Here are the beginning verses of “Na Ivana Kupala, Kupavsya Ivan,” or “На Івана Купала купався Іван.” A Ukrainian song for Midsummer, from the Chernihiv region. This song tells a story that takes place on Saint John’s Day, or Midsummer.

To enter into Summer Solstice Week together, I wanted to share a new playlist: “The Dear Sun is Setting: Midsummer Playlist 2026” is an exploration of European folk songs and music for this ritual-laden holiday of fire, dew, and magic.

Midsummer, which takes place in just a couple of weeks in the Northern Hemisphere, is a holiday that’s been celebrated with enormous festivity across Europe since at least the early middle ages. Despite the lasting popularity of the summer solstice, many of us don’t have this holiday on our radar.

In Europe, one of the most common traditions on solstice eve and day has been to pick herbs and plants for medicinal and magical use. During this time, plants have been considered to be at the height of their potency, and thus extra effective for any uses we might make of them.

Whenever we move towards a time of ritual importance- a holiday or a marked change in the seasons, we often experience that mix of eagerness and frustration that comes with trying to engage with the old traditions…