Photos by Dave Pavlina
DU’s longest-running tradition, May Days, was back and bigger than ever last week. Hosted by the University of Denver Programming Board (DUPB), the annual end-of-the-year event kicked off with thousands attending MusicFest at Levitt Pavilion and continued throughout the week on campus, with nightly activity themes ranging from barnyard to adventure zone to carnival. Scroll on to read all about it and check out our photo gallery!
The May-ne event
On Sunday, May 24, the DU 2026 Battle of the Bands winner, Exhaler, hit the stage first at Denver’s Levitt Pavilion for MusicFest. They turned up the volume with a saxophone-filled performance, followed by indie-rock band Fly By Midnight, who kept the energy going.
After the sun went down, electro-pop headliner Between Friends had the entire crowd dancing, singing, and swaying under a rainbow of multicolored lights. As the brother-and-sister duo closed out the night with their best-known hits—“Affection” and “JAM!”—the concert turned into a karaoke show of sorts, as the audience sung lyrics back to the band and capped off another memorable MusicFest.
The great Campus Green transformation
After a short break for Memorial Day, May Days was back in full swing on Tuesday, with Barnyard Bonanza taking over the Campus Green. Students had a chance to interact with baby goats and other adorable farm animals in a petting zoo and take part in line dancing, balloon-animal making, and an inflatable corn maze—a perfect event for a sunny spring day.
Students looking for a snack or sweet treat had the choice of a bountiful charcuterie board or free ice cream from Sweet Cow. DUPB was joined by the Feminist Student Alliance and the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists, who passed out free bookmarks and plant crafts—and who currently have an exhibit on display on the top floor of the Anderson Academic Commons focused on trees throughout the seasons.
Wednesday was just as jam-packed, as the Crimson Climb turned the Campus Green into an adrenaline zone. Adventurous students tackled an outdoor rock-climbing wall, a ropes course, and human hamster balls, while refueling with free empanadas.
Diving into the end of the quarter
Thursday was the annual Big Bash celebration, a collaboration with Housing and Residential Education that started last year. The carnival-style event was packed with students looking for fun and food, with free cotton candy, popcorn, and shaved ice for all.
The neon-themed event included an inflatable giant slide, dunk tank, face painting, caricature artists, and a henna station. A student favorite, Big Bash sprawled across the Dimond Green and onto Race Street, creating a fun-filled takeover.
Friday marked the end of May Days with a classic wind-down activity, as students floated around the Ritchie Center pool in inflatable tubes while watching “Teen Beach Movie” and treating themselves to favorite snacks and the ever-so-nostalgic Capri-Suns. The Dive-In Movie event was a perfect way to end the week on a relaxing note as students headed into the final days of the spring quarter.
May Days was designed for this very purpose, says Aubrie Anderson, a third-year student studying marketing and co-chair of the Traditions Committee on DUPB. “May Days is to help students on the quarter system feel a little more motivated as the warmer weather rolls around and semester schools are already wrapped up,” she says. “May Days is also special because it’s our longest-standing tradition, so everybody gets super excited for it. Everybody is ready to come out and have fun before finals.”
