Celebrating Summer Solstice

Today is the Summer Solstice, Happy Midsummer to you! ?It is the longest day of the year, marking the first official day of the summer. ?Historically many cultures around the world celebrated this day in one fashion or another, but most now think of it as a pagan holiday. ?Whatever you believe, it is a sign of the turning of the seasonal wheel.

This past Sunday I had the great fortune of attending the 2011 Greensboro Summer Solstice celebration held at the Greensboro, NC Arboretum and Lindley Park. ?I love festivals and celebrations, especially those that bring out the fun!

I’ll be honest, I was a bit surprised that there was a large enough pocket community of individuals eager to put together a Summer Solstice celebration, and exceedingly pleased to learn that so many in the community at large had been receptive enough as to make it a success worth repeating. ?I’m hoping that this year was just as big a success that there is another one next year, and perhaps even to make it an annual event.

There were two stages with scheduled musical and dance performances, a variety of roaming performers, and a bazaar full of local vendors with all manner of goods and goodies. ?My favorites were the Golden Girl and the fairy on stilts. ?There was even a green man wandering about, which my husband kept calling the swamp thing.

My kids absolutely loved all the music and colorful costumes, so many people came dressed up, and not just the performers. ?Fairy wings were just about everywhere on young and old, boys and girls, though mostly girls. ?I had even encouraged my daughter to bring hers. ?I was only sad that I had left mine at home. ?Sometimes it is good to get caught up in the fun, participate, not just watch. ?If we are lucky enough to have another Summer Solstice celebration next year, I am totally dressing up with my daughter. ?Maybe we can get my son in on the action. ?My husband will be the guy in shorts and a t-shirt pretending he doesn’t know us.