When Is the Summer Solstice?
Find out when the summer solstice is this year. The longest day of the year with countdown, dates for the next 10 years, and solstice facts.
When the Summer Solstice Falls
The summer solstice in 2026 is on Sunday 21 June. In 2027 it is Monday 21 June, in 2028 Tuesday 20 June (a leap-year shift), in 2029 Thursday 21 June. The date oscillates between 20 and 21 June because of the calendar drift that leap years partially correct. The exact astronomical moment for 2026 is around 9:23 am BST on 21 June, the instant the sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is the longest day of the year. London gets approximately 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight on the solstice, with sunrise at 4:43 am BST and sunset at 9:21 pm BST. Edinburgh gets around 17 hours 35 minutes; Lerwick (Shetland) gets 18 hours 55 minutes plus civil twilight that means it never gets fully dark in Shetland in late June (the locals call this the 'simmer dim'). The solstice also marks the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere; from this date, days shorten until the [Winter Solstice](/when-is-winter-solstice) in late December.
Stonehenge, Festivals and What People Do
Around 30,000 to 40,000 people gather at Stonehenge for the summer solstice sunrise each year. English Heritage opens the inner stone circle from approximately 7 pm on 20 June through to 8 am on 21 June (the longest free-access window of any solstice or equinox event), with druid and pagan ceremonies running through the night. The crowd is mixed: pagans, hippies, families, and a large contingent of curious tourists. Glastonbury Festival weekend usually overlaps the solstice; in 2026 it runs 24 to 28 June with the solstice on the Sunday three days before.
Across the world, Sweden's Midsummer is one of the country's biggest holidays - typically the third Friday of June - with maypole dancing, traditional foods (pickled herring, new potatoes, strawberries) and an extended bank holiday weekend. In the southern hemisphere this is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Practical UK effect: 21 June onwards, you should notice slightly earlier sunsets each evening, although the change is imperceptible for the first fortnight. Hay fever sufferers see the highest grass pollen counts in the two weeks following the solstice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What date is the summer solstice 2026?
Sunday 21 June 2026. In 2027 it is Monday 21 June, in 2028 it shifts to Tuesday 20 June (leap-year drift). The astronomical moment in 2026 is approximately 9:23 am BST, when the sun reaches its highest point in the Northern Hemisphere sky.
How long is the longest day of the year?
London gets around 16 hours 38 minutes of daylight; Edinburgh 17 hours 35 minutes; Manchester roughly 17 hours; Lerwick (Shetland) 18 hours 55 minutes. Add civil twilight - the time when the sun is up to 6 degrees below the horizon and you can still read outside - and the practical 'usable light' is around 19 hours in central UK and effectively 24 hours in Shetland.
Can you really stay overnight at Stonehenge for the solstice?
Yes. English Heritage runs free 'Managed Open Access' from approximately 7 pm on 20 June to 8 am on 21 June for the summer solstice. You can enter the inner stone circle, which is normally roped off. There are restrictions: no sleeping, no fires, no glass bottles, no amplified music. Free shuttle buses run from Salisbury and Amesbury; the closest car park sells out by mid-afternoon on 20 June.
Is the summer solstice the start of summer?
It is the astronomical start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The Met Office definition uses meteorological seasons: summer runs 1 June to 31 August. So depending on definition, summer starts in early June or in late June. Cultural use varies; most British people treat 'midsummer' as the period around the solstice itself.
Related Tools
When Is the Winter Solstice?
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When Is the Autumn Equinox?
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