Summer Solstice is June 20th. What's it about?

Question

I know it has to do with the longest day or shortest night..but isn't it some kind of wikka celebration or something like that?

Answer 1

It means long day hours and short night hours.

Answer 2

I have included links below that explain the solstices (first link) and give a history of religious celebrations connected to the event (second link).

Psi

Answer 3

The summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) is the day when the direct rays of the sun strike the earth at their most northern point - the Tropic of Cancer.  On this day, the northern hemisphere will have the longest day of the year.  Typically, this happens on June 21st, but on some years, it is on June 20th or 22nd.  This year, the solstice occurs on the east coast at just before 8pm on June 20th.

The Solstice has been a focus of celebration from the Druids to the ancient Chinese, to modern day Pagans and Wicca.  Solstice celebrations are typically celebrations that are intended to encourage the growth of the summer crops, promote passion and love, and provide fertility of both the soil and the people celebrating.  Stonehenge is one site where the Solstice is celebrated each year by groups that try to reproduce the feelings and experiences of the ancients.

There are Solstice celebrations all over the world on either the 20th or the 21st.  In New York City, there is a Yoga-thon occuring at Times Square, a wine celebration in San Francisco, and a celebration of dance in Idaho.  For the last 18 years, I have been celebrating the Solstice by taking the day off of work (who wants to work on the longest day of the year) and inviting all of my friends over to enjoy as much of day as possible.  We are celebrating on Saturday this year, in Durham, NC.  If you're in the area, drop me a note.  It's sure to be an event that you wouldn't want to miss!

Answer 4

Wicca, not wikka, lol! Pagenin general. Yes, the Summer Solstice is a "holiday" so to speak.  It is also called mid-summer's night, and that is when the fey are suppose to be active too.

Answer 5

The Summer Solstice is when the sun's observed position (from those on Earth) reaches its highest point (the Tropic of Cancer) in the Norther Hemisphere.  That's why it's the longest day of the year and that's why it's winter right now in the Southern Hemisphere.  After today, because of the tilt of the Earth's axis and its rotation around the sun, the sun's position in the sky will appear to be lower and lower.

Answer 6

I think fey are fairies. If you want to be nerdy, summer solstice is when the Earth is tilted so that the sun is on the tropic of cancer.

Answer 7

Yes it is a Pagen celebration but this is the day that the Western Hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun.  The phenomina is a natural phenomina which happens in different ways 4 times a year, summer solistice, winter solistice (tilted the furthest away from the Sun), Spring equinox (equal tilt between sun)   and Fall equinox (equal away from sun).  It belongs to all of us but some religions use it as a marker for religious celebration.   Happy summer solistice.

Answer 8

it was the day my Mum rested after having me. My birthday in June 19th @ 12:32PM.Thanks Mum for all the hard work!!

Answer 9

Yes, it's the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.  The Sun gets higher in the sky than any other day of the year due to the tilt of the Earth (and the southern hemisphere has the longest night of any day of the year).  It's an old pagan holiday, just like Dec 21, the shortest day of the year - when the days start to get longer again.