Summer Solstice Celebrations

It’s finally here – the longest day of the year.  June 21, 2013 marks the first day of summer, and the start to a weekend full of celebrations to salute the sun. As the first official weekend of summer, North Americans rejoice with parades, carnivals, spiritual gatherings and naked bike riding. Get ready for one long day of colorful festivities, sun and painted nude bodies.

Summer Solstice Celebration | Santa Barbara, California
Get ready for one wild and crazy solstice parade. Each year an annual theme sets place, with 2013 being “Creatures.” Creative locals put their minds together to create a vibrant one thousand person parade, which draws over 100,000 world-wide spectators. Bollywood dance fundraisers, art workshops and local vendors are also part of this weekend long celebration.

2013 Fremont Fair | Seattle, WA
Fremont, “The Center of the Universe,” is an artsy, creative neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Only in the Pacific Northwest is it accepted for a bunch of liberal locals to wear nothing but paint and bike around town to welcome summer and the sun. The Fremont Solstice Parade is comprised of magnificent floats of human meatballs, sexy mermaids and bountiful mardi-gras masks and costumes. If parades are not your thing, you can experience a weekend-long full of music, yoga and artsy vendors.

Solstice in Times Square | New York City
On the first day of summer, Times Square is shut down to everyone except thousands of yogis for a full-on day of yoga, meditation and spirituality. Find tranquility and transcendence amongst New York’s flashing light district. Become one with thousands of others in this urban jungle of energy, creativity and madness. First 1,200 participants in each class will receive a free yoga mat.

Summer Solstice Music Festival | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Get ready for 12 hours of music from noon to midnight. This free event exposes emerging artists to thousands of Midwest music lovers. With three stages, attendees get to choose from a variety of alternative, jazz, indie-pop and country music. Art vendors, face painting and of course, food is part of the daylong event.

Summer Solstice Sadhana Celebration
Get spiritual this with this holistic retreat of yoga, meditation and solstice diet. Get grounded with the earth as you camp out in the great lands of New Mexico and listen to music throughout the day. Transform your mind and body with 3:45am prayer reading followed by 45 minutes of Kundalini yoga. Self-heal and transform yourself with the teachings of Yogi Bhajan in this Aquarian Sadhana to facilitate optimal living in the transition from Piscean to Age of Aquarius.