University of Illinois at Urbana Illinois May Day Fete Strauch Real Photo Postcard

May Day celebrations, with their roots in ancient European spring festivals, experienced a notable revival in American collegiate life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tradition centered on welcoming spring and fertility, often featuring the ceremonial crowning of a May Queen and dances around a Maypole adorned with ribbons or flowers. These events were significant social gatherings, particularly for women's colleges and co-educational institutions, offering a structured outlet for festivity and camaraderie, with participants typically dressed in white, reflecting the era's aesthetic of purity and renewal.