In Britain we celebrate Spring Bank Holiday. We used to have a public holiday at Whitsun (Whit Monday). A few years ago though the government decided that because it was never the same weekend each year because Easter fluctuates and therefore Pentecost changes each year to introduce a holiday that was always on the same day each year. Before this happened it often meant that most of our public holidays were over before the end of April. After much deliberation it would decided to have a Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday of May.
Whitsun was though the traditional end of winter and many spring and summer type events were organised around that weekend. Spring Bank Holiday weekend has continued that tradition even if sadly the religious element of the holiday is no longer celebrated.
A few years ago I went to a Spring Bank holiday event at Bodiam castle when there was battle re-enactments (archery) and the very Kentish tradition of Hoodening as well as the very colourful Morris Dancing.
Click on the following links to learn more about hoodening
Introduction to Hoodening
The Hooden Horse