May Day Announces The Arrival Of Spring

Locals and visitors emerged from their winter cocoons Saturday to celebrate the much anticipated arrival of spring.  Mystic’s May Day celebration hosted by the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Mystic Business Association has been an annual favorite for the past 19 years. 

With 70 degree weather and clear skies above, the event which ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and had a constant rotation of entertainment and festivities.  Plenty of locals and visitors came to scenic Mystic River Park to enjoy the quaint town social. 

Owner of New England Mojo, Andrew Lavery, supplied a photo booth and shot complementary photos complete with a wide selection of props and costumes for dress up.

Mark and Laura Pelletier from Plainfied left the kids at home and came to Mystic for a weekend getaway and said, "we just happened upon this event, we were at the aquarium and saw the signs and decided to come.” 

Chamber volunteers were selling flowers, roasting hot dogs, manning stations and overseeing the day’s festivities.

Tricia Walsh, a chamber member who plans and runs the May Day event said,“yesterday was a little scary with the weather being a little iffy but it turned out to be a gorgeous day.”

Hot dogs donated by Sea Swirl were sold from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to raise donations for the May Day Book Scholarship Fund which benefits Stonington and Fitch High Schools. 

At noon, a live strings performance by the students of local violinist Ashley Jones provided a musical back drop and captured the riverside audience.

Educator from the Pequotsepos Nature Center, Monica Gallego had a table filled with tactile treats for the kids such as pelts and live animals.  

“I’ve brought a representation of some of the native animals in this area such as a milk snake, a box turtle and a grey tree frog,” said Gallego.

A “decorate your own donut” set up, complete with vanilla frosting and sprinkles was donated by Dunkin Donuts and was a huge hit with kids; many racing to the table wide-eyed with big grins. 

May Day is not complete without a bit of tradition.  Mystic Garland Dancers and friends have been dancing around the local maypole for 19 years.  Mystic supplies the May pole and the dancers do the rest.  Dancers, 4 years and up,  weaved flower-colored pastel ribbons around the pole in traditional dance to live music. 

Isabel Tumey, 6, from Pawcatuck, when asked what her favorites were said, ”I like the bouncy house and the hot dogs which I haven’t tried yet but I’m going to have one right now.”

With bubbles blowing in the background, a demonstration held by Black Bear Traditional Martial Arts students gave the crowd a flavor of their daily regimen as well as the diversity of programs taught from Karate to Capoeira.

A colorful inflatable obstacle course, donated by the Mystic YMCA, had long lines of children waiting for repeat turns as did the balloon animal table manned by professional clown Linda Lee.

The event was topped off with an ice cream coupon give away; one of many May Day samplers reminding us of all the wonderful and local seasonal festivities in store.