Ukon Juhla – Midsummer Festival In Finland

In Finland people still observe the Ukon Juhla festival. It was originally held in honor of Ukko one the most significant gods of Finnish mythology. God Ukko was the ruler of the sky, weather, harvest and thunder. When Finland became a Christian country, the Pagan festival was re-branded under Christianity as “Juhannus”, held in honor of John the Baptist.

It’s no wonder that the Ukon Juhla festival in greatly celebrated in a country Finland where people live half of the year in darkness. During the Ukon Juhla festival it’s a tradition to lit large bonfires by lakes and the sea.