Summer Solstice 2025: Your Guide to the Longest Day of the Year

When the summer solstice arrives on Friday, June 20, it not only signifies the first official day of summer but also the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

2025 Summer Solstice

The word "solstice" is derived from the Latin word for sun, which means "Sol." According to the Farmers Almanac, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun's rays and the plane of the Earth's equator appears to stand still. In the Arctic Circle, the sun can be seen on the horizon for 24 hours, which coined the phrase "Land of the Midnight Sun." In the Antarctic Circle, the sun does not rise at all; it's called Polar Night.

While most of us will enjoy the longest day of the year, the Southern Hemisphere will experience the arrival of winter with the shortest day and the longest night. As Spock would say, "Fascinating."

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Official First Day of Summer Arrives

The June solstice occurs on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 10:42 P.M. EDT. It occurs when the Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt of 23.5 degrees toward the Sun.

Folklore About The Summer Solstice

Midsummer celebrations by European cultures hold social gatherings centered around the solstice at Stonehenge and hilltop bonfires for two days.

In Egypt, the summer solstice, the Egyptian New Year, coincides with the rising of the Nile River.

In Ireland, centuries ago, the Irish people would cut hazel branches the night before to search for precious jewels and gold.

So, sun worshippers get up early on Friday and enjoy the longest day of the year, and probably one of the hottest days of the summer in Arkansas so far.