What is Midsummer Eve?
Midsummer Eve is the evening before Midsummer Day, and in the Nordic countries it is the heart of the festival. In Sweden, Midsommarafton is the day of dancing round the maypole, singing games and a long outdoor meal. In Finland, Juhannusaatto starts a holiday weekend in which many people travel to summer cottages, light bonfires by the lake and go to the sauna. A Swedish custom is to pick seven different wildflowers and put them under the pillow in order to dream of a future partner.
In Latvia, 23 June is Līgo evening, the first night of the Jāņi festival, with songs that repeat the word līgo, wreaths of flowers and oak leaves, bonfires and a night spent awake until sunrise. In Estonia the same evening is Jaaniõhtu, with bonfires, and in the Åland Islands large maypoles are raised in many villages. In the far north the night barely gets dark, and the long daylight is part of the festival's character.
Why it is observed
Festivities around the solstice are among the oldest in northern Europe, and they were later associated with Saint John the Baptist, whose birth is celebrated on 24 June. In Sweden, Midsummer Eve is not officially a public holiday, but it is treated as one by custom and most workplaces close; Sweden's Annual Leave Act reportedly treats the day like a Sunday. In Finland it is likewise treated as a holiday in practice. In Latvia the Līgo day on 23 June was named a public holiday by a 1990 law, together with Jāņi on 24 June.
How the date is set
The date depends on the country. In Sweden and Finland, Midsummer Eve is the Friday between 19 and 25 June, the day before Midsummer Day (25 June in 2027). In Latvia and Estonia it is fixed on 23 June, the evening of the Līgo and Jaaniõhtu festivals.
How it is observed
In Sweden and Finland, Midsummer Eve is treated as a de facto public holiday: shops, banks and many offices close, alcohol shops are shut, cities empty out and travellers should check transport schedules in advance. In Latvia 23 June is an official holiday, and in Estonia 23 June is a public holiday as Victory Day. Because the status differs by country, entitlements to pay or time off depend on law, collective agreements and the contract. In 2027 Midsummer Eve in Sweden and Finland falls on Friday 25 June.
Sources
Åland Islands
Finland
Latvia