City of Daphne held its own May Day celebration on Saturday, May 2, as part of the historical May Day celebrations within Baldwin County.

Despite the weather forcing the event to move to the Daphne History Museum, locals and city officials enjoyed a day filled with family fun and nostalgia. The celebration included live music, food and history. The museum, which features an extensive display on the history of the celebration, was also open to the public during the day.

May Day started in Daphne in the early 1900s, initially as a fundraiser for the Daphne Normal School, but following the school’s closure, expanded to raise money for local efforts within the community under the May Day Association. The last official May Day of the era was in 1970, but the city has since revived May Day and has celebrated it for the past few years, with the new iteration serving as a historical nod to the original celebrations held years before.

“I remember May Day from my childhood,” said Rachel Burt, coordinator for the Daphne History Museum. "To me, it’s just a wonderful reflection to enjoy and to get together with the community.”

Along with Daphne, other cities within Baldwin County celebrated May Day, including Fairhope, which held their own celebration at the Anna T. Jeanes School property.