1885
  • Biff one dollar bill from Part II
  • Blast from the Past receipt from Part II
  • Lenticular version of the iconic McFly family photo from the first film
  • You can pre-order the book right now for $29.95 on Amazon. You can also get it at New York Comic-Con before it hits shelves.

    Back to the Future Comic Book Series

    Back to the Future comic book series

    As we reported earlier this year, a Back to the Future comic book series from IDW Publishing is coming, and the first issue will be available on October 21st. There are also several variant covers that you can get ahold of at certain comic book shops and online outlets. Check out the different versions of issue #1, as well as issue #2 coming in November, right here.

    Video Games

    LEGO Dimensions

    Lego Dimensions trailer

    The new LEGO video game is now available, and there are special packs featuring Back to the Future characters and the DeLorean time machine. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd even reprised their roles for the video game. One pack at $30 includes Marty McFly, the DeLorean and a hoverboard while the other at $15 (not available until January 2016) has Doc Brown and the flying, time traveling locomotive from Back to the Future Part III.

    Telltale Games Back to the Future

    Back to the Future

    The video game is getting re-released on October 13th. new formats on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and has brought in Tom Wilson to reprise his role as Biff for the video game this time.

    Flux Capacitor Mobile App

    Back to the Future

    This app was available years ago, but then disappeared for awhile. But now it's back in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play, with features such as:

  • Striking visuals and sound that reproduce time travel scenarios from each of the three Back to the Future films
  • Fully functional Time Circuits that accurately depict your travels
  • Lightning strike location triggered time travel (using GPS)
  • 1885 glitch simulation when device is shaken
  • Alarm clock mode with sounds from the films or music from your iTunes library
  • Hit the next page for Back to the Future memorabilia details.

    Back to the Future Monopoly

    Memorabilia

    -

    USA Today

    Back to the Future

    On October 22nd the USA Today newspaper will be doing something tied into Back to the Future, perhaps a commemorative page that looks like the one we see in Back to the Future Part II changing form a story about Marty McFly Jr. getting sent to jail into a story about Griff Tannen getting sent to jail after crashing his gang into the courthouse window.

    Pepsi Perfect

    Back to the Future Pepsi

    On October 21st, Pepsi will be selling limited edition collectible bottles modeled after the Pepsi Perfect design from Back to the Future Part II. Marty McFly famously picks up one of these futuristic Pepsi bottles at Cafe 80s, and you'll have a chance to get your own on Back to the Future Day. Check out our full story for more details.

    Soundtracks

    Back to the Future

    The soundtracks to all three of the movies will be re-released on October 16th, including a re-release of the first film's soundtrack on vinyl. Details of this release have only been mentioned briefly and specific details aren't available yet, so be sure to check with your local retailers for availability and we'll update as soon as we hear more.

    Monopoly

    Back to the Future

    Coming inside of a box that looks like a plutonium case, Monopoly gets a Back to the Future version with properties and pieces inspired by the film series. It will be available on September 30th, so check your local retailers for availabilty.

    Yahtzee

    Back to the Future

    The classic dice game gets a Back to the Future makeover with the dice fitting inside a light-up Flux Capacitor. Instead of screaming Yahtzee when you win, you can yell Great Scott! We don't know if that's in the rules, but you should do it anyway. It's available right now on Amazon for about $35.

    Threadless T-Shirts

    Back to the Future t-shirtThreadless has unveiled a whole collection of Back to the Future inspired shirts that would make for some cool threads to wear wherever you're going to celebrate Back to the Future Day. They're all available now, and you can see them all right here.

    Vinyl Idolz

    Back to the Future

    These have been around since earlier this year, but they're such cool figures that we wanted to feature them again. Crafted for display, these 8-inch figures are awesome interpretations of Marty McFly and Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Marty is about $20 while Doc is almost $16, and they're both available on Amazon.

    Iced DeLorean Time Machine

    Back to the Future

    Diamond Select Toys has released a new scale model of the DeLorean time machine, this one made to look frozen as if it just traveled through time. It comes in a 30th Anniversary edition box set and includes a set of flaming tire tracks, a license plate you can pose like it's spinning, and a case of plutonium. It's available for pre-order right here and will ship sometime in November.

    Minimates

    A new set of Minimates figures is coming, this time delivering figures from Back to the Future Part II for Griff Tannen (with Pitbull hoverboard), Marlene McFly and Marty McFly, Jr. — plus a new figure of two-tie-wearing Marty McFly, Sr. There will also be a Minimates version of the DeLorean time machine this time, including Marty McFly with a hoverboard. This new set will be released in March of 2016.

    Mini-Hoverboard

    Back to the Future

    Though hoverboards are now real, this is probably the closest you'll get to owning one for awhile. This is a little desk ornament that features a mini-hoverboard that uses magnets to hover above a little metal track. There are varying sizes with a 3-inch, 6-inch and 12-inch track. Buy one right now over here.

    Hoverboard Skateboards

    Madrid-Pink-Hoverboard-Skateboard

    You can't get your hands on a practical hoverboard just yet, but you can get the next best thing by buying a skateboard that looks like like one of the handful of hoverboards we see in Back to the Future Part II. The anniversary event We're Going Back is selling a few different varieties of these skateboards for $200 each or $880 for the complete set of them. Check them out right here.

    Tumblers

    Back to the Future

    If you need to have a drink and show off your love for Back to the Future, there are three glass tumblers coming in 2016 that will allow you to do just that. There's one for Back to the Future, Part II and Part III, and you can click each of those links to pre-order them from Entertainment Earth.

    Some of this stuff, and more Back to the Future goodies, can be pre-ordered for delivery to your local comic book shop. Check out a magazine of stuff you can order right here:

    And if you want to create your own order, just head over here to get it done.

    ***

    That's all for now. Stay tuned to this list for updates and more Back to the Future stuff.