Latest news with #MidsummerEve
Barnama
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Finns Celebrate Midsummer With Bonfires, Tradition On Seurasaari Island
A bonfire is lit during the Midsummer Eve celebration on Seurasaari Island in Helsinki, Finland, June 20, 2025. Thousands gathered on Helsinki's Seurasaari Island Friday evening to celebrate Juhannus Eve, marking the start of Finland's cherished Midsummer Festival with bonfires and folk traditions. (Photo by Matti Matikainen/Xinhua) HELSINKI, June 21 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Thousands gathered on Helsinki's Seurasaari Island Friday evening to celebrate Juhannus Eve, marking the start of Finland's cherished Midsummer Festival with bonfires and folk traditions, reported Xinhua. Held at the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, the event recreated countryside-style celebrations for locals and visitors. Festivities began at around 6:30 pm local time with the raising of a maypole adorned with ribbons and greenery, a symbol of fertility and renewal. Throughout the evening, the crowd enjoy folk dancing, wreath-making, stilt walking, Finnish delicacies, and local crafts. bootstrap slideshow At dusk, several ceremonial bonfires were lit along the shore. Music and laughter continue late into the night. "Juhannus is about light, nature, and togetherness," said festivalgoer Miikka Heikinen. "It's the heart of the Finnish summer." Midsummer, officially observed on the Saturday between June 20 and 26, marks the longest day of the year. In northern Finland, the sun barely sets, while the south experiences only brief twilight. The Seurasaari Midsummer celebration dates back over a century and has been organised annually since 1956. Beyond Seurasaari, Helsinki offers additional Juhannus events, from nostalgic dance nights to scenic ferry rides and traditional saunas. Yet for many, the holiday is best spent at lakeside cottages, savoring nature and the glow of the midnight sun. --BERNAMA-XINHUA
Local Sweden
28-05-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Swedes fear alcohol shortage as Systembolaget summer strike looms
If there's one way to spark the ire of Swedes, it's by telling them they may not get their aquavit in time for Midsummer. Advertisement Swedes' access to alcohol could be limited this summer after the Unionen trade union threatened to launch industrial action at Swedish state-owned alcohol chain Systembolaget unless it reaches an agreement with business organisation Svensk Handel by June 10th. The strike would affect Systembolaget's headquarters as well as warehouses in Stockholm, Kungsängen, Sundsvall and Örebro. The warehouses supply alcohol to the chain's stores, and several hundred Unionen members would be involved in the strike. There is a risk that shelves could run dry as a result, and that some stores may even have to close. "The Midsummer Eve snaps is in danger," reads a headline in the Aftonbladet newspaper. The sticking point, according to Unionen, is its demands for part-time employees to be given the same rights to overtime compensation as full-time employees when they work more than their contracted hours. "We demand fair conditions for everyone," it said in a statement. "We regret that Unionen is choosing this path," said a representative from Svensk Handel in a statement. In Sweden, Systembolaget has a monopoly on over-the-counter sales of drinks with an alcohol content stronger than 3.5 percent ABV. FOOD AND DRINK:
