May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on May 1, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.
Traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, crowning a May Queen, and setting up a Maypole, May Tree or May Bush, around which people dance.
International Workers' Day is also called ‘May Day’ but the two are unrelated.
The early May bank holiday on the first Monday in May was created in 1978; May Day itself – May 1 – is not a public holiday in England.
This year’s May Day Bank Holiday falls on Monday, May 6, 2024.
Do you have plans for this year’s May Day?
Here is a closer look at May Days across the Sherwood Forest area, featuring some ‘famous’ figures…
9. Wellow, 2007
Here is 2007's May Queen Emily Paris, left, and the outgoing Queen Laura Belcher. Wellow Maypole Celebrations. Photo: Roger Grayson`
10. Historic Maypole, early 1900s
The earliest known photograph of Wellow Maypole on Maypole Day - probably the Coronation of King George V in 1911. Photo: National World
11. Morris dancing
Morris Men at the Edwinstowe May Day Festival in 2010. Photo: Roger Grayson
12. Primary School pupils
Pupils from Kirkby Woodhouse Primary School pictured dancing around the Maypole at the May Day event held at Kingsway Park, Kirkby, in 2009. Photo: Roger Grayson