Archival photographs and other primary sources show how Bridgewater College welcomed warmer weather and enjoyed some springtime fun over the years.
On May 1, 1923, Bridgewater College celebrated the first of a series of traditional May Days with a focus on a May Queen and her escort the May King. The May Queen was surrounded by a court of representative women from each BC class and their escorts. There was also a maypole, maypole dance, and until the 1970s a themed and choreographed pageant. Students also had a May Day formal dance.
In the 1970s and early-1980s, BC kept the May court, maypole, and formal dance but focused less on a May pageant and more on a festival-type celebration. There was fair food and there were games on the campus mall including balloon activities sponsored by the physics club, tricycle races, canoe races, bouncing ball races, pie throwing contests and sometimes bed races. Dunking booths and even a greased pig catch made their way into the BC May Day celebrations.
The BC May Court and May Day activities ended in the 1990s or 2000s. The spring festival continued, evolving into a Spring Carnival with rides, food, games and music. This tradition continues at BC today as our annual SpringFest and Spring Formal.
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