Maypole dancing

Posted on in Activities

Students skipping around the maypole in front of the NSW Schoolhouse Museum

If you drive past,  you may notice the maypole set up in front of the museum. This is a favourite activity of many of the children who visit. Maypole dancing originated as part of the May Day celebrations in the Northern Hemisphere and celebrated the first day of spring.

Children in NSW public schools performed maypole dancing from the 1870s to 1960s at sports carnivals, picnic days and special events such as Empire Day and the Annual Combined Public Schools’ Display at the Sydney Cricket Ground.