It's interesting to hear that the end of May is the Morris dancing period for some locations. Here in Shepherdstown, WV, it is definitiely the 1st of May that is celebrated.

There is a parade of the visiting Morris teams and the procession is lead by the Town's Mayor holding a giant flowered staff with the God and Goddesses of Fertility (who by tradition in the Town, are the oldest residents to never have had offspring - the Town is noted for such quirks). The rest of the parade is made up of college girls dressed up as the Muses, the Green Man and the Unicorn, the Maypole Bearers and several bands. Once the Maypole is set and danced, the Green Man examines the weave of the Pole and pronounces whether the coming year will be good or not, depending on the quality of the weave.

Then the day is set for Morris dancing almost all day, with Stands being held all over the Town and the major roads to the Town being blocked off, by the State Police. There are even several teams of young girls (called naturally, the Morris Mini's) who dance with flowered garlands.

It is truely interesting to see how the various traditions of May and Morris dancing are set out.