SPĪGO 2026 | Summer Solstice Sunrise Ceremony

On the shortest night of the year and at the height of the sun’s power, everyone is invited to experience the special atmosphere of the summer solstice morning by participating in “Spīgo,” the ceremony to welcome the year’s most powerful sunrise, which will take place on June 21 at 3:30 a.m. in Bauska Municipality, in “Lejenieki,” Ceraukste Parish.

In solstice traditions, the sun symbolizes light, the force of life, fertility, and the unending rhythm of nature. At this time, nature possesses a special magic and its greatest power, while every action and ritual has its own special meaning. The “Spīgo” ceremony continues the solstice tradition, and, as in previous years, invites everyone to awaken the sun together through a shared ritual, the power of fire, and a sense of unity.

Participants in the ceremony are asked to bring:

• a log on which to write your wish at home and add it to the communal bonfire
• if possible and desired, the wreath from the previous year, which is burned to symbolically bring the past cycle to a close and make room for something new
• percussion instruments — drums, rattles, sticks, small stones, or other objects that produce sound

The soundscape of the ceremony will also be shaped by the percussion instruments brought by the participants themselves—drums, rattles, sticks, or other objects that produce sound.