While May 1 has a long history of festivities, it’s barely noted here nowadays

May Day is Saturday—but what is it? When did it start? And is it even relevant?

May Day is an ancient spring festival, a celebration of warmer weather, the approach of summer and the promises of new crops. Records have documented the festivities as early as the second century in Italy (Floralia festival).

May Day is a holiday in some countries. In the United States, European settlers celebrated the day as they immigrated here; now, festivities vary from region to region. Throughout history, maypoles were erected in villages as the center point of activities, such as dancing and the crowning of a Queen (and, at times, King) of May.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says May Day also has its roots in astronomy, with the day falling close to halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, and also agriculture, with the spring planting and sprouting occurring. Some cultures used the day for the blessing of cattle or other livestock.

U.S. labor groups embraced May Day for workers in 1886, recognizing the labor strife that was occurring. On May 1, 1886, 350,000 workers, including 32,000 in Cincinnati, staged a nationwide work stoppage. The workers were demanding an eight-hour workday.

May 1 also became International Workers’ Day, named by the socialist and communist parties in 1889 to recognize laborers. The History Channel says May Day is an official holiday in 66 countries, but not in the United States. President Cleveland in 1894 moved May Day to the first Monday in September and changed it to Labor Day, to sever ties with the international movement on fears that it would foment communism, the History Channel says.

May Day appears to be low-key in Cincinnati, as the tradition waned through the generations. The Barn/Woman’s Art Club Cultural Center, 6980 Cambridge Ave. in Mariemont, is offering a “Create a May Day Basket to Surprise a Friend” class from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday (April 29). May Day baskets for neighbors once were a tradition, probably remembered by many older citizens.

Since May Day falls on a Saturday this year, here are some ways to create your own May Day fun:

American Painting: The Eighties Revisited, Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, except Thursdays open 11 a.m. till 8 p.m.

Following up on American Painting: The Eighties from New York University’s Grey Art Gallery exhibition in 1979, American Painting: The Eighties Revisited features abstract paintings by artists such as Sam Gilliam, Nancy Graves and Elizabeth Murray, all of whom were new to the New York art scene back then. Through July 11.

Built to Last: The Taft Historic House at 200, Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown. Noon to 4 p.m. Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Celebrate the 200th anniversary and explore the history of downtown Cincinnati’s oldest surviving wooden residence still in its original location. The Baum-Longworth-Sinton-Taft house, a National Historic Landmark, became a public museum in 1932 and houses the art collection of its final residents, Charles Phelps Taft and Anna Sinton Taft.

National Train Day, Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad, 16 E. South St., Lebanon. Trains depart at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 1.

Join the LM&M Railroad in celebrating the importance of trains in America. Travel through Warren County countryside, and in Southwestern, Ohio. National Train Day is officially the Saturday closest to May 10, but with Mother’s Day the following weekend, you can celebrate a week early. LM&M also will have a Mother’s Day train special.

Run for the Roses on the Levee, Newport on the Levee (Bridgeview Box Park), One Levee Way, Newport, Ky. Call (859) 291-0550 for details.

Yep, the Kentucky Derby is on May Day this year, so grab a fancy hat, sidle up to the bar and have a mint julep. Post time for the 147th running is scheduled at 6:57 p.m.

Water Circus Gold, Cirque Italia, Florence Mall, 2028 Florence Mall, Florence, Ky. 7:30 p.m. April 28-30; 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. May 1 and May 2.

Head out for the final days of the breathtaking acrobatics of Cirque. The show occurs under a large tent, complete with many custom-designed elements including a stage that holds 35,000 gallons of water.

Zoo Babies, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Celebrate the newest arrivals at the Cincinnati Zoo starting on May Day and continuing until the end of the month. Just look for the 6-foot-tall stork statues throughout the zoo that lead visitors to all of the cutest little baby faces.