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Volunteer
The MayDay Parade and Festival couldn't happen without community involvement and volunteer help. HOBT, a non-profit arts organization, produces this event, (which draws up to 50,000 people!) with a small core staff and about 160 volunteers. Help is needed during April and on the day of the event. For other volunteer opportunities throughout the year, visit the Jobs/Volunteer page.
Perks & Benefits
- credit towards a free ticket to an HOBT mainstage event
- a t-shirt with this year's MayDay theme design
- an inside view into the workings of a large festival
- valuable experience in helping run a nationally-known and highly-attended event
2004 MayDay Positions
Stage Coordinators
Number of positions: 6 positions
Purpose: To ensure a smooth running of stage entertainment and to troubleshoot as needed.
Ideal for: Individuals, who are reliable and responsible, quick thinkers, outgoing and friendly, with excellent communication skills. Technical knowledge helpful, but not required.
Involves: Coordinating a stage’s schedule and equipment needs with performers, managing the transitions between acts, setting up chairs, ensuring smooth operations of stages (transitions and start/end times).
Time/place: 6 hours, from April – May 2, including a shift on May 2, 2 – 7 p.m. at Powderhorn Park Stages.
Parade Marshals
Number of positions: 30 positions
Purpose: To work closely with the MayDay Parade section leaders to ensure the smooth running of the parade.
Ideal for: A group whose members are friendly, diplomatic, work well with the public and parade participants.
Involves: Marching with a parade section and clearing people from parade route.
Time/place: 4-hour shift, 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. on MayDay at Parade Line up (25th & Bloomington).
Music Equipment Guards
Number of positions: 2 positions
Purpose: To watch over the musical equipment that’s left on the stages.
Time/place: 11-2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 2th
Traffic Directors
Number of positions: 5 positions
Purpose: To limit the flow of automobile traffic into and out of Powderhorn Park before the parade arrives, and to ensure space is available for parade floats.
Ideal for: Friendly, out-going, individuals or groups with good communication skills.
Involves: Monitoring the park entrance, staying in contact with festival organizers, and marking space for floats.
Time/place: 4 hours on May 2, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Powderhorn Park, parking lot entrance off of 14th Ave.
Festival Clean Up Crew
Number of positions: 6 positions
Purpose: To keep the festival site environmentally as intact as possible.
Ideal for: Groups or individuals who have an eye for neatness, and are environmentally tuned in.
Involves: Walking around the park collecting trash, and changing plastic garbage bags when needed.
Time/place: 2-hour shifts on May 2, from 3 – 5 p.m. and
5 – 7 p.m. in Powderhorn Park.
Public Workshop Assistants
Number of positions: 25 positions
Purpose: To assist HOBT art staff in helping the public create masks and costumes for the parade and ceremony.
Ideal for: People who work well with the public and think quickly.
Involves: Working in four areas: clay, fabric, tools, and ceremony and parade section assistance.
Time/place: Between April 6 and May 2, public workshops are held Saturdays, beginning April 6 and every Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Commit to 4 shifts, Saturdays 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., or Tuesdays 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. or Thursdays 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Main Booth Coordinator Assistants
Number of positions: 2 positions
Purpose: To assist the volunteer coordinator or main booth coordinator with their jobs.
Ideal for: Individuals, who are reliable and responsible, quick thinkers, outgoing and friendly.
Involves: Assisting the coordinator with errands, jobs, and emergencies, checking in volunteers, selling MayDay merchandise and providing MayDay Festival information.
Time/place: 4-hour shifts, on May 2, in Powderhorn Park.
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Information Booth Staff
Number of positions: 24 positions per shift
Purpose: To assist public with festival information, and to assist in selling festival merchandise.
Ideal for: Individuals who are outgoing and friendly, quick thinkers, reliable and responsible.
Involves: Selling MayDay merchandise, learning about MayDay Festival information relevant to questions asked, assisting the public.
Time/place: 3-hour shifts on May 2, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., or 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., at Powderhorn Park.
Block Host
Number of positions: 16 positions
Purpose: To welcome parade-goers onto a block, hand out programs and create a fun, festive atmosphere before the parade.
Ideal for: Individuals and groups who have some kind of connection to a specific parade route block, enthusiastic and reliable, friendly and outgoing.
Involves: Distributing the MayDay programs to parade viewers, assisting in keeping people clear of the parade route, and picking up the area after the parade has passed.
Time/place: On May 2, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
MayDay Festival Set Up Crew
Number of positions: 12 positions per shift
Purpose: To transform Powderhorn Park into a festival atmosphere in which thousands of celebrants will be gathering to welcome the return of spring.
Ideal for: Groups or individuals with a positive attitude, work well with people, and some with the ability to lift
40 lbs. or to climb ladders.
Involves: Setting up Information Booths, hanging banners from trees, distributing tables and chairs, and distributing recycling and trash barrels.
Time/place: One 3-hour shift on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to noon or 3-hour shifts on Sunday, May 2 either 6:30 – 9:30 a.m. or 7 – 10 a.m. at Powderhorn Park.
MayDay Festival Strike Crew
Number of positions: 25 positions
Purpose: To take down the festival, transport materials to HOBT, and restore the park atmosphere.
Ideal for: A group or individuals who are energetic and good-humored, some with the ability to lift 40 lbs. or climb ladders, and work well in a team.
Involves: Tearing down information tents, taking banners down, loading tables and chairs into pickups, trash and recycling sweeps of the park, taking down signs.
Time/place: 3 hours, on Sunday, May 2, 7 – 10 p.m. at Powderhorn Park.
Sun Flotilla Guard
Number of positions: 2 positions
Purpose: To watch the Sun Flotilla canoes before the fleet crosses the Powderhorn Lake.
Time/place: shifts, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or 12:30 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 2 near the Powderhorn Park Building.
Puppet Transporters
Number of positions: 4 positions per shift
Purpose: To assist in transporting puppets between the theater and the start of the parade and from Powderhorn Park back to the theater at the end of the day.
Ideal for: People who like puppets and can do heavy and/or awkward lifting.
Involves: Loading puppets into trucks and ensuring that they arrive safely at the parade site. Access to a pick-up/van is helpful.
Time/place: 4-hour shift on May 2, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 6 – 10 p.m.
Ceremony Ushers
Number of positions: 40 positions
Purpose: To assist with post-parade crowd control: keeping open paths of pedestrian traffic, aisles and to keep performing ring clear during performance.
Ideal for: A group or individuals with excellent communication and public relations skills, who are responsible and reliable, with a friendly, easy-going manner yet able to be assertive.
Involves: Wearing fun costumes, assisting public with directions, keeping aisles and performing ring clear during performance, assist with “Pass the Hat“ immediately following ceremony performance.
Time/place: 3 hours, on Sunday, May 2, from 1 – 4 p.m. at Powderhorn Park ceremony ring. Orientation: Saturday, May 3, 11:30 – 12:30 at the ceremony ring.
Fund-Raising Brigade
Number of positions: 10 positions
Purpose: To help us raise much-needed funds for the theatre.
Ideal for: Folks who want to be in the parade and are good at collecting donations.
Involves: Marching at the end of the story-telling section with collection buckets.
Time/place: 3-hour shift, 12 – 3 p.m. on May 2 at parade line-up.
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