35th Annual MayDay Parade and Festival

Once the snow melts and the sun actually begins to generate warmth again, street festivals filled with doughnuts stands and overpriced balloon guys on rollerblades appear. But of all of the celebrations around town in the coming months, the MayDay Parade and Festival is probably the one that feels the most community-driven and personal; what began as a small celebration of the turning of political tides some 35 years ago is still a friendly gathering of creative community members years later. Participants have been working the past couple months to create the most gawk-inducing parade of the season, featuring papier-mache creatures, some reaching as high as ten feet tall. The march ends in Powderhorn Park, where the festival is set, the annual Tree of Life Ceremony will be performed midway through at 4 p.m. The festival features family activities, dance, theater, and poetry performances, and even canoe rides on the lake. The parade begins at Bloomington and 28th Street and ends at the park. For more info visit www.hobt.org/mayday.
Sun., May 3, 1-7 p.m., 2009