Summer Solstice is June 21st, the longest day of the year. It is a bigger deal in Alaska because we get more daylight as you get farther north. For me, that means about nineteen and a half hours of daylight here in southcentral Alaska. It's the time to celebrate outdoors. We often have cookouts, midnight baseball games, and other festivities on that day.
Here's a sample of all the things going on in Alaska this year, either on the Solstice or on a day close to it:
In Anchorage, you can go to the Summer Solstice Festival downtown, run on the Mayor's Marathon, catch a fish at the Slam'n Slam'n Derby, or watch the Anchorage Glacier Pilots baseball game.
Or you might drive to the Kenai Peninsula, where you can attend the Moose Pass Summer Solstice Festival, the Nikiski Days Family Fun in the Midnight Sun, or the Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival.
Up north, Fairbanks hosts the Midnight Sun Festival. Go downtown to enjoy sports, see a vintage car show, and visit food + shopping booths while listening to great music.
Whatever you do, enjoy! Happy Summer Solstice!
Need more details, or curious about other things we do in the summer? Check out this article from the Anchorage Daily News: