Overview

• It occurs on Friday, June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EDT, marking the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and astronomical winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Celebrations at Stonehenge run from the evening of June 20 through dawn on June 21, with English Heritage hosting a livestream of the solstice sunrise.
• Daylight lasts about 15 hours at mid-northern latitudes, extends to 24 hours north of the Arctic Circle, and contracts to under 12 hours south of the equator.
• The Met Office forecasts UK heatwave conditions exceeding 30 °C over the solstice weekend, though average peak temperatures usually arrive in July or August.
• Pagan rituals such as Litha or Midsummer Eve live on alongside modern festivals at ancient sites; hilltop bonfires remain central to many gatherings.