One of the treasured traditions in Annapolis each year is the celebration of May Day. For 65 years, the Garden Club of Old Annapolis Towne has sponsored a May Basket competition in downtown Annapolis and Murray Hill and has awarded blue ribbons to the best baskets. This year, though ribbons could not be awarded, the Garden Club and Visit Annapolis teamed up to encourage residents and businesses to participate in a virtual #AnnapolisMayDay that would be shared worldwide - an #AnnapolisMayDayAtHome.
So what about the history? In centuries past, the hanging of May Day baskets on May 1st was a traditional rite of spring in communities across the United States. Baskets were secretly hung on door knobs of neighbors, friends, elder folks, and sweethearts as a gesture of kindness and affection. But where did the delightful custom come from? Some say from the ancient Roman spring festival known as Floralia, devoted to Flora the goddess of flowers.
Though May Basket Day celebrations have mostly disappeared in the rest of the world, this sweet Annapolis tradition could not even be stopped by COVID-19 and continues here to the delight of all as a special welcome to spring and the hope it brings!
HA's basket at the William Paca House & Garden is honoring our frontline workers at all healthcare facilities - and we were pleased to deliver the over 150 homemade masks pictured to Anne Arundel Medical Center this morning! The Paca Girlfriends have launched a Stitch to Save team to make masks for Anne Arundel Medical Center healthcare workers. Volunteers are sewing masks, purchasing supplies, cutting out patterns, and donating funds to defray the cost of supplies, all to help protect our vulnerable health care workers, patients, friends and neighbors. Interested in getting involved? Make a donation here (select Stitch to Save from the designation dropdown) or contact Janet Hall at janet.hall@annapolis.org to volunteer your talents.
Beautiful baskets adorn several other HA properties - Hogshead at 43 Pinkney Street, Shiplap House at 18 Pinkney Street, and the HA Museum Store at 77 Main Street. Many thanks go out to our volunteer basket-makers: Wendy Mahan, Marie Lee, Sue Riley, and Janet Hall - your talents have made us all smile today!
Hogshead Volunteer Diane Rey has also gotten into the May Day spirit with her display on Fleet Street, paying homage to Mrs. Anne Catharine Green (Diane portrays Mrs. Green at Hogshead and other events).
Even Mrs. Green is wearing her mask...and she's
ready to put out the latest news in the Maryland Gazette!
Happy May Day to all!
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