Midsummer is the middle of summer, typically around late June when the days are longest and the sun stays up latest. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls around June 21, marking the peak of summer's light even though the hottest weather often comes later.

Many cultures celebrate midsummer with festivals and traditions. In Scandinavia, Midsummer's Eve is one of the biggest holidays of the year, with dancing, flowers, and outdoor feasts. Shakespeare wrote a famous play called A Midsummer Night's Dream set during this magical time.

The word captures that special feeling when summer seems fullest and most alive. School's been out for a while, fireflies fill the evenings, and it stays light outside long enough to play after dinner. Gardens overflow with vegetables and flowers. While summer officially continues into September, midsummer represents its peak moment, when the season feels most like itself.

Some people use midsummer more loosely to mean any point in the middle of summer, roughly July and August, rather than the specific solstice date.