The 2023 Election of the Queen of May and Her Maids of Honor Takes Place on May 1st in the Gardens of Cimiez, as Part of the May Festival. Registrations are Still Open.
Aged between 16 and 29 years and eager to represent Niçois culture and heritage? It’s not too late to try your luck! To apply, simply send a presentation accompanied by a photo by mail or email to the association Regina dei Mai. The addresses are as follows: reinedesmai@gmail.com or Regina dei Mai, 25 rue Auguste Gal 06300 Nice.
On the big day, the selected young women must perform a presentation of their choice. It is an opportunity for the candidates to showcase a talent in the service of Niçois culture (music, singing, dance, cooking, theater, games…). The team at the Regina dei Mai association offers its help to prepare the girls by providing access to their database of musical, literary, and artistic resources.
At the end of the ceremony, a jury composed of local personalities and specialists will elect the next ambassador and her two Maids of Honor.
## Ambassador of Niçois Culture
This longstanding tradition is emblematic of the May celebrations, which mark the beginning of spring and the renewal that this season represents. The 2023 program can be found [here](https://fetedesmai.nice.fr/). It is a key cultural event for defenders of the Niçois culture, identity, and dialect. Commitment, passion, and love for traditions are essential, as the successor to Marion Desroches will need to highlight the heritage of Niçois traditions in public.
Overall, the future Queen of May will have the mission of representing the city of Nice and various local associations at different cultural and heritage events, such as the carnival or various feasts and festivals. All with the common goal of perpetuating and transmitting the traditions. This is why Regina dei Mai has recently organized itself as an association. In this way, it aims to implement and sustain projects.
## A Bit of History
Spring has always rhymed with festivities, and May Day is an old European tradition. In Nice, festivities took place around blossoming trees in the city neighborhoods and the hinterland. This tradition faded towards the end of the 19th century before being revived in 1907, thanks to Menica Rondelli, the author of “Nissa la Bella,” and Léon Barbe, a journalist at *l’Éclaireur* of Nice.
Throughout May, girls in each neighborhood were crowned before the Queen of Queens of May was chosen at the end of the month to conclude the celebrations. After the 1960s, the event moved to [the arenas of Cimiez](https://www.nicepremium.fr/actualite/un-projet-de-renaissance-pour-le-site-des-arenes-de-cimiez/) and lost its royal aspect. The concept was revived in a near-current form in 2014, notably thanks to the Nissart Per Tougiou association. Since then, the crown has passed from head to head every year, despite a pause during the health crisis.
