Spring Arts Celebration at MayFest 2022

As live music pumped through the amplifiers and pop-up, club-sponsored tables decked the grounds, Upper School students and families enjoyed the afternoon at MayFest 2022 on the Davis Street lawn across from the main campus.

The one-day outdoor event was preceded by the Write Now! Project, which also celebrated the arts and students’ creative talents, and the student-curated Visual Arts Open Studio Show.

MayFest 2022 was organized by faculty member Charlie Alexander and Upper School Dean of Students John Greenawalt with the help of seniors Alexander Lee and Chloe Curtiss, along with others. The festival kicked off in style with a group of student performers taking to the stage to sing and play instruments.

As students laid out blankets and sat on the lawn enjoying food and the sunny weather, the outdoor concert commenced with a variety of performances by students and faculty members. Senior Sophie Bannon performed an original poem, senior Gaby Rosen performed a few songs, senior Georgia Yu rocked out at the mic with her guitar, and faculty member Arnold Sabatelli jammed out on guitar.

Around the lawn were student-led, club-sponsored tables full of games, contests, and crafts for all to enjoy. From Boba tea drinks at the Chinese Culture Club table, to a DIY tie-dye shirt-making station at the Pride Alliance and AMA table, to a pie-eating contest and trivia game at the High Schoolers into Business table, students had the opportunity to join in an array of fun activities.

“MayFest is one of my favorite events at Hamden Hall as we get to come together as a community to have fun and celebrate,” commented Mr. Alexander. “I have always thought that the most powerful part of MayFest is that we get to see how much hidden musical talent there is on campus. And now, with a growing carnival portion, we get to see how active the club life of the school is. It's my favorite day of the year."

Other activities included a henna tattoo station, piñata games, limbo, three-legged race, and pavement chalk drawings. The Red Cross Club hosted a competitive game of spikeball as the Black Student Union co-hosted a volleyball game with the Volleyball Club. Other activities included handball and can jam.

“I have been looking forward to MayFest all month,” commented a 10th-grade student. “It felt good to be having fun with my friends, decorating T-shirts and having fun.”

Prior to Friday’s festivities, the creative voices of students were heard during the Write Now! project. Led by theatre teacher Lisa Daly, students performed their original and creative works in our Taylor Performing Arts Center. Writers and performers included seniors Sophie Bannon, Julia Davies, Mia Yu, and Gaby Rosen; juniors Ellie Ratta and Kaleb Cohen; sophomores Annabel Beatty, Christina Ma, and Casey Armstrong; and freshmen Theo Aslan and Alex Yi.

Additionally, the Visual Arts Open Studio Show curated by senior Carolyn Qin celebrated student art work from the Senior Portfolio and Independent art classes. Visitors were able to peruse the Moira Fitzsimmons Arons Art Gallery and view students’ work in drawing, painting, ceramics, multimedia formats, and more. The show titled “Look Out for Each Other” featured pieces from seniors Bella Bao, Kendra Hill, Ella Hopfner, Elena Li, Lucy Liu, and Carolyn Qin. Artists in the Independent Art Study include seniors Mia Brandfon, Madisyn D'Errico, Olivia McNamara, Defne Nugay, David Pace; and juniors Vanessa Gold, Frances Gustafson, Sabina Kovalik, Presley Owens, Kamini Purushothaman, Anna Soliwoda, Juliet Wang, and Harry Zheng.