What were you doing in 1979? Watching the solar eclipse, disco dancing, or maybe using the first-ever DustBuster? In Montclair, some very special women were meeting for the first time. Their mission: to beautify the natural landscape of the town and celebrate the spirit of their community.
Betty Dallery and Jean Kidd were among a small group of residents with a simple, beautiful idea: plant bulbs in the fall and then, when the bulbs are blooming in the spring, distribute a calendar of special events around town. Donations from residents would cover the cost of the bulbs; advertising from local businesses would pay for the publication.
For nearly half a century, that idea took root and grew into something none of them could have imagined. It has been our joy to foster community spirit and beautify this township for over four decades. When we look back, we are overwhelmed by the scale of what we achieved together: hundreds of thousands of bulbs distributed, countless volunteer hours with hands in the earth, and a town that bloomed every spring because its people chose to make it so.
Garages transformed into tulip and daffodil depots every November. Schools, gardening groups, park conservancies, houses of worship, and business districts from Canterbury to Tuers, Kaveny Field to Edgemont - all part of a spectacular display that became part of what it means to live here.
As with any long-lived garden, we watched change in the seasons. We adapted to the digital age, moving the events calendar from print to the web, and watched as social media became the go-to place for local happenings. Even the flowers had to adapt, with daffodils often taking the place of tulips to keep up with the local deer population. Through every change, the spirit of May in Montclair held.
A Fond Farewell
After 46 years of thoughtful stewardship, the time has come for May in Montclair to lay down its garden trowels.
We want to extend our deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Whether you donated, planted, volunteered, attended a ceremony, shared the calendar with a neighbor, or simply stopped to enjoy the flowers on your morning walk - you are the reason this project existed. Your generous, long-standing support has been the water and sunlight that allowed May in Montclair to thrive for so long.
This was never just a bulb project. It was a gathering of people who believed that a town is more than its buildings and roads - that it is its spirit, its seasons, and the care its residents take with one another. We have been honored beyond words to tend that spirit alongside you.
We know that Montclair will always be a place of new growth in the spring. The bulbs already in the ground will bloom again. The community you helped build will carry forward.
Please join us for one last celebration. The final May 1st Opening Day Ceremony will take place at Watchung Plaza. Let's gather one more time to enjoy the flowers and the wonderful community we built together. The school children's musical performance will be there, as it has always been - a beautiful send-off for something truly worth celebrating.
With warm regards and gratitude, Cyndee Rowan and the May in Montclair Committee
