Summer Solstice at Stonehenge is an annual event which takes place on the evening of the 20th and the morning of 21st June. The monument is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice. Stonehenge is a place of worship to Neo-Druids, Pagans and other "Earth based' or 'old' religions.

History Apart from a few interested visitors, the first recorded summer solstice gatherings started to occur after the opening of the railway to Salisbury in 1859 as a connecting point. According to Andy Worthington in his book Stonehenge Celebration and Subversion the solstice initially became of note to antiquarians and aristocratic patrons, followed by locals on foot, bicycles, horse drawn carriages. A party atmosphere was often present. By the turn of the twentieth century Druid revivalists started to hold ceremonies with groups of onlookers and the site was fenced for the first time. The arrival of motorised vehicles also facilitated larger attendances, particularly when a solstice coincided with a weekend. Other influences included the Beaulieu Jazz Festivals of the 1950s, British Folk Revival, Folk Rock, Modern Paganism, Psychedelic Music and the Right to Roam combined with the American influences of the Merry Pranksters and the Woodstock Festival and the greater social freedoms of the post war period. By the early 1970s the site become a focus for counterculture and a free festival emerged. This ended in the so-called Battle of the Beanfield in 1985. Access was then restricted for the next few years until the High Court ruled the exclusion zone unlawful and the modern Open Access was created at the turn of the millennium. Today, an eclectic range of people travel from far and wide to celebrate the solstice with relatively few problems.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27405147

Open Access Gatherings This solstice is one of the few times a year the general public can enter the main circle for free. The other times are the winter solstice and spring and autumnal equinoxes. The main focus of the gathering is based around the sunset, the night time vigil and observing the sunrise. Various ceremonies and rituals also take place, as well as the playing of acoustic music, dancing and singing. People also touch the stones at these times. Please see list of past gatherings as below.

+ Year Sunrise Report Stonehenge summer solstice gatherings 2026 Reasonably clear Access extended by half an hour until 08:30. All car parking pre-book and pre-pay with the charge rising to £25. (20,000)https://blog.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/2026/05/09/2026-stonehenge-summer-solstice-managed-open-access-arrangements/https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/26213838.thousands-gather-stonehenge-celebrate-summer-solstice/ 2025 Reasonably clear English Heritage outsource livestreaming of the solstice to a specialist company.https://www.solo16.co.uk/post/capturing-the-solstice Car park charge rises from £15 to £20.https://salisburyandavon.co.uk/pay-to-pray-accusations-after-stonehenge-solstice-parking-fees-hiked/< The A303 closed overnight due to high volumes of traffic. Large crowd due to good weather. (25,000)https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/search-news/pr-summer-solstice-2025/ 2024 Clear sunrise The gathering passed off peacefully despite a Just Stop Oil protest a few days earlier. (15,000) 2023 Misty morning BBC Radio Wiltshire present the last annual sunrise broadcast from the stones before all-night programming transferred to Radio5 live. Thousands gather for the summer solstice. (10,000) 2022 Cloudy First official gathering since lockdown. (6,000) 2021 Cloudy Despite solstice access being officially cancelled due to on-going lockdown restrictions, a couple of hundred people still managed to enter the site. 2020 Sunday morning Solstice gathering cancelled due to lockdown restrictions. 2019 Clear Weekend solstice Friday night, sunrise on Saturday morning. (10,000) 2018 Clear sunrise Centenary of the gifting of Stonehenge to the nation by local barrister Cecil Chubb. (9,500) 2017 Reasonably clear Extra security measures put in place. (13,000)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-40352528 2016 Clear Alcohol ban and car parking charges introduced. Full moon in conjunction with the night of the celebrations. (12,000) 2015 Clear Thousands mark the summer solstice at Stonehenge. (23,000) 2014 Reasonably clear The BBC Culture Show broadcast a 'Battle for Stonehenge' special featuring the new visitor centre and a history of open access. (37,500) 2013 Grey cloud BBC Sky at Night films a 'Solstice Special' during the celebrations. (21,000) 2012 Heavy rain The Ancestor sculpture returned to Stonehenge for a second time.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-18471006 Transit of Venus earlier in the month on 6 June. (14,500)https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-18519636 2011 Rain and cloud Heavy rain dampens the proceedings. (18,000) 2010 Reasonably clear A 6.7 m high metal sculpture called 'The Ancestor' was displayed. (22,000) 2009 Cloudy brighter later Access time brought forward again to 19:00 (7pm). (36,500) 2008 Cloudy with some rain Access time brought forward to 20:00. Final appearance of the King's Drummers Bateria samba band before Health and Safety regulations stopped future torch lit parades at the stones. (36,290) 2007 Cloudy, brighter later Access times altered to 20:30 to 08:00. Glastonbury Festival starts the next day. (24,093) 2006 Rain and cloud England vs Sweden in the FIFA World Cup on the evening of 20 June results in many arriving late and heavy rain leads to a lower attendance. Access times 22:00 to 09:00. (18,700) 2005 Clear sunrise Monday night, Tuesday morning. (21,000)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4114146.stm 2004 Misty BBC2 broadcast a two part documentary on the National Trust (The Stones) featuring negotiations around summer solstice access.https://www.bbc.com/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/01_january/06/national_trust_two.shtml Transit of Venus earlier in the month on 8 June. (21,000) 2003 Clear Agreement reached to continue holding access on the established date of the 20 / 21 June. Access times to the stones altered to 02:00 to 12:00 noon, although in practice access to monument field occurred around 01:00. (30,000) 2002 Rain Many leave early to watch England play Brazil in the FIFA World Cup. (22,000)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2057179.stm 2001 Clear Access times extended to eleven hours running from 22:00 to 09:00. (10,000)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1398810.stm 2000 Heavy rain First year of Managed Open Access, entry times to the stones 23:30 on 20 June to 07:30 on 21 June. (6,000)

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