Summer Solstice 2025
THE SUMMER SOLSTICE IS ON
JUNE 20, 2025. IT BEGINS AT 10:42 PM
What is the Summer Solstice?
Why do we celebrate the annual event at Stonehenge?
By Susan Greaney
Stonehenge is famous for its alignment on sunrise on the longest day of the year and each year thousands of people come to the site at midsummer. But what is the solstice and what did it mean for prehistoric people?
In this article English Heritage’s Senior Properties Historian Susan Greaney explains why we’re so fascinated with the summer solstice at this ancient Neolithic site each year.[1]
The summer solstice
During the summer solstice, the earth’s axis is tilted at its closest point from the sun. This means that in the northern hemisphere, the sun is at its highest point in the sky. It’s also the longest day of the year - and the shortest night.
It would have been relatively easy for prehistoric people to observe the rising and setting positions of the sun each day, and to mark these orientations from any given spot.
Solstice and Stonehenge
It is likely that people gathered at Stonehenge at both midsummer and midwinter solstices to conduct rituals and ceremonies relating to the changing seasons, the sun and the sky. It must have been important to align their monument with the movements of the sun but we may never know the exact reasons why.
The longest day of the year would have perhaps been a time of celebration, with warm nights and long daylight, making it the perfect time to gather together.
Though we don’t know what these occasions included – singing, dancing, processions, speeches, sporting events – they would have been memorable and exciting, just as summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge still are today.
Image: Summer sunrise © Josh Dury Photo-Media
ALIGNMENTS IN THE WIDER LANDSCAPE
Stonehenge is not the only Neolithic monument in this landscape with astronomical alignments. The concentric timber ovals at Woodhenge in Amesbury were also orientated on the midsummer sunrise.
Woodhenge is a Neolithic site close to Stonehenge. Probably built about 2500 B.C.E., it was formed of six concentric ovals of standing posts, surrounded by a bank and ditch. The site was discovered by aerial photography in 1925, when rings of dark spots were spotted in a crop of wheat. Today, concrete markers show the positions of the timber posts.
OTHER ANCIENT MIDSUMMER CELEBRATIONS
The summer solstice has been celebrated by many different cultures and societies across the world.
Elsewhere in the British Isles, Neolithic passage tombs such as Bryn Celli Ddu on Anglesey in north Wales and Townleyhall in Co. Louth, Ireland, are also aligned with the midsummer sunrise, when the sun shines down the passage into the inner chambers.
Image: Bryn Celli Ddu solstice alignment © Adam Stanford/Aerial-Cam
At Fajada Butte, a Native American site in New Mexico, USA, a shaft of sunlight through a gap between two slabs of rock bisects a spiral carving around noon on the summer solstice.
Fajada Butte at Chaco Culture U.S. National Historical Park
From the Smithsonian Magazine:
Nine Ways People Celebrate the Summer Solstice Around the World
by Kristen Pope - Freelance science writer
June 20, 2023
In some parts of the world, people blend pagan and Christian traditions to celebrate Midsummer in conjunction with Saint John the Baptist’s birthday on June 24, which can include bonfires, barefoot walks and more.
Others recognize the longest day of the year with such traditions as baseball games, polar plunges and visits to prehistoric monuments.
1. Dance around a maypole in Sweden.
Dancing the Sma Grodorna (“The Little Frogs”) dance around a maypole decorated with flowers and leaves, while wearing flower wreaths, is a traditional way to celebrate Midsommar, an official holiday in Sweden.
2. Watch a baseball game under the midnight sun in Fairbanks, Alaska.
The Fairbanks Midnight Sun Baseball Game is a 118-year-old tradition that began in 1906 as a bar bet. Teams play on June 21 each year, with the first pitch thrown around 10 p.m. No artificial lighting is used—that far north, the sunlight lingers past midnight on the solstice.
3. Gather around a bonfire in Barcelona.
In Barcelona on June 23, the Canigo Flame is carried to Sant Jaume Square in the center of the Old City, where representatives take some of the eternal flame, a symbol of Catalan unity, to light bonfires in their neighborhoods. June 24 is the birthday of Saint John the Baptist (Sant Joan in Catalan).
4. Plunge into the ocean in Puerto Rico.
Condado Beach, Puerto Rico Victor Cardoner/Getty Images
At the stroke of midnight on June 23, some people in Puerto Rico plunge backward into the ocean to stave off negativity and bring luck. This leap of faith is part of Noche de San Juan celebrations, which mark the eve of Saint John the Baptist’s Nativity.
5. Watch a towering bonfire in Norway.
Bonfires are a common way to celebrate Midsummer….
Generally, teens and young adults build a massive structure out of stacked wooden pallets a few miles from town. The conflagration can be seen from Ålesund, from the nearby Mount Aksla viewpoint and from the harbor.
