9 Special Ways the World Celebrates the Summer Solstice
/The Summer Solstice, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, celebrates the longest day of the year and marks the beginning of the summer. Most of this years celebrations around the world are still cancelled (or modified) but you can still celebrate Summer Solstice festival traditions with crafts and activities.
Iceland: Watch the Sunrise and Sunset
Besides Iceland’s Secret Solstice Music Festival (secretsolstice.is) and the famous Midnight Sun half-marathon it is the ritual of standing over the ocean in Iceland during the Summer Solstice to watch the sun set and rise within minutes that visitors from around the world flock to experience.
England: Create a Nature Smudge Stick
This craft is inspired by the Pagan’s who cast love spells at Stonehenge on this night. Gather scented flowers, herbs and greens on a nature walk, slip the names of those you love on a piece of paper inside and wrap it together with long grass or twine.
India: Yoga Outside
Thousands of yogis gather in India on the Summer Solstice to salute the sun. The day also represents a spirit of peace, goodwill, strength, happiness, love, forgiveness towards others and yourself. Get outside and energized about moving your body where ever you are.
Sweden: Make a Flower Crown
Sweden’s Midsummer celebration is the biggest holiday after Christmas in the country. The weekend is celebrated by making flower crowns, dancing around a maypole and singing songs to usher in the Summer Solstice. Begin by taking your floral wire (or what ever material you have to create a base) and shaping it around your head to fit and weave your flowers into it.
Astronomy enthusiasts head to Croatia to enjoy a unique night of stargazing experiences with a balance of science and spirituality highlighted by music, dances and performances.
Latvia:
Pack a Picnic and Have a Scavenger Hunt
Jāņi is celebrated in nature, making garlands of oak leaves or wild flowers, going to the sauna and devouring copious amounts of food as celebrations last all day and night! Pack a picnic with your family. Sit quietly and listen for wildlife. Create a nature scavenger hunt for the fern flower. It is said that this night is the only time of the year when one can see the elusive fern flower.
Spain:
Throw a Solstice Party
Both the Night of San Juan in Andalucia and Festival of St. Joan in Barcelona falls on the Summer Solstice and celebrates a life, filled with love and laughter in the company of friends and loved ones. This year, host a party on or off line.
USA: Yoga, Baseball and Time to Get Silly
There are many celebrations which take place across the USA. Some of the most well-known include Times Square’s Yoga event and Midsummer in NYC, Anchorage Alaska (with its 22 hours straight light in summer) gears up to celebrate with a festival, marathon and baseball game known as the Midnight Sun Baseball Game or get zany at the Fremont Solstice Parade in Seattle & Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade (pictured above).
Just have fun what ever you decide to do to celebrate the longest day of the year! Start planning now and Happy Summer Solstice!
