Articles from the Neighborhood Newsletter

By Marianne Curren (Hillsdale Road)

Summer Solstice Fun in Menotomy Rocks

It’s almost time for Litha, also known as the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Druids, bonfires, ancient dances — all are associated with this Solstice, which is considered the beginning of the summer season. Midway between planting and harvest, the Summer Solstice (or Midsummer) celebrates fertility, the promise of bounty, and the power of the sun at its height.

The Druids celebrated the day as the wedding of heaven (God as Sun King) and earth (Goddess as Mother Earth). And Midsummer’s Eve is one of three annual spirit nights, when the “veils are thin” between the two worlds. But the Summer Solstice has been a time of festivity across centuries and cultures throughout the world. From Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Chumash Indians of California, Aztecs and Indigenous Europeans to traditions of modern day, people have reveled in the strength and the energy of the late-June sun with their own unique rituals.

Let’s celebrate the warmth and light in our own little corner. Come and share in a Summer Solstice Celebration on Sunday, June 22, in the front field of Menotomy Rocks Park. Bring your family and a picnic supper, and anything Solstice to share, and we’ll make merry from 5 p.m. until dusk.

From Goldenseal, a magazine of West Virginia traditional life:

“Every Saturday afternoon, Ivan [at 90 years] packs his violin and banjo in his car and drives the half mile to Bowman Ridge Community Association Center. . . . He makes the coffee and sets the potluck table for the weekly ‘Bowman Ridge Opry,’ an open jam session of bluegrass, country, and traditional artists….

“There’s no cover charge for this gathering of friends, which gets under way by 7 p.m. and goes until 11 p.m. every Saturday, regardless of weather, crowd size, or lack of pickers. …Like the other musicians, he does it for the camaraderie and smiles. ‘If you can get them people sitting back there grinning like a butcher’s dog, you know you are doing something right.’ “