The month of May is host to a full calendar of fun, family friendly events in the Capital City. While you’re Downtown, stop in to some of our amazing restaurants and independent shops & boutiques.
Mayfest kicks off with one of Montpelier’s most beloved festivals, All Species Day, presented by All Together Now! Not only does our community enjoy festivals, it always enjoys a good parade. On Sunday, May 1st, honor the awakening spring with song, dance, and puppet pageantry at the annual All Species Day event. Everyone is invited to come dressed as their favorite species and join in the festivities! This year, All Species Day is on Sunday, May 1st from 12-4pm.
The event begins at noon in Hubbard Park, where adults and children alike gather, dressed as animals, to celebrate our Earth’s diverse animal population. After a short and exciting skit where two animals are appointed the King and Queen of the celebration, everybody is invited to join a parade to the State House lawn. There will be music and merriment, drumming and puppets, as the Maypole dance begins. From 2:30-4pm the Birth Of Spring Pageant is performed and the celebration concludes.
This event always acts as a rite of passage into Spring. We hope the festivities will fend off the cold weather, and bring some sunshine our way!Montpelier has also always been a hub for activism. Earlier on Sunday, be sure to attend the Race against Racism at Montpelier High School. The Race Against Racism is a state-wide annual anti-racist event, organized by youth from several Vermont high schools. All are welcome to a public rally, curated with a spectacular list of notable speakers, performances, and live music beginning at 10:30. Many local social justice organizations will be promoting their work and engaging with the public. There will be activities for children too! At 11:30, an optional 5k run or walk will begin at the Montpelier High School on a scenic loop through the city of Montpelier. Runners and walkers include many high school sports teams from around Vermont, their classmates, and community members of all kinds.
According to Molly Hutton, one of the youth event organizers, ‘the goal is to uplift BIPOC voices and get the community involved. We hope for more outreach to different schools and activists’…’and to keep the event in the hands of the youth’. For more information about this event, please contact: [email protected]
Other upcoming Mayfest events include Green Up Day, Capital City Farmer’s Market, Julio’s Cinco De Mayo Celebration, and Onion River Outdoors Bike Swap. Learn more about Month-long Mayfest events in Montpelier: https://www.montpelieralive.org/Mayfest