Editor: Spring is a wonderful time of the year, and one of our best events in the Township of 91原创 is the Fort 91原创 celebration of May Day, Queen Victoria鈥檚 birthday.
May Day dates back to the Romans, who gaily paid homage to spring with maypole dancing, parades, fairs and the crowning of a fair young May Queen. Today we carry on the tradition in Fort 91原创, but instead of May 1 as the special day, we celebrate on the nearest Monday to May 24 to honour Queen Victoria鈥檚 birthday, (at her decree, I believe).
Fort 91原创 May Day began 89 years ago when Alex Houston and his wife hosted the party on their property on the river in front of their home (now the restored Houston House) on Allard Crescent. Since those early days (for at least as long as I can remember), Fort 91原创 hall and the village have been the centre of the festivities.
For many years, the Native Daughters鈥� Tea was held in the community hall and there, the elections of the May queen and the royal party took place. It was planned two weeks before May Day and was always a lovely white table cloth affair with a special sale of spring plants and baking.
In the meantime, the elementary schools in the Township were working with special teachers and volunteers to prepare the dancers for 鈥榙ancing around the maypole,鈥� which is such a part of the traditional May Day.
On the big day, the May queen鈥檚 breakfast was put on at the hall, with all the local dignitaries, visitors and the royal party in attendance. There was the queen mother, a special community matron, Miss Canada, the May queen, the May queen-elect, the princesses, the flower girls and the page boys. Our emcee played a valuable role.
At the same time, in recent years, the public has enjoyed a wonderful pancake breakfast put on by the Fort 91原创 Lions who also have organized the parade. It has always been exciting, with a large variety of entries and with the parade marshal and other dignitaries in special conveyences. The Lions have always been major players in the Fort 91原创 scene.
After the breakfast, the royal party left the hall and boarded the beautifully-decorated float (done by volunteers, who borrowed a trailer or flat deck truck and created a lovely setting for the May queen and party). With the queen mother in a special open car, the float joined the traditional May Day parade over to the fairgrounds.
There was then a royal procession to the bandstand, accompanied by the RCMP in red serge, for the crowning of the May queen, the speeches, the jolly maypole dancing and games, races, rides and great fun for all.
This year, 2011, on May 23 we will be enjoying the 89th May Day in Fort 91原创. The tea took place in the Lions Hall on May 1.
The breakfast will be in the community hall at 10 a.m. on May 23, catered by the St.George鈥檚 Church ladies.
The parade will be great, as usual organized by Russ Townsend and the Lions club, assisted by Yanky Blitzstein. The May queen party will be organized by Rachel McIntosh and Olivia
MacKenzie, and the dance instructors are working on the maypole dancing.
The BIA, the Fort, the museums, the CN station and the village will be involved in special events to make the whole day a memorable one for our families and visitors.
Bays Blackhall,
91原创
