| Whether you're into dancing round a bonfire with a | | | | Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. Highlights include a midsummer |
| drum or loitering round a bbq with a paper plate, the | | | | night's dream faery masquerade, a fantasy fairy |
| longest day is good news. Let's just hope the weather | | | | fashion show and a lesson at fairy school as well as |
| realises it's Summer in the Northern Hemisphere this | | | | elfin-inspired music. |
| weekend. | | | | The Cork Midsummer Festival of the Senses is on |
| The Summer Solstice occurs on 20 or 21 June every | | | | from 15 June to 5 July with a mix of comedy, music, |
| year and is also known as Midsummer, Litha or St | | | | circus, dance, theatre and visual arts. |
| John's Day. This year in England, the sun will rise at | | | | For beach babes and dudes, the Goldcoast Oceanfest |
| about 4.45am and set at 9.20pm on Saturday 21 June. | | | | is a surf and music festival based in Croyde, North |
| Plenty of time for honouring Mother Earth and the Sun | | | | Devon, running from 20 to 22 June. There will be live |
| King or perhaps, the chargrilled burger and the King of | | | | music and sponsored sporting events such as beach |
| Beers. | | | | volleyball, mountain-biking and surfing. |
| This event has been celebrated since ancient times by | | | | The Herstmonceux Castle Estate in East Sussex is |
| pagans and believers alike. These days, parties and | | | | the venue for Global Fusion, an annual celebration of |
| festivals are organised across Northern Europe, Ireland, | | | | world music with family entertainment including |
| Britain, Canada, the United States and some parts of | | | | storytelling, drumming and circus skills. This Summer's |
| Southern Europe. If the weather's good, millions more | | | | festival takes place between Friday 20 and Sunday |
| will be enjoying their back gardens or the beach | | | | 22 June. |
| throughout the long Summer's day. | | | | A week later, one of Britain's most famous Summer |
| Typical pagan activities at Midsummer include keeping | | | | festivals kicks off. Glastonbury takes place in |
| a sacred fire burning; staying up all night to welcome | | | | Somerset between 27 and 29 June, billed this year as |
| the rising sun at dawn; dancing ecstatically around a | | | | a 'Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts'. Music |
| bonfire; burning a Yule wreath; making a pledge to | | | | headliners are Kings of Leon, the Verve and Jay-Z. |
| Mother Earth; and exchanging magical gifts with | | | | Further afield, the Summer Solstice Festival in the City |
| friends. | | | | of Yellowknife, Canada will bring together different |
| Some non-pagans may find themselves doing similar | | | | cultures in a free music and dance event across the |
| things after one cheap beer too many. Though friends | | | | weekend. The family-friendly festival features |
| may not find it magical when you're circling the bbq like | | | | workshops, interactive educational activities and |
| a maniac and hurling condiments onto the grill. | | | | entertainment in order to promote cultural awareness |
| Every year pagan revellers flock to Stonehenge in | | | | and raise funds for non-profit groups in the area. |
| Wiltshire where English Heritage provides 'managed | | | | A novel midsummer concept is the Summer Sailstice, |
| open access' to the stones for the Summer Solstice. | | | | a global event where sailing enthusiasts from around |
| Visitors can be amongst the hallowed stones this year | | | | the world register to sail in their local area on the |
| from 8.30pm on Friday 20 June until 8.00am on | | | | Summer Solstice. Sailors, yacht racers and pleasure |
| Saturday 21 June. | | | | boaters across the globe are united in spirit on the |
| No camping, bonfires or amplified music is permitted at | | | | longest sailing day of the year. |
| Stonehenge but there are samba bands and | | | | So whatever your style, the longest day is a sign that |
| drummers providing atmospheric background sounds. | | | | the summer has arrived, and that's something to |
| The 3 Wishes Faery Fest is a family-friendly festival | | | | celebrate. |
| running from 20 to 22 June at Colliford Lake Park in | | | | |