Ickwell May Day is a celebration of spring held at Ickwell

Ickwell

Ickwell is a hamlet in Bedfordshire, England.With the settlements of Upper and Lower Caldecote, Thorncote, Hatch, Brook End, Cow Pastures, Vinegar Hill and Budna, the hamlet of Ickwell makes up the civil parish of Northill.-History:...

 in the parish

Civil parish

In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

 of Northill. The earliest documented Ickwell May Day festivities were in 1565. By then it had become a Christian festival, though its origins likely pre-date Christianity to the pagan

Celtic polytheism

Celtic polytheism, commonly known as Celtic paganism, refers to the religious beliefs and practices adhered to by the Iron Age peoples of Western Europe now known as the Celts, roughly between 500 BCE and 500 CE, spanning the La Tène period and the Roman era, and in the case of the Insular Celts...

 Beltane

Beltane

Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish  Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...

 festivals. In 1872 the squire of the town erected a permanent Maypole

Maypole

A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, particularly on May Day, or Pentecost although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer...

 and left a bequest in his will to fund the annual celebration.

Like many English festivals, the Ickwell May Day is usually accompanied by Morris dancing

Morris dance

Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers...

 -- in this case, the Ickwell Mayers, with their Lord and Lady, and the dirty-faced Moggies. Many other customs associated with the day have been recorded over the years. One, unique to Ickwell, is that of the Old Scholars, a group of alumni of the village school. The Old Scholars dance around the maypole, some with two or even three generations of their offspring.

In 1945, the Ickwell and District May Day Committee was formed. The Committee organizes the games, refreshments, contests, dances, music and other activities, including the crowning of the May Queen

May Queen

The May Queen or Queen of May is a term which has two distinct but related meanings, as a mythical figure and as a holiday personification.-Festivals:...

. Due to its documented age and long history, the Ickwell May Day has become something of an attraction, and is listed on the East of England Tourist Board's publicity sheet for "May Day Bank Holiday in the East of England."