Santa Clara Maypole Tradition

The Santa Clara Historical Museum is committed to keeping old world traditions alive. Each year volunteers from the museum teach local school children the maypole braiding dance. This tradition was done in the old world in the early spring to welcome warm weather and the growing season. Community members had to cooperate and work together to braid the maypole ribbons. This symbolized and mimicked the real life dependence old world villagers had on each other to survive.