May 5 – May Revels at BlackRock

Maypole dancing and more! Photo by Fritz Meyer

Bring in the May at BlackRock SpringFest!

Washington Revels has teamed with BlackRock Center for the Arts to welcome the arrival of Spring with a free afternoon of traditional music, dance and more at the first annual outdoor BlackRock SpringFest. We’re very excited to bring our 35-year celebration of the “greening of the year” to northern Montgomery County! Enjoy a day of entertainment by Revels and BlackRock’s creative partners, plus food trucks and arts & crafts vendors.

We’ll kick off May Revels with a fun, colorful procession as our 100-person cast dances and sings through the BlackRock lawn with a bright array of banners, puppets and props, to the exuberant sounds of our “Noisy Band,” led by featured musician and composer Jennifer Cutting (in full butterfly regalia!). Throughout May Revels she’ll be joined by the equally winged singer Steve Winick, who will lead our Adult Chorus in several Spring songs, including Hal-An-Tow, Green Man, Springtime’s Message, and Sun Shanty.

Once we’ve reached the outdoor stage, our merry Revelers will sing, dance, and greet this year’s “Monarchs of the May” — and at their command, the festivities will really begin! Laugh along with a silly Spring play filled with slapstick humor and bad puns galore, enjoy traditional children’s games and dances from jolly old England, and try to keep up with all the words during the fast-paced, sing-along musical memory challenge Rattlin’ Bog! Kids can even join in on the colorful Maypole dance, and there will be plenty of opportunities for people of all ages to participate throughout the performance.

Before our band of revelers takes the stage, you’ll be treated to two hours of terrific performances by Kuchipudi Dance Academy, Story Tapestries, Culkin School of Dance, and the Maryland MacMillan United Pipe Bands. With great music, dance, theater, food, and drink, the inaugural BlackRock SpringFest is sure to put you in a festive May mood.

Join us as we welcome Spring in Germantown!

Read the 2019 News Release