Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets in cities around the world on Wednesday for May Day celebrations and demonstrations

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Considered by many a celebration of spring days to some, others look at May 1 as a day to protest everything from worker’s rights to oppressive policies to immigration reform.

Here’s a look at the history of May Day and why some people choose it as a day of protest.

What is May Day?

May Day was first celebrated thousands of years ago as a spring festival that included dancing – in some places using ribbons and circling a “Maypole” – singing and eating cake.

Floralia, or a festival for Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, was held in ancient Rome on April 27 and is believed to be the first May Day-type celebration on record.

The date is also linked to the Gaelic May Day festival of Beltane, which means “the return of the sun.”

Did you ever dance around the maypole?

The tradition of wrapping a maypole with ribbons is still celebrated in some places in the U.S.

According to Almanac.com, originally, the maypole was a living tree, and Celts danced around the tree praying for the fertility of their crops and all living things.

By the Middle Ages, all villages had maypoles, and towns would compete for the best decorated maypole.

Tradition said that if a young woman and man paired by sundown on May 1, their courtship would continue so that they could grow close and then marry six weeks later on June’s Midsummer’s Day.

If It’s about spring, then why are people marching in protest?

While May Day is marked as a spring celebration by many, it is also known as International Workers’ Day, and is seen as a day to celebrate and promote advances for the working class.

Many people have the day off from work in other countries, and take part in marches for workers’ rights and for other social issues on May Day.

Why was May 1 chosen to protest?

In 1891, the Second International, a worldwide socialist and communist organization, chose May 1 as a day to march for workers’ rights to commemorate a demonstration that had taken place in Chicago five years earlier.

What became known as the Haymarket Affair began as a protest for an eight-hour workday that turned violent when a bomb went off killing police officers who were monitoring the gathering.

After the bomb exploded, police began shooting into the crowd of protesters, killing four.

The Second International declared May Day a date of remembrance for the protesters who were killed, blaming the police for attacking what they said was a peaceful protest.

What are other countries doing for May Day?

Countries across the globe are marking May 1 with marches and protests.

According to The Associated Press, people in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia took to the streets to mark this year’s May Day with protests over the global pressure of rising prices and calls for greater labor rights.

The U.S. is seeing pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses.

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