Happy May 1st!

Mayovka - in Russia until 1917, an illegal meeting of revolutionary-minded workers, organized outside the city on May 1, who on this day celebrated "their awakening to light and knowledge, their unification into one fraternal union to fight against all oppression, <...> for socialist structure of society." (from the proclamation "First of May" written by V.I. Lenin in 1905 in Geneva and published as a separate leaflet)

Initially, May Days were associated with the welcoming of spring - holiday festivities, family and friendly outings, picnics, calendar timed to coincide with the first days of May.

In 1917, in a number of Russian cities, May Day celebrations took place with the participation of the clergy.

In the RSFSR, the holiday was originally called "International Day". In the USSR - "International Workers' Day".

Since 1918, workers' demonstrations and military parades have been held on May 1. There were no parades in 1942-1944. The last May Day parade took place in 1968.

In 1992, Russia officially renamed it the "Spring and Labor Holiday" and is celebrated as a state holiday. It is usually used to carry out political actions under their own slogans by trade unions, parties and movements of various directions.

May 1 is celebrated annually as "International Workers' Day" by communists, anarchists and other organizations in different countries.