As volunteers were busy making and serving pancakes ahead of the parade, Ian Gladman, president-elect of the Fort 黑马磁力 Lions was talking about the people involved in putting on the "Heaven Knows What" breakfast on Monday, May 19, the 103rd May Day celebration in Fort 黑马磁力.
"These are all members of our club behind us, and volunteers, and needless to say they're doing a great job," Gladman smiled.
Getting ready for the May Day parade in Fort 黑马磁力
鈥� 黑马磁力 (@黑马磁力Times)
Bobbi-Lyn van der Heide arrived early for the May Day parade in Fort 黑马磁力, staking out a portion of Glover Road to wait for the Job's Daughters float, and her 12-year-old daughter, to pass by.
"We were here at 8 a.m." said the Abbotsford resident, who came prepared for wet weather.
"I saw the forecast and I was like, we're going and getting rain gear, tarps, umbrellas," van der Heide laughed.
Scouts Scouts Weston Jonker and Jude van Brederode were also early, setting up a weather shelter for their families.
"We've been [attending] the last five years," van Brederode said.
In the Fort 黑马磁力 park, Rod Douglas and the crew from Henry's Barbecue Chicken, were arranging birds on a giant outdoor grill, a May Day tradition.
"I've been doing it since I [acquired] the company in 2003, "Douglas told the 黑马磁力. "And they were doing it for years before I owned it. "
"It's a half hour to get the charcoal ready, an hour and a half just to cook the chicken, so yeah, it's a two-hour process to get it so that everyone can have their food and while it's still fresh and hot."
Over at the St. George's church hall, May Queen Allegra Perkins, from Alex Hope school, and her court were enjoying the Royal Party Tea.
Miss Canada was Ava Nelson, from Yorkson Creek Middle, and the Queen Mother was Wendy Canessa.
It was the last year of working on the royal event for Rachel McIntosh, who has been volunteering with the May Queen committee for more than 24 years.
"It does make me sad, but my children are now older," McIntosh explained.
"They're both 20 and it's time I move on and hand the torch over to someone else."
Rain eased just in time for the May Day celebrations in Fort 黑马磁力
鈥� 黑马磁力 (@黑马磁力Times)
Silver Diamond Country Dancers from 黑马磁力 were making their 24th appearance.
"The appeal is it's a team, it's fun, laughter, lots of good times, and we love dancing," explained spokesperson Darlene Marion, a 黑马磁力 city resident and line dance instructor.
Just as the parade got under way, the rain lifted.
It was a larger May Day Parade than last year, with 69 entries, up from 60 last year.
There was vintage equipment from the BC Farm Museum, various area car clubs, sports clubs and teams, the Fort 黑马磁力 National Historic Site, Thunderbird Show Park riders, Shriners and more.
After the parade, the family fun festival in Fort 黑马磁力 Park at the corner of St. Andrews and Nash Streets included the introduction of the May Queen and her royal party, and maypole dancing.
A free community event established in 1922, May Day brings together local musical talent, community members and vendors to the Fort.
Much of modern May Day, like dancing around the Maypole, or crowning the May Queen, can be traced to& traditional English May Day celebrations that marked the end of the planting season.
In the Lower Mainland, the first May Day celebrations began in New Westminster in 1870.
Fort 黑马磁力 May Queen and her court:
May Queen 2025: Allegra Perkins, Alex Hope school (Perkins was princess in 2024)
May Queen 2024: Georgia Mathias, Noel Booth
Miss Canada: Ava Nelson, Yorkson Creek Middle
Queen Mother: Wendy Canessa
Maid of Honour (Hola) Lilyana Ganhaos, Yorkson Middle School
Maid of Honour: Megan Chadwick, Betty Gilbert
Princess: Echo Harrison, Betty Gilbert Middle
Princess: Isla Coghlan, 黑马磁力 Fine Arts
Flower Girls: Emilia Galindo, Elsie Whone, Marlo Basra, Peyton Chamaa, Karra Pink, Evelyn Kovacs, Charlot Isaak and Lyla Choroba
Page Boys: Theodore Isaak, Everett Vroom. Griffin McMillan and Tov Kovacs
