Rites of May will be held with traditional evening games and food booths on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, May 17, 18, and 19 this year and also will feature an international festival on Saturday, May 19. T-shirts to mark the event will go on sale Wednesday, May 9, in Blaine Lobby and at the Woodlawn nursery.
Festivities will include food in the courtyard, music, and games from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. High School clubs will sponsor a variety of food booths and the Nursery School playground will have games for young children.
The University High School theatre program will present Kaufman and Hart's famous play You Can't Take it With You at 8 p.m. each evening in the Blaine courtyard theater.
Events on Saturday, May 19, will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a day of international activities and carnival games for Lower School children that celebrate Lab's international community. Saturday's festivities will take place on Kenwood Mall, between Blaine Hall, the Athletic Complex, and the newly landscaped Jackman Field.
"This year's Rites of May will feature some exciting new events in Kovler. Upper Kovler will showcase the school bands under the direction of music teacher Dom Piane," said Melinda J. Cross, an organizer of the event.
Opening ceremonies will include a flag parade by Lower School students. International game events include a Greek Mini-Marathon (fun run), American basketball contests run by the Afterschool Program's One-On-One Coaches, and wacky races for kid and parent teams.
During the Saturday events, the popular Scholastic Bookfair will be held in Lower Kovler, where there also will be international music and entertainment. Upper Sunny will serve as the stage for traditional international craft booths and will showcase performances by African drummers and the afterschool Indian dance program.
This year, an international food tent will be erected on Kenwood Mall featuring everybody's favorite grilled foods and an international dessert table with baked goods donated by parents and Lab Schools faculty and staff.