May Day in Mendon

To some - this may seem very strange - but if you are a resident of Mendon, you know all about Mendon May Day.  In fact - if you've lived there for the past 150 years as of this year, you would have experienced all of them.  The first day in May is always the day that the townspeople of this little northern Utah town celebrate the coming of spring.  Each year a queen is crowned at a town celebration, it's always from the 11th grade girls from the town.  The name has been chosen from a hat now for the past 35 years or so, which made it equal for all of the girls.  The rest of the girls become the Maids of Honor.  They are accompanied by the boys of the same age.  The enter into the town square in a long line, all dressed up beautiful, they are led into the circle of townspeople by the Mayor of Mendon and his wife - there is a little boy and girl that carry in the crown, and behind them are all of the little girls from the town ranging from Kindergarten to 6th grade (give or take a few ages here and there).  These little girls dance around a Maypole and braid the strings, and sing the songs of Mayday in honor of the Queen of May.  Tradition is rich in this town - all things must be done the same way each year.  People notice if it changes.  This tradition not only honors the new breath of spring - but honors the youth of the town, who will hopefully become those that carry on this tradition for their children.  So far there have been 150 queens, some of which have been generational queens - Grandmas come to see their granddaughter's and so on.  In this little corner of the world there is a magic that exists that cannot be described, nor duplicated.  Here are the pictures of that day.... and the memories I'll keep close to my heart.

The Mayor of Mendon Ed Buist - and his sweet wife
My Mom - right behind them - Mrs. MayDay
The queen and her court behind them and all
of the dancers follow - it's quite a sight.
After the queen is crowned the dancers dance
their dance for her.

The same steps to the braiding of the May Pole
has been used each of the 150 years - many of
the people in the audience can do the steps
or repeat exactly the songs that are sung.

5 May Day Poles surrounded by little girls

The crowd was filled with crazy people!

The audience... was related!  Heidi (center front) was
also a May Day Queen!

Jake (my handsome grandson) and is dad Ryan
were great sports on their first time
for the Festivities of May Day

The beautiful Mendon Mountains have watched this
scene over and over through the years.  Some years
the sky is clear and bright, some have been rainy, and
one year  -  snow.  But every year it happens,
and Spring is welcomed in.

The Queen is always crowned with

a wreath of flowers

This is Madison Collins,

the 150th Queen of May

  

Afterwards our family gathered at Mom's house and we laughed and told stories and of course ate traditional 'Schlopppy Joes'.  How lucky we are to have the little traditions in our lives that make life worth celebrating.  There are many stories of May Day's past.  One day, those stories will be made available to everyone and you can all feel of this magic.  Until next May Day - the songs and sounds and sights of this years celebration was made richer by those that I celebrated it with.  Come To The Woodland, Away Away...... gathering flowers for the Queen of May....