It was a busy day at the Benton Area School District as students, teachers, parents, and community members gathered for the district's 82nd May Day celebration.
"It is a huge deal. It is definitely the largest crowd we get for any school event that we have," Principal Jill Shupp said.
Each year's May Day has a different theme and this year's was Elvis. The King of Rock and Roll even made an appearance!
May Day is a collaboration between the district's elementary, middle, and high schools. The event started with the May Day king and queen being crowned. They were escorted by kindergarten students.
"And then the students at my elementary school, which is K-6, they are all going to do individual performances by grade level," Shupp said.
The students all performed different Elvis tunes.
Community members tell Newswatch 16 May Day is a longtime tradition.
"People just come from all over to see this. It really is popular," Lorey Samsel said.
Lorey Samsel has been coming for more than 30 years.
"Between my own kids coming and my grandkids are in it now, so it's been years and years and years that I've been coming here," Samsel said.
People tell us that May Day has also gotten much bigger over the years.
"There was only just a couple of rows of chairs and now it's like to see everybody up front you have to push your way through," Diane Posey said.
As part of the festivities, a time capsule from 1998 was opened and put on display. It featured items such as a cassette tape, a floppy disc, and newspaper articles.