Midsummer Day, known as 'Juhannus' in Finnish, is one of the most significant and widely celebrated holidays in Finland. The holiday takes place on the Saturday between June 20th and 26th following the summer solstice. The origin of Midsummer Day is routed in pre-Christian times and is considered as the mark of the beginning of high summer.
In Finland, the Midsummer Day is celebrated with a variety of traditions. The most common tradition is the lighting of bonfires, which is believed to ward off evil spirits. Another important tradition of the festival is to erect a midsummer pole covered in flowers and leaves, like a maypole, which is then danced around. Many Finnish people also escape to the countryside or seaside to soak up the sunshine and the longest day of the year.
The holiday is also linked strongly to water and many Finns spend the weekend cottaging near lakes or the sea. Saunas are heated up, and a traditional Finnish Midsummer sauna is decorated with fresh birch branches vividly reflecting the flourishing nature. The holiday is filled with a lot of joy and magic as folklore states that at midsummer, fairies and spirits are active, and it is also a potent night for telling fortunes.