Solstice celebrations were a highlight of the pre-Christian calendar,and in many countries bonfires, maypole dances and courtship ritualslinger on as holdovers from Europe’s pagan past.
Pagans and partygoers drummed, danced or gyrated in hula hoops tostay awake through the night, as more than 35,000 people greeted the summer solstice Sunday at the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge.
Despitefears of trouble because of the record-sized crowd, police said theannual party at the mysterious monument was mostly peaceful.
“It’s the most magical place on the planet,” said antique salesman Frank Somers, 43, dressed in the robes of his Druid faith.
“Insidewhen you touch the stones you feel a warmth like you’re touching atree, not a stone. There’s a genuine love, you feel called to it,” hesaid.
The prehistoric monument in southernEngland is the site of an annual night-long party — or religiousceremony, depending on perspective — marking the longest day of theyear in the northern hemisphere.
Warm weather and the fact that this year’s solstice fell on a weekend helped draw a record crowd.
“There has been a great atmosphere and where else would you want to be on midsummer’s day?” said Peter Carson of English Heritage, the body in charge of Stonehenge.
Cameraflashes bounced off the stones through the night until patchy rays ofsunlight peeked through the clouds at 4:58 a.m. BST (0358GMT). A weakcheer went up as dawn broke over the Heel Stone, a pockmarked pillar atthe edge of the stone circle that is aligned with the rising sun.