6. Hike and play golf through the night in Iceland.
A group hikes Fimmvörðuháls in Iceland. Sigfus Sigmundsson/Getty Images
The overnight hike lasts from 9 to 11 hours, with an elevation gain of 3,280 feet and many things to see along the way, including the 2010 volcanic eruption site. At the end, participants enjoy a bonfire and music.
7. Enjoy Native games in Nome, Alaska.
Nome, Alaska and the Bering Sea
The multiday Nome Midnight Sun Festival includes Native dancing, potlucks, music, a parade with floats, a river rafting race, beach bonfires, and craft vendors.
Plunging into the Bering Sea for a “polar bear swim” is just one way that residents of Nome, Alaska, celebrate the summer solstice
8. Watch sunlight interact with ancient monuments in Malta.
On the summer solstice, at Ħaġar Qim, the 5,000 year-old Neolithic site in southern Malta, sunlight crosses through a hole in the monument wall to create a crescent of light, which gradually morphs into an elliptical shape, before disappearing out of sight in a vanishing act where it appears to be sinking into the ground.
9. Witness the sun align with Stonehenge.
People gather for sunrise at Stonehenge, on June 21, 2022 in Wiltshire, England. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
The sun rises behind the Heel Stone of Stonehenge on the summer solstice, creating an incredible alignment that people come from around the world to witness. The World Heritage Site on Salisbury Plain in southern England has been modified many times over the years, but its sarsen stones, installed around 2500 B.C.E., still align with the sun’s movements.
AND…
HOW DO ECOFEMINISTS CELEBRATE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE? SOME DO SO BY BEING CLOSE TO NATURE!
from Psychology Today [3]:
Susanna Newsonen
The Path to Passionate Happiness
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with Reconnection
Ten ways to reconnect with light, nature, and ourselves.
Posted June 8, 2025
Source: Photo by Miikka Luotio on Unsplash
Each year, around June 21st, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the Summer Solstice.
For centuries, cultures worldwide have marked this celestial event with rituals, reflection, and revelry. It’s more than just an astronomical occurrence; it’s a powerful symbol of light, growth, and renewal.
The word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium, meaning the “sun stands still.” Ancient people were deeply attuned to the rhythms of the Earth and sky, and the summer solstice often held deep spiritual and practical significance.
Though our lives have changed drastically since ancient times, the solstice continues to offer a unique opportunity to pause, connect, and celebrate.
Whether you live above the Arctic Circle or in a city apartment, the summer solstice is a chance to acknowledge the abundance around and within us.
Here are some simple and soulful ways to mark the day:
1. Rise with the sun.
Start your day early and soak in the light. Open the windows, stretch, and step outside - even if only for a few minutes. Sunshine is a natural mood booster, and even on a cloudy day, your body absorbs essential Vitamin D.
2. Move your body in nature.
Skip the gym and move your exercise outdoors. Take a long walk in a local park, go for a run by the river, or roll out your yoga mat under a tree. Let the sights, sounds, and smells of summer invigorate your senses and energize your spirit.
3. Connect with the earth.
Ground yourself - literally. Walk barefoot in the grass, dip your toes in a lake, or run your hands through soil. These simple actions can quiet a busy mind and rekindle a sense of belonging to the natural world.
4. Create with nature.
Pick wildflowers or treat yourself to some seasonal blooms. Craft a flower crown, a sun-shaped mandala, or a simple bouquet. It’s not about perfection - it’s about noticing and celebrating the beauty of the season.
5. Savor seasonal food.
Prepare a meal using fresh, local produce. Think berries, herbs, greens, and anything that grows under the summer sun. Let your plate reflect the colors of the season. Eating mindfully is a powerful way to honor nature’s generosity.
6. Dress with intention.
Mark the occasion by wearing something that makes you feel joyful and light. Maybe that means florals, white linen, or a touch of gold - whatever makes you feel like sunshine itself.
7. Toast to the sun.
Mix up a summer solstice-inspired drink - a cocktail or mocktail with fresh berries, mint, or edible flowers. Raise your glass to the sun, to yourself, and to the people around you.
8. Dine al fresco.
Eat outside if the weather allows - or simply open your windows wide. Let the breeze in. Light candles or hang string lights to carry the feeling of light into the evening.
9. Reflect and realign.
The solstice marks the midpoint of the year. Take time to pause and look back. What have been your personal highlights? What have you learned? What surprised you? Journaling or sharing with a loved one can bring clarity and gratitude.
10. Set intentions for the months ahead.
With daylight still abundant, think about what you want to carry forward into the second half of the year. More time in nature? More connection? More creativity? Let this be a quiet moment of recalibration.
