May Day May 2, 2010

Why not join us to celebrate the coming of May and the start of springtime by joining in our Annual May Day Celebration.

Dancing round the Maypole, Morris dancers, traditional music and jig dolls are coming to the Museum of East Anglian Life on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May 2010 !

Throughout the day we will be encouraging all ages to join us in dancing round the Museums Maypole and welcoming the Bury Fair Women’s Morris Dancers who will dance at 12:00 and 1:30pm. The side takes its name from the great and notorious fair held in Bury St Edmunds fro 1272 until 1871, when it was abolished by an Act of Parliament due to the excessive drunkenness and immorality. Today we are much more restrained. Morris dance, is fun, good exercise and is also very sociable

For the children we also have a Green Man hunt around the Museum along with a Green Man mask-making workshop (no need to book). The dances chosen for the maypole will be simple, and basic instruction will be given on the day.

This year we are reintroducing the age old tradition of the crowning of the May Queen! The Queen will join a procession with the Lord and Lady of May and Jack-in-the Green, a mysterious figure seen all over the country until the 19th century. They will walk from the 13th Century Abbots Hall Barn up through the woodland walk to the May Queens throne where she will be crowned queen for a year.

Past May Queens will also be entitled to FREE entry to the Museum’s May Day Celebrations on the 3rd of May when they bring proof they were once a May Queen.

Why not come along and join in learn about the traditions of May Day with us.

Official Website: http://www.eastanglianife.org.uk