May Day

Traditionally the beginning of summer, this is a European festival situated between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.

The earliest May celebration recorded was Floralia, the festival of the Roman goddess of flowers (Flora), which was held from the 27th of April through to the 3rd of May. The festival would open with various theatrical performances and, according to Ovid, hares and goats would be released. The festival would include a ritual, called Florifertum, in which a bundle of wheat ears would be paraded around before getting presented to a shrine. The whole event concluded with a series of competitive events and a sacrifice to Flora.