Happy May 1: Beltane, May Day, and International Labor Day
Episode notes
Happy Friday! I know that we're a few days late, but here is the surprising history of May 1st and all of the holidays that fall on it today. This holiday weaves together ancient agricultural festivals, spring customs, and labor rights protests...there's a lot to unpack here.
Sources:
Bowman, Emma. “What is May Day? For the most part, the opposite of capitalism.” NPR, 1 May 2024, https://www.npr.org/2022/04/30/1095729592/what-is-may-day-history. Accessed 2 May 2025.
Elding, Ash. “Beltane: The Festival of Fire and Fertility.” The Pagan Grimoire, 8 April 2025, https://www.pagangrimoire.com/what-is-beltane-celebrate/. Accessed 2 May 2025.
History.com Editors. “May Day.” History, 1 May 2017, https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-may-day. Accessed 2 May 2025.