Midsummer Madness!

Wow, back-to-back Solstice celebrations. First Mama Donna's Summer Solstice event that I just blogged about yesterday. Now I'm back from the Swedish Midsummer event held at the very same park!

Midsummer, or the first day of summer, or the first day summer closest to June 24th which is St. John's Day, is a big holiday in Scandinavia. Summer days are very long in the northern countries, and on the longest day of the year, it seems the sun doesn't set, which leads to much partying outdoors. You can read a little bit about the customs at this National Geographic article.

It was a very windy day, and although I think I made my best flower crown yet with the free flowers I was given, the wind didn't seem to want to let me keep my crown on.

It was a little bit after six, when we noted that the midsummer pole, accompanied by fiddlers, was going to be brought into it spot where it was going to be, well, erected!

And with great fanfare, the pole was upright...

Where traditional dancing around the midsummer pole took place into the night.