Editing Midsummer (section)

{{Short description|Holiday held close to the summer solstice}}
{{redirect|Midsummer Night|other uses|Midsummer (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Midsummer<br /><small>Summer Solstice</small>
| image = Mittsommerfest in Norwegen, Insel Tysnes IMG 4425WI.jpg
| caption = Midsummer bonfire in [[Tysnes]], Norway
| observedby = *Traditionally: [[Europe]]
* [[Canada]]{{refn|traditionally and more common in [[Quebec]]}}
* [[United States]]{{refn|in some states of that country<ref name="LapointeTessier1988"/>}}
* Liturgically: [[Roman Catholic Church]],<ref name="TIFCF2017"/> [[Lutheran Church]]es,<ref name="TIFCF2017"/> [[Anglican Communion]]<ref name="TIFCF2017"/>
| date = A date close to the [[summer solstice]]
| celebrations = Festivals, bonfires, feasting, singing, [[maypole]] dancing
| observances = [[Church service]],<ref name="LapointeTessier1988"/> reenactments of the life of Saint John the Baptist,<ref name="Tornabuoni2001"/> [[Procession#Christian processions|processions]],<ref name="HanawaltReyerson1994">{{cite book|last1=Hanawalt|first1=Barbara|last2=Reyerson|first2=Kathryn|title=City and Spectacle in Medieval Europe|year=1994|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|language=en|isbn=9780816623600|page=244}}</ref> [[baptism]]s,<ref name="Reis2003"/> and [[Christian views on marriage|church weddings]]<ref name="SwedenSE2018"/>
| type = Cultural and Religious
| significance = Marks the traditional middle of summer, beginning of Meteorological summer, and the nativity of [[St. John the Baptist]].
| relatedto = [[Nativity of St. John the Baptist]], [[Saint John's Eve]]
| nickname = Feast of Saint John the Baptist, Summer Solstice, St. John's Feast Day, [[Jāņi]], Enyovden, [[Early Germanic calendars#Month name|Līþa]]/Lithe, midsommar, Ivan Kupala Day, Juhannus/Mittumaari (from Swedish midsommar)/Keskikesä (from Swedish midsommar), Alban Hefin, Gŵyl Ganol yr Haf, Sankthans, Joninės, jaanipäev, Kresna noč
}}

'''Midsummer''' is a celebration of the season of [[summer]], taking place on or near the date of the [[summer solstice]] in the [[Northern Hemisphere]]; the longest [[Daytime|day]] of the year. The name "midsummer" mainly refers to summer solstice festivals of European origin. These cultures traditionally regard it as the middle of summer, with the season beginning on [[May Day]].<ref>{{OEtymD|midsummer|accessdate=2023-06-22}}</ref> Although the summer solstice falls on [[June solstice|20, 21 or 22 June]] in the Northern Hemisphere, it was traditionally reckoned to fall on 23–24 June in much of Europe. These dates were [[Christianization of saints and feasts|Christianized]] as [[Saint John's Eve]] and [[Nativity of John the Baptist|Saint John's Day]]. It is usually celebrated with outdoor gatherings that include [[bonfire]]s and feasting.