Sienna Vahra is set to take her place in New Westminster’s history books.
A century-and-a-half after Nellie McColl was crowned New Westminster’s first May Queen, the F.W. Howay Elementary School student was selected as New Westminster’s 150th May Queen. Daniel Di Geso will serve as the school’s Royal Consort.
“It started a long time ago, back in 1870 during a period that was actually not a bright time in our city’s history,” Mayor Jonathan Cote said of May Day. “It was a time that we had lost the capital. There were some financial troubles for the city. The population had actually started to decline. But it was during this period that the local community came together to actually organize New Westminster’s first May Day as a hope to encourage residents in the community. There were parades, games, sports, free lunches and the city’s first maypole. That was 150 years ago, and we continue to celebrate May Day today.”
A draw for schools’ positions in the Royal Suite was held in council chamber Monday night. The 2020 May Queen Suite includes: First Maid of Honour Mikeylah Melgarejo and Royal Consort Liam Blackburn (Connaught Heights); Second Maid of Honour Lainey Kim and Royal Consort Jeremiah Mirembe (Qayqayt); Medal Bearer Jayden Urmeneta and Royal Consort Aarav Sandhu (Queensborough Middle School); Register Bearer Isabel Lee and Royal Consort Gavin Schweitzer (Richard McBride); First Flower Girl Alyssa Post and Royal Consort Kye Creightney (Herbert Spencer); Second Flower Girl Elyse Meville and Royal Consort Leif Longva (Lord Tweedsmuir); and Third Flower Girl Melody Hur and Royal Consort Hasan Al-Obaidi (Lord Kelvin).
Karen Baker-MacGrotty, coordinator of the Royal Suite, said there was “quite a bit of competition” this year. At one school, 19 girls made speeches and sought support from fellow students to be their school’s representative in the Royal Suite.
“We’ve got a big celebration, and we are going to be doing more things than we did last year,” Karen Baker-MacGrotty said. “We invite everyone to join us for the 150th May Day, which will be held rain or shine in Queen’s Park Stadium on Wednesday, May 20. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m.”
May Day 2020 will feature the crowning of the May Queen, maypole and folk dances and more.
Although May Day has evolved to reflect the times, such as changing venues and adding new activities to the festivities, Baker-MacGrotty said the key elements are still in place, such as the May Queen crowning, an honour guard of boys, music and dancing.
“When you look back, the essence of the day – to mark the coming of spring – the core fundamental of the activities and the traditional components of the day remain relatively unchanged,” she said.
