Mayday in Padstow

Unite and unite, oh let us all unite
For summer is a'coming today
And whither we are going, we all will unite
In the merry month of May.

Here we are heading into the square in Padstow for the famous Mayday celebration. Mayday was on May 2 this year because you can't have an ancient celebration like this on Sunday!!

Here's a closer view of the Maypole.

The entire town was bedecked with greenery and the participants with flowers. This is a celebration which involves many, many citizens of the town. There are parades all day with hundreds of accordians and drums.

Oh, where are the young men that now here should dance

For summer is a'coming today

Well some there are in England and some are in France

In the merry month of May

Oh, where are the maidens that now here should sing
For summer is a'coming today
They're all out in the meadows a flower gathering
In the merry month of May

The young men of Padstow they might if the would
For summer is a'coming today
They might have built a ship and gilded it with gold
In the merry month of May

The pares are led by a teaser: one for the Red 'Obby 'Oss and one for the Blue 'Obby 'Oss. Here is the Blue Teaser:

...and here is the Red 'Oss. The 'Osses dance through the streets all day to the Padstow Mayday song. Every now and then the 'Oss dies and the song changes:

Oh where is Saint George, oh where is he oh
He's down in his longboat upon the salt sea oh
Up flies the kite, down falls the lark-o
And  Ursula Birdwood, she had an old ewe
And she died in her park-o

Padstow ex-pats come home every year to be part of the event. This is Chris Brinn, who lives in Maine and has only ever missed two Maydays in Padstow!

If you don't have proper attire for the parades there are a number of fine shops in town.