In the far north, residents put up with the long, dark, cold winters for the excellent reward that is the endless sun. Summer days stretch on and on in all their glorious golden splendor. Long after night has fallen in most of the world, northern Alaskans and the rest of the people crazy enough to live above the Arctic Circle, can bask in the glow of the long hours of daylight, commonly referred to as the “midnight sun”. In Northern Europe, they also call this phenomenon “white nights”. See how people enjoy and celebrate the midnight sun!
The closer you go to the north pole, the longer the days get as you approach the summer solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day is the summer solstice. This year it will be June 20, 2017 8:24 PM in Alaska.
crosby_cj | Flickr
The northernmost city in the U.S. is Utquigvik (formerly Barrow). There, the sun stays below the horizon from mid-November to mid-January creating a long night. But the relentless sun stays up from Mid-May all the way through July!
Johannes Zielcke
The sun gives people energy, and every excuse to stay up all summer working, playing, preparing for winter, and enjoying the Vitamin D.
Andrei Taranchenko | Flickr
People all over the arctic have music and culture festivals to celebrate the summer solstice, and Alaska is no exception.
Downtown Association of Fairbanks Facebook
Vegetables grow insanely big in the Alaskan summer sun. The heaviest cabbage in the world weighed 138.25 pounds and was presented at the Alaska State Fair by Scott Robb in 2012.
Tim Vo | Flickr
In Fairbanks, the Midnight Sun Baseball Game is played every year on the summer solstice, and has been since 1906. The game starts at 10:30 PM and usually ends about 1:30 am. Artificial lighting has never been used.
WBUR Boston’s NPR News Station | Flickr
The Fairbanks Shakespeare There has been performing under the midnight sun since 1993. They perform Shakespeare plays with 8 pm evening performances and no lighting is ever required.
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre Facebook
You can bike forever and ever under the sun that won’t quit.
John Spooner | Flickr
Anyone who feels the endless summer sun can’t help but get outdoors for hiking, biking, and camping to enjoy the beautiful Alaskan summer.
John Spooner | Flickr
Have you experienced the midnight sun? Tell us about it in the comments below.
crosby_cj | Flickr
Johannes Zielcke
Andrei Taranchenko | Flickr
Downtown Association of Fairbanks Facebook
Tim Vo | Flickr
WBUR Boston’s NPR News Station | Flickr
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre Facebook
John Spooner | Flickr
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