Daughter of super god Zeus and the Harvest goddess Demeter, young Persephone went out for a stroll one day and, as the story goes, was suddenly abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. The earth beneath her feet literally opened up and swallowed her.

Zeus, it turns out, was a bit of a laissez-faire father. He didn’t even notice his daughter had disappeared. Mom took up the fight alone visiting a drought upon the world until her daughter was returned.

In the end a compromise was worked out. Persephone would spend half the year down below as Hades’ mistress and the other half on the earth’s surface. Guess which half looks a lot like winter to us?

The reason for this little primer in Greek mythology is because the second annual Persephone day is approaching. Spring, according to the legend, is when the young goddess returns to her mother and Demeter once again brings warm air and sunny skies to the region.

Persephone Day takes place Saturday, April 2 from 3:30 to 10 p.m. at the Shephard Fine ArtSpace in Oak Bluffs (formerly The Nye Gallery). The emphasis is on local artists as, among other things, it is a benefit for the African Artists’ Community Development Project which supports educational scholarships, income generation programs and the Mama Bakhita Center For Disabled Children in Livingstone, Zambia.

A puppet making workshop begins at 3:30 p.m. Later at 5 p.m. those puppets will debut in a parade and at 6 p.m. be included in a presentation of the Persephone myth by the Spindrift Marionettes. After the show there will be food, a silent art auction and African crafts for sale. At 8 p.m. local poets will take the stage along with Rick Bausman’s African Drumming Workshop and Motown dance music by the Penny Huff band.

For full details, call Marsha Winsryg at 508-693-4059.