May Day
May Day is a holiday that celebrates the return of Spring. It usually takes place on May 1. Many people celebrate May Day with festivals or flowers. One of the oldest May Day traditions is the maypole.
Facts about May Day
It is an ancient Northern Hemisphere spring festival and a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the festivities.
The earliest May Day celebrations appeared with the Floralia, festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held on 27 April during the Roman Republic era, and with the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. It is also associated with the Gaelic Beltane, most commonly held on 30 April. The day is a traditional summer holiday in many European pagan cultures. While 1 February is the first day of spring, 1 May is the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on 25 June (now 21 June) is Midsummer.
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