FIRST SUMMER DAY 1

FIRST SUMMER DAY

The first Day of Summer, also known as the Summer Solstice, is a natural astronomical phenomenon where the Sun reaches its greatest inclination over one of the Earth's hemispheres, starting the summer season over that part of the planet. For this reason, in the northern hemisphere the first day of summer is June 21, while in the southern hemisphere it begins on December 21.

Peculiarities of the Summer Solstice

The summer season is part of the four seasons that occur during the year in the northern and southern hemispheres, and takes place between the spring and autumn seasons. Since while the sun reaches its maximum point of inclination in one of the hemispheres, in the other part of the world it represents the farthest, so while we have the beginning of summer in the north, in the south we will be witnessing winter and vice versa . The first day of summer also represents the longest day and the shortest night of the year. Throughout the season, the sun's rays fall fully vertical, making it a very hot season, with extremely high temperatures and constant humidity.

Summer Solstice Celebrations

The commemorations for the arrival of summer are ancestral. In prehistoric cultures it represented the beginning of a period of light, new beginnings, worship of the gods and mainly a renewal of the earth to provide humanity with crops and food. This event was celebrated with offerings to the gods (within them, several cultures considered the sun a deity) sacrificing animals in their honor, performing the fire ritual that consisted of making large bonfires in order to fan the flame of the sun even more. sun; Carnivals were also held for several days and agricultural activities were suspended.

Currently, the world celebrates the arrival of summer with endless events welcoming the new season. In several countries, it is declared a non-working holiday, at the same time that it represents the beginning of the holiday season. It is common every year to see parades in the main cities, accompanied by music and feasting, rituals for fertility and harvests are performed, and the beaches where people traditionally go to receive the first rays of the summer sun are fully opened.

The great festivities worldwide take place during the summer season. Among the most famous in the northern hemisphere are the Nights of San Juan in much of Europe and America, the celebration of the Night of Iván Kupala in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the Tomatina in Spain and the Oktoberfest in Germany. At a sporting level, the World Cup, the European Cup of Nations and the Olympic Games are held, events that are commemorated every four years alternately; the Tour de France, which is the largest annual cycling event in the world. In the southern hemisphere, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil, the Pachamama Festival in Argentina and the Summer Festival in both Argentina and Uruguay.

Días Festivos en el Mundo