May is here, and with it comes a special festival that has its roots in ancient European civilizations. May Day has historically been a celebration of Spring in the northern hemisphere, with flowers in full bloom, days getting longer and warmer, and Summer just around the corner. In fact, many believed that May Day marked the halfway point between the start of Spring and the beginning of Summer – a hopeful and joyous time when crops would be growing bountifully.
May Day was a huge celebration throughout the 1900s, with many cities hosting dances traditionally around a Maypole, voting for May Day Queens and Princesses. In addition to traditional dances, community events were scheduled, and parades were held to mark this important festival.
Today, May Day festivities have fallen by the wayside in many communities, but a few special locations still host May Day events. Be a part of this historical Spring festival at one of these few remaining events this year:
May 9 | Port Coquitlam May Day
The first May Day celebration in Port Coquitlam took place in 1923, and since then, the festival has grown into an iconic city event that generations bring their families to. In fact, my own earliest memories as a kid are going to the PoCo May Day Parade with my parents and grandparents, and the excitement of getting to be IN the parade one year! In 2026, the tradition is still going strong, with the beloved parade happening on May 9 at 11am. Be sure to get there early to see the Kids Bike Race starting at 10am, and then stay and play, followed by the parade at Party In The Square, which has tons of kids’ activities and crafts, inflatables, face painting, live music, and community pop-ups to enjoy. If you want to see a bit of history, May 3rd is the Opening Ceremony with traditional maypole dancing. For more details, click here.
May 18 | Fort Langley May Day
Join the 104th celebration of May Day in Fort Langley! This historic day is celebrated with a community breakfast starting at 8am, followed by a fabulous parade filled with local organizations, dancers, and floats from 11:00am – 12:30pm. At 12pm, a Family Fun Festival opens in Fort Langley Park, where you can see the May Day Queen and her royalty, maypole dancing, and participate in tons of kid-friendly activities. There will also be a huge community BBQ happening to keep everyone fed! For more details, click here.
May 22 – 24 | Ladner May Days
It’s a full weekend of community fun for Ladner May Days! This is the 130th year of May Day festivities in Ladner, and there are tons of fun activities for families all weekend long. On Friday night, catch the May Day Invitational starting at 6:30pm, where you can see fastpitch baseball games all evening, or stop by the opening night for Shooting Star Amusements’ midway carnival! Saturday, the fun continues with more baseball, FREE activities in the park all day, plus live entertainment, a beer garden, and an artisan market. If you can only handle one day of fun, Sunday is the one you don’t want to miss! That’s when the famous community parade happens, starting at 12pm, followed by a ceremony and Royal Court Crowning at 1:15pm. For more details, click here.
May 23 | Bradner May Day
For over 100 years, May Day has been held in Bradner. Join a community breakfast beginning at 8am, and be sure to catch the Opening Ceremonies at 10:30am where families can see authentic Maypole dancing! Stay for the day to enjoy a carnival, live entertainment, food trucks, and plenty of crafts and activities for kids! For more details, click here.
