Saturday, May 22 | 11-3 PM

We Can’t Do It Without You!

Interested in meeting other parents and want to give back? Join the fun behind the fun and volunteer at Rites of May. Sign up to help!

VOLUNTEER NOW

50+ Years of fun + friendship

Join the Lab community on the Historic Campus for the 56th annual Rites of May celebration on Saturday, May 22, 2027 from 11-3 PM.

Rites of May is a time for Lab families to gather to play, meet new friends, and connect with old ones. Hosted on Lab School’s Historic Campus, there’s endless fun—bounce houses, face painting, performances, food, live music by DJ Hacker, treats, games, and more. Stop by the booths to learn more about different Lab Affinity groups, or engage with high schoolers as they share a passion with the younger kids.

Whether it’s your first year with Lab, or you’re a veteran - Rites of May is a can’t-miss event. We’re so excited you’re part of the Lab family and we look forward to celebrating our community with you next year!

100% Volunteer-Led

Rites of May is planned, supported, and staffed entirely by parent and student volunteers. The secret to a great event is you! There are many ways to volunteer this year, we hope you can help in some small way!

Sign Up to Volunteer

FAQs

  • Please reach out to ritesofmay@ucls.uchicago.edu.

  • Yes! Students interested in earning service hours can reach out to ritesofmay@ucls.uchicago.edu.

  • Rites of May will be held on the Historic Campus with the large bulk of activities hosted on Kenwood Mall. As we all know from drop off and pick up, it can get very congested and parking will fill up quickly. If you can, we encourage you to walk or bike. There are bike racks available AND the UCPD will be present and ready to register bikes too!

  • Rites of May will be canceled in the event of heavy rain. The Planning Committee is keeping a careful (and hopeful) eye on the weather and will send out a message by 8 AM Saturday morning if the event will be canceled for weather.

  • Admission is FREE this year. We recommend you bring your appetite and either cash, card, or tap-to-pay to take advantage of the delicious food offerings (menu above). Other items we recommend:

    -Sunscreen

    -Refillable water bottles - we will have a water truck to cut down on plastic waste this year

    -Picnic blanket - seating may be limited at tables, but there will be space outside to sit in the grass

    -Packable bag - we have more booths than ever this year and they will be giving away all sorts of crafts and goodies

  • We will have several members of our safety and security team at the event keeping an eye on things. Additionally, we will have volunteers roaming to help.

    If you are separated from your child, we will have a child reunification point at our Information Desk near the playground (see map below). In addition to child reunification, the Information Desk will also be our first aid station.

    Gates on the North and South ends of Kenwood Mall and the gate by Gordon Parks Arts Hall will be open and you do not need your badge to get in.

  • Rites of May is a ton of fun but it can be overwhelming for toddlers (and their parents). Outside, by Gordon Parks Arts Hall, we will have bubbles and chalk and encourage families to bring picnic blankets to relax and let little ones play on the grass. The hills make for excellent (and safe) rolling fun as an alternative to the rowdier bouncehouses. We will also be enforcing that some of the bouncehouses be for our smaller Labbies only.