May Day Festival

It's fitting that the first sunny, spring-like, maybe-summer-really-will-come type of day was home to In the Heart of the Beast's May Day celebration at Powderhorn Park. The trees are still brown, the grass just fighting to turn green, but you could tell from the sheer numbers of festival-goers that nobody cared, as long as summer is officially on its way. 

Kicking off with a parade and ending at Powderhorn for the May Day ceremony, complete with welcoming the sun's journey across the lake, revelers oohed and aahed at the Heart of the Beast's puppetry creations. And I, more than once, regretted wearing just a boring outfit.  If ever there was a time to braid ribbons into my hair, paint rainbows on my cheeks, and wear a lime green tutu in public, this would have been my moment.  At least half of the crowd took their outfitting seriously, bursts of color and flowers bedecking every bit of space. Even if you're not the type to go all out and dress as your favorite animal, any festival-goer would appreciate the excess of people-watching opportunities. 

Several food trucks were in attendance, as well, adding to the state fair-esque choices of corn dogs and cotton candy.  Booths line the lake set up for various non-profits and left-leaning political movements (some of which I were unaware existed), highlighting, perhaps, the population most likely to attend the festivities.  But regardless of your spot on the political spectrum, there's joy to be found in sitting on a patch of grass and watching some puppetry in celebration of winter's end and summer's promised arrival. The theater's beautiful creations alone were reason enough to brave traffic for a view of the parade and/or a spot on the Powderhorn lawn. 

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