Summer Solstice is bursting forth in my garden. The St. John’s Wort flowers are bursting with their yellow heads of sunshine, the echinacea cone heads are reaching up tall and look like they’re stretching to reach the sun, and the linden still wafts of sweet perfume. Bees are buzzing everywhere now, but especially around the tall lavender wands. 

Midsummer 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere will be Friday June 20 at 10:42pm ET, a perfect opportunity to light a bonfire and reflect on the lessons the light teaches us about the darkness. It is the sun at its fullest moment, the official beginning of the astrological summer. 

Litha is a holy time, a fire festival that marks the tipping point of the wheel. Though the days are longest now, we stand on the threshold of waning light, and the year begins its subtle descent into darkness.

For many in Pagan traditions, Litha is a celebration of power, passion, and the radiant energy of the sun at its peak. It’s a time to honor the Sun God, to give thanks for growth and abundance, and to celebrate the vital spark of life that dwells within all things.

In some Pagan traditions, this is the moment of the great battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King, who has reigned since Winter Solstice, reaches the height of his power at Midsummer – only to be vanquished by the Holly King, who will now rule as the days begin to shorten. Their eternal dance of light and shadow, waxing and waning, reflects the sacred rhythm of the year.

Below are a couple of videos to explain the sciencey part of Summer Solstice. The one on the left is geared toward kiddos. The one on the right shows how the Solstice is celebrated around the world.