- Around 20 to 25 June
- Longest day of the year
- Nordic and Baltic countries
Where it began
The festival is very old and is tied to the summer solstice, when the sun barely sets in the far north. Christian tradition later linked it to the feast of Saint John the Baptist on 24 June.
Old folk beliefs said Midsummer night held special magic. One custom tells that if a young person puts seven kinds of flowers under the pillow, they will dream of their future love.
How it grew over time
Ancient times
People in Europe marked the solstice with fires and gatherings.
Middle Ages
The church linked the day to Saint John, and bonfires became Saint John's fires.
16th and 17th centuries
The maypole tradition, from German lands, took hold in Sweden as the midsommarstång.
Today
Midsummer Eve is one of the most loved days of the year in Sweden and Finland.
How it is celebrated in different places
Sweden
Families dance around the pole singing songs like Sma grodorna and eat herring, new potatoes and strawberries.
Finland
Juhannus is spent at summer cottages by lakes, with saunas and big bonfires.
Latvia and Estonia
Jani and Jaanipaev bring oak wreaths, cheese, beer and fires that burn all night.
Midsummer moments
Midsummer today
People leave the cities for the countryside, pick wildflowers, weave them into crowns and dance around the decorated pole. In Finland and the Baltic countries bonfires burn by the water through the bright night.
Meals are long and shared outdoors, with songs and games for all ages.
