Sankthans

Sankthansaften falls on 23 June, the eve of Saint John's day, and it marks midsummer with bonfires, bål, built on shorelines, headlands and islands and lit in the evening, when at these latitudes the light barely fades. The practice is pre-Christian in origin and was absorbed into the church calendar. Along the southern and western coasts the fires are visible in chains around the fjords, and communities gather with food, music and swimming for those willing; in some places a witch figure of straw is burned on the fire, a custom borrowed from Denmark that has drawn criticism in recent years. Some large fires, notably at Alesund, have set records for height, built as timber towers over weeks.

What you actually see

• The shoreline fires - bonfires lit along fjords, lakes and beaches.
• The light night - near-continuous daylight through the celebration.
• The community gatherings - food, music and swimming at the fires.
• The record fires - very large constructed bonfires in some towns.

When to go

The evening of 23 June, fixed each year; the further north, the lighter the night, and above the Arctic Circle the sun does not set at all. Fires can be cancelled in dry conditions because of wildfire risk.

Honest expectations

Fire bans in dry summers cancel bonfires at short notice, which has happened increasingly. Gatherings are informal community events rather than staged attractions. Mosquitoes at inland lakes on a still June evening are severe.

Nearby

Coastal towns across the south and west hold the largest fires; Alesund's tower fire is the best known.