What began in 1974 as a grassroots celebration of spring renewal, social justice, and collective creativity continues in 2025 with a new kind of power — the power of decentralized community leadership. Mayday, once fully produced by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT), is now stewarded by many hands, with neighbors, artists, and volunteers coming together to breathe life into the beloved parade, the Tree of Life Ceremony, and the communal joy that unfolds each May.
While it may look and feel a bit different than in past decades, Mayday 2025 is still very much alive — pulsing with puppets, protest art, song, and deep-rooted intention.
The Parade Returns — Powered by the People
This year’s Mayday Parade kicks off on Sunday, May 4 at 12:00 p.m., beginning at Bloomington Avenue and 28th Street. The procession winds south to 34th Street, turns east, and enters Powderhorn Park between 34th and 35th Streets along 15th Avenue. The route will be bursting with:
- Giant puppets and stilters
- Community-built floats
- Activist street bands
- Art cars and dancers
- Protest art and vibrant costumes
- A chorus of joy, resistance, and renewal
The Mayday Parade is entirely community-driven this year. Instead of one central organization, multiple neighborhood groups and individuals have hosted puppet-making workshops, costume sessions, and planning circles to create the parade’s magic together.
Want a good spot? Head north of Lake Street for more breathing room, especially if you arrive right before the parade starts. Crowds grow denser near 32nd Street and closer to the park, so get there early if you love the buzz.
The Tree of Life Ceremony: A Collective Call to Spring
Following the parade, the Tree of Life Ceremony takes place on the west hillside of Powderhorn Lake. This annual ritual marks a return to spring and honors the resilience, grief, and joy held by the community. Enacted by hundreds of volunteer performers, puppet builders, and organizers, the ceremony weaves together storytelling, dance, and symbolic imagery rooted in themes of the present moment.
As longtime Mayday visionary Sandy Spieler notes, “We wrestle with big issues and big ideas through community dialogue, art-making and play. The May Day Ceremony invites many people to work together, crafting relationships that weave our community together in surreptitious ways.”
To watch or participate in the ceremony, bring:
- A blanket or chair for hillside seating
- Water and picnic food (no food vendors this year)
- Layers for weather shifts
- A trash bag to help keep the park clean
- Openness to share space with neighbors
Volunteers are still needed as Hillside Hosts and ceremonial supporters. Sign up via the Mayday website if you’d like to help.
Mayday 2025: Frequently Asked Questions
How is Mayday being funded this year?
Thanks to a one-time grant from Lake Street Lift, the Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts — a trusted arts nonprofit based in the Phillips Neighborhood — is funding essential infrastructure for Mayday 2025. This includes permits, porta-potties, traffic control, Sequeerity (community safety), and this very website.
Semilla is also leading the artistic direction for the Tree of Life Ceremony, helping to coordinate an intergenerational cohort of artists and collaborators to steward the heart of the day.
Is this funding permanent?
No. The Lake Street Lift grant is a one-time grant for 2025. To keep Mayday sustainable in the future, the community is being asked to contribute to the Mayday Sustainability Fund, currently managed by Semilla until a long-term stewardship solution is found. Donations of any size are welcome and essential.
Will there be food trucks or big stages?
No. In keeping with this year’s grassroots approach, there will not be organized food vendors or large sound systems. Bring your own picnic, support nearby Lake Street restaurants, and enjoy the simplicity of gathering together under the spring sky.
Is the event accessible?
Yes. ADA porta potties and water stations will be available. The Powderhorn Park parking lot will be reserved strictly for disability access, and a full site map will be provided online closer to the date.
How can I get there?
Please bike, walk, bus, or carpool. Parking is limited to surrounding residential streets and can fill up quickly. Getting to the parade route sustainably keeps the neighborhood accessible and honors Mayday’s environmental roots.
A Tradition Reimagined
Mayday 2025 is more than a parade — it’s a reflection of the values Minneapolis holds dear: community care, creative freedom, and cultural continuity. It’s also a live experiment in decentralization — what happens when a tradition is not led by one, but held by many?
Whether you’re watching from the hillside, helping a child wave bubbles in the street, or dancing beside a towering puppet of the sun, you are Mayday.
Let’s keep it growing.
Let’s keep it ours.
Let’s keep it alive.
I’m so happy to know May Day is back! It’s such a huge part of our South Minneapolis culture!