And once again, as we did last year at this time, it seems appropriate to include the first part of the Canticle of St. Francis of Assisi, his toast to the Sun:
THE CANTICLE OF THE SUN
Praised be You my Lord with all your creatures;
especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day
through whom You gave us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor!
Of you Most High, he bears the likeness.
-St. Francis of Assisi (1225)
Resources:
(1) English Heritage: (www.english-heritage.org.uk): As a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it’s why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to play, learn and create.
(2) Smithsonian magazine places a Smithsonian lens on the world, looking at the topics and subject matters researched, studied and exhibited by the Smithsonian Institution—science, history, art, popular culture and innovation—and chronicling them every day for our diverse readership.
(3) Psychology Today has been known for its authoritative translational science writing, inviting individuals and luminaries in the field of psychology to write about their own work and that of others in a way that is accessible to lay readers. It is published today under PsychologyToday.com .
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—Re: PATRIARCHY: An Ethics of Domination vs. An Ethics of Care by Anne Andersson, June
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On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone of Stonehenge, creating an incredible alignment people come from around the world to witness. The World Heritage Site on Salisbury Plain in southern England has been modified many times over the years, but its sarsen stones, installed around 2500 B.C.E., still align with the sun’s movements.
Image: Summer sunrise © Josh Dury Photo-Media
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/things-to-do/solstice/what-is-the-summer-solstice/
SOLSTICE
Stonehenge was built to align with the sun on the solstices. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone in the north-east part of the horizon and its first rays shine into the heart of Stonehenge. On the winter solstice, the sun sets to the south-west of the stone circle.
What is the Summer Solstice?
Why do we celebrate the annual event at Stonehenge?
By Susan Greaney
Stonehenge is famous for its alignment on sunrise on the longest day of the year and each year thousands of people come to the site at midsummer. But what is the solstice and what did it mean for prehistoric people?
In this article English Heritage’s Senior Properties Historian Susan Greaney explains why we’re so fascinated with the summer solstice at this ancient Neolithic site each year.
Image © Historic England, James O Davies
The summer solstice
The word ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin words for sun (sol) and to stand (sistere). It's the time of year when the position of the rising or setting sun stands still in its movement along the horizon.
Summer solstice occurs on the longest day of the year, usually 21 June, although the sun’s position remains in pretty much the same place for a few days either side. For Neolithic people, sunlight would have been crucial - for warmth for them and their animals and for helping their crops to grow
During the summer solstice, the earth’s axis is tilted at its closest point from the sun. This means that in the northern hemisphere, the sun is at its highest point in the sky. It’s also the longest day of the year - and the shortest night.
It would have been relatively easy for prehistoric people to observe the rising and setting positions of the sun each day, and to mark these orientations from any given spot.
Image © Historic England,
James O Davies
Solstice and Stonehenge [1]
It is likely that people gathered at Stonehenge at both midsummer and midwinter solstices to conduct rituals and ceremonies relating to the changing seasons, the sun and the sky. It must have been important to align their monument with the movements of the sun but we may never know the exact reasons why.
The longest day of the year would have perhaps been a time of celebration, with warm nights and long daylight making it the perfect time to gather together.
The movements of the sun, the turning year and the changing seasons were clearly important to the people who built Stonehenge. These must have been special times when people gathered together from far-off communities to hold feasts, ceremonies and rituals.
We don’t know what these occasions included – singing, dancing, processions, speeches, sporting events – but they would have been memorable and exciting, just as summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge still are today.
Alignments in the wider landscape
Stonehenge is not the only Neolithic monument in this landscape with astronomical alignments. The concentric timber ovals at Woodhenge in Amesbury were also orientated on the midsummer sunrise.
Midsummer celebrations across the world
The summer solstice has been celebrated by many different cultures and societies across the world. Elsewhere in the British Isles, Neolithic passage tombs such as Bryn Celli Ddu on Anglesey in north Wales and Townleyhall in Co. Louth, Ireland, are also aligned with the midsummer sunrise, when the sun shines down the passage into the inner chambers. The tallest stone of the circle at Castlerigg might mark the north-west midsummer sunset.
Image: Bryn Celli Ddu solstice alignment © Adam Stanford/Aerial-Cam
At Fajada Butte, a Native American site in New Mexico, USA, a shaft of sunlight through a gap between two slabs of rock bisects a spiral carving around noon on the summer solstice. In 16th-century China, the emperor conducted ceremonies at midsummer solstice at the Temple of the Earth, presenting offerings to the sky and the gods. In northern Europe, midsummer was celebrated from pre-Christian times until the mid-19th century, with festivals during which bonfires were lit, later incorporated into the Feast of St John the Baptist.
Resources:
(1) English Heritage: As a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it’s why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to play, learn and create.
