SIX MIDSUMMER FESTIVALS

Summer solstice celebrations crop up all over the world, each with their unique ways of marking midsummer

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is our very own giant Neolithic sundial, sitting on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. Come the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the

Heel Stone and its first rays pierce into the heart of the famous stone circle. Astronomers think the stones, placed here around 2,500 BCE, may also embody an astronomical calendar and calculator, predicting events such as eclipses. Thousands make the pilgrimage to watch the sunrise on the longest day of the year. At all other times the stones are fenced off, however, open access on the solstice allows for close-up communing. Druids conduct a formal ceremony in full regalia; many channel their inner wild Celt, drumming up a storm. Some simply enjoy a picnic.

Midsommar, Sweden

Summer solstice is a huge deal. The festival is so important there have been moves to make it the National Day of Sweden (instead of June 6th). Originally a celebration of the start of summer, homes were decorated with foliage, maypoles were danced around and bonfires burned bright. It’s considered a magical time, when the mundane and the supernatural elide. One tradition promises that if you put seven different flowers under your pillow on Midsummer’s Eve, you’ll dream of your future partner. (You can read more about Swedish Midsummer traditions from page six).

The Bonfires of San Juan, Spain

Saint John’s Day is the feast day of John the Baptist, established in the 4th century CE. In many Catholic countries the saint’s day was often often superimposed on the previous pagan celebrations of the summer solstice.

The bonfires are key: fire is a common thread through solstice festivals – symbolising the power and majesty of the sun. In Spain, the bonfires were also believed to protect the community from evil spirits.

Nowadays the festival is used as an opportunity to eat, drink and kick up your heels. Fireworks and jumping over the bonfire can also be added to the mix. Festivities can be as simple as a beach bonfire or as lavish as the celebration where thousands throng the streets of Alicante to watch enormous papier-mâché figures being paraded through the streets before being burnt at midnight on 24 June.

Summer solstice at Chichén Itzá, Mexico

Chichén Itzá on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, is considered one of the world’s great ancient observatories. It’s always popular but tens of thousands of people flock there at the equinoxes and solstices.

The equinoxes see Kukulkán, the feathered Mayan serpent god (known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztecs) descend the

365 steps of the main pyramid El Castillo. The mesmerising apparition is caused by a precise alignment of light and shadow – the northern and western pyramid faces remain cloaked in shadow while the southern and eastern sides light up.

Astrofest, Croatia

The scientific and the spiritual hold hands at this lovely little festival near the observatory at Višnjan, in Croatia. A solemn farewell is given to the sun, followed by a night of stargazing, bonfires, storytelling, live music and wine tasting.

Everyone stays awake throughout the shortest night, awaiting the re-emergence of the sun.

It harks back to ancient Pagan celebrations honouring the link between the sun and life on Earth.

It’s also supposedly a time to watch out for fairies, elves and other supernatural beings. Those more scientifically inclined can listen to lectures on astronomy or peer through the observatory’s telescopes.

Juhannus, Finland

Families head to their lakeside cabins (it’s a Finnish thing) for the solstice, which usually coincides with the start of the summer holidays. It’s a joyful celebration of the sun, with kokko (bonfires) once again a vital part of the proceedings. This was traditionally a time to cast spells to find a lover – historically, young maidens would peer over the rim of a well to catch the reflection of their future beloved.

Because it’s Finland, a sauna is inevitably included. Everyone goes into the woods to gather their own vihta – a sauna whisk made of young birch branches. Gently whipping the skin with the vihta cleanses the skin and boosts the circulation. It’s followed by jumping into the lake and a spot of impromptu star watching.