Make the most of the longest day of the year.

Happy first (official) day of summer, Ashevillians. The downtown streets are bustling, the French Broad is filled with tubers, and camping season is in full swing. Feeling a little extra celebratory today? That might be because it’s also the summer solstice.

What exactly is the summer solstice, you ask? It’s when the sun is at its highest point–giving us the most hours of sunlight during the whole year.

While you probably already know that today is longest day of the year, here are some summer solstice facts that you may not know:

☀ The word “solstice” is derived from the Latin words “sol,” meaning sun, and “stitium,” meaning to stop. This makes sense–as the sun stops moving farther north on this day.

☀ Many people refer to the summer solstice as “Midsummer.” But really, it marks the first official day of summer.

☀ Today, the sun will rise at 6:15 a.m. + set at 8:49 p.m.

☀ The sun will reach its highest point in the sky at 12:38 p.m.

☀ Down at the beach, higher high tides may occur– because of the increased angle of the sun.

☀ Around the globe, the solstice has been celebrated as a way to mark when to plant + harvest crops, a time to set intentions for new beginnings, to predict annual flooding, and, on ancient Greek calendars–the summer solstice marked the start of a new year.

☀ The world’s biggest bonfire was part of a summer solstice celebration in 2010. The flames of the fire, built in Alesund, Norway, reached 132.41 ft.

☀ Each year, thousands of people gather at England’s Stonehenge to honor the solstice. (In 2017, 37,000 people visited the site on that day). While it has not been proven, many speculate that the prehistoric world heritage site has been a place of worship during the summer solstice for thousands of years due to the view of the sunrise directly above the Heel Stone at the time of the solstice.

☀ In Alaska, the solstice is celebrated with a midnight baseball game known as the Midnight Sun Game.

☀ During the summer solstice, the Earth is at its farthest point from the sun–not the closest.

☀We’re celebrating in lots of ways around the world: June 21 is also International Yoga Day, International Surfing Day, and World Music Day (we’re celebrating that last one here in a big way with Make Music Asheville–more on that below).

Whether you’re looking to enjoy the longer day with more natural lighting (perfect for those rooftop bar selfies), or if you’re planning to embark on a more spiritual journey, here are 7 ways to celebrate the solstice in the mountains.

☀ Witch’s Night Out At The Movies | June 20 | 7–9 p.m. | The Mother Grove Goddess Temple | 70 Woodfin Pl. Ste. 1 | Free | Join Mother Grove for a screening of The Love Witch (2017), a story about a beautiful young witch who is determined to find a man to love her, and in doing so plumbs the depths of narcissism, obsession, and female fantasy.

☀ A Midsummer Night’s Dream In Montford | June 22–June 30, recurring | 7:30 p.m. | Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre | 92 Gay Street | Free | Watch the Montford Park Players perform a reimagined telling of the Shakespeare classic set in 1930s Appalachia. Bring food, beverages, and picnic blankets, or buy drinks and rent chairs at the amphitheatre. The show runs every Friday, Saturday + Sunday.

☀ An Evening With Scot Sax and Suzie Brown | June 21 | 7–9 p.m. | Isis Music Hall | 743 Haywood Rd. | $12 advance, $15 at the door | A seated dinner show featuring Grammy-winning songwriter Scot Sax on the guitar and singer Suzie Brown, who has been described as “party Emmylou Harris, part Allison Krauss” by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

☀ Asheville Sound Survey + Walking Tour | June 21 | 7 p.m. | Black Mountain College Museum | 56 Broadway St. | Free for BMCM members and students; $5 general admission | Join local composer Alec Sturgis as he introduces Asheville Sound Survey, an ongoing, interactive project investigating the sounds in our community.

☀ Solstice 3: An Open-Air Psychedelic Music and Trance Festival | June 22–24 | All-day | Deerfields Campground | 101 Watagnee Trl., Horse Shoe | $80 at the door only | An outdoor music festival in the wilderness featuring the best in psytrance from dusk till dawn. Bring everything you need to survive for three days. Children 13 and under are free.

However you spend the solstice, make sure you work a little magic into it. Whether you have an afternoon, the whole day, or an entire weekend to lounge in your flower crown, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the longest day of the year. 🌞

I’ll be taking my handpan downtown to be a part of Make Music Asheville, where I’ll also catch some of the shows, like the Jazz Jam at the BLOCK off Biltmore and the sets at the Center for Craft.

Where–and how–will you be celebrating the solstice? Let us know by replying or telling us over on Facebook or Twitter, and be sure to tag #avltoday in all of your best summer shots on Instagram.

– Ali, Stephanie + the CHStoday team