Last year, I spent 3 months living in the city of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. It’s a tourist-orientated city, that has recently boomed. As such, this creates an odd mixture of a small-town dealing with the atmosphere of a big city. It’s a really nice, close community, but still has a few downfalls, including creepy druggies who grab little 18 year old Katimavik participants (me).

Other quirky things include Welk Mart (Its website is boring, but it is AMAZING!), and my current topic of choice: the Kelowna Jedi Guy.

I’ve only seen the Jedi Guy once, and I didn’t even quite realize what I was seeing. I suppose that shows how odd I am, hardly thinking a second thought upon seeing a Jedi-clad man in the street, all Star Wars conventions quite far off. Later on, I decided to do a bit of research, which is how I came across the Facebook group I linked above.

The Kelowna Jedi Guy is legend. He is masked in mystery.

Or, he was. On Sunday, Kelowna Capital News managed to interview the Kelowna Jedi Guy! And all was revealed! Well, maybe not all, but we do now know that the Jedi Guy is homeless by choice. He lives in a tent in an undisclosed location (you would think the people of Kelowna would notice a tent somewhere, but the Jedi Guy is stealthy). His Jedi outfit isn’t really a Jedi outfit at all, but rather a practical outfit designed to keep his legs clean and dry, and shirts that keep him cool in the summer.

When I saw the Jedi Guy, he wasn’t on his bike. Because it was winter. And in the winter, he buries his bike. In the spring, he digs it out. Such is the way of the Jedi. He is also very spiritual, behaving much like a monk in the way he discards possessions and embraces discipline.

Sadly, the Jedi Guy has finished his mission to bring a never-ending sense of curiosity and puzzlement to the city of Kelowna. This summer, he plans to return to his home in Ontario, to stay with his parents– who have no idea that he is, in fact, the Jedi Guy. Thus, is the end of an era, which is why I chose to write about the Jedi Guy today. I hope his story made you smile, giggle, roll your eyes, or anything. I hope it will teach you tolerance toward any other Jedi Guys you may encounter in your days. And who knows, maybe one day you will see a somewhat “normal,” looking guy walking down a street in Ontario — and never know he’s actually the Jedi Guy.

So, bon voyage Jedi Guy!

P.S. The Jedi Guy’s name is actually Nick!