Let's jump into summer

Yes! Yes! And, yes!

Bring on summer with its long days, sunshine and languid luxury.

Everyone's favourite season officially arrives in British Columbia at 1:24 am on Sunday, June 21st as the North Pole tilts as far as it possibly can toward the sun.

Such an astronomical feat makes June 21 the longest day of the year with sunrise at an bright-and-early 4:49 am and sunset at an incredible 9:10 pm.

That makes for a glorious 16 hours, 21 minutes and 3 seconds of daylight.

It's a once-a-year phenomenon.

A sensational, seasonal spectacle.

On June 22, the daylight duration will be 6 seconds shorter.

So, enjoy this miracle while you can and make the most of summer.

Summer gives you 93 days, 15 hours and 40 minutes to revel in its magnificence.

Humans have been making a big deal of summer since the Stone Age when we realized this warm, sunny season was inextricably linked to our survival.

The wild plants and animals we ate thrived in the summer.

Later, agricultural cycles depended on summer.

Summer made us feel good, nourished, sated, vital, and sociable.

So, we started festivals and rituals to celebrate summer and its solstice.

School break was built around summer so kids could help out on the farm.

In industrial times, the summer holiday became a thing as workers wanted a vacation when the weather was ideal.

Today, summer is when we tend to have the most fun, when we spend the most time outdoors and with family.

It's the preferred season to get married, dine al fresco and sip wine on the patio.

Locally, events this time of year honour summer.

The Sunshine Festival on June 20, 10 am to 5 pm, sees 30th Avenue in Vernon pedestrianized for a big street party.

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day,

On June 21, New Zealand plays Egypt in World Cup action in Vancouver.

June 21 is also Father's Day, thus the Father's Day Car Show in Kelowna's City Park, 10 am to 2 pm, with displays of classic, collectible, exotic, luxury and sports cars, food trucks, kids' activities, and prizes.

_{Thumbnail photos by Ian Wagg and Bailey Burton on Unsplash.}