Big Beltane celebration

Next weekend there's a HUGE Mayday celebration in Minneapolis. It's annual, the first Sunday in May. There's a parade and a big celebration in a park with giant (30 ft) tall puppets in a play on the lawn. The script is pretty much the same each year; The evil things in society take over, the people call for the Sun to come across the lake and chase away the evil things and the winter. The Mother Goddess rises up to meet the Sun. Celebration abounds!

Usually, 50,000 people show up. There are booths from non-profits, food, Morris dance, martial arts, performances by bands (five stages!) and a lot more.

This year I can't go. I am already committed to help with a bulldog picnic. That's always fun, too. I'll get home in time to celebrate Beltane with local friends, though.

If you can go, it's at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. The parade starts about 1:00 and weaves into the park. Usually, my bulldog is in the parade in her tutu, but I guess that'll wait until next year.

plaidearthworm said:

Okay, I have to know. What is a bulldog picnic?

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A bulldog picnic is where people and their bulldogs get together to eat, play games and socialize.

Have you ever seen dog agility contests? We have bulldog agility, kind of a dog special olympics. We try to get the dogs to walk over a baby mattress, jump a 4 inch barrier, go through a little tunnel, etc. Bulldogs are eager to please, but a lot of this stuff frightens or confuses them. It's very funny.

We also have a 'dress your dog' contest. People run to a sopt, try to dress their bulldog in a pair of kid's shorts and tank top, plus two baby socks, then run over a finish line. These are done two at a time and the dog with the best time, minus one point for every piece of clothing the dog loses wins. It's also very funny.

It's partially a social gathering and partially a fund raiser for rescue orgnizations. These are held all over the country and in Canada (maybe elsewhere, too.)