The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, that day fell on Friday, June 20.
To celebrate the solstice, around 200 area residents braved the rain and seasonally cool temperatures and gathered at McKenna Park for an afternoon of music, food and family-friendly performances and activities that included dancing, fire spinners, face painting, yoga and sound bath healing.
Over 30 vendors set up for the event, from candlemakers, artists and clothiers to food sellers and even a taxidermist. One vendor, who sold essential oils, perfumes, and holistic products, came all the way from the Olympic Peninsula to sell her wares.
Rachael “Pixie” Czerwonka, who owns Pixie’s Potions and was one of the event organizers, said a main goal was to bring together some of the “weirder, less commonly found vendors” from the area.
“There’s a lot of people that love all of this, you know, weird, witchy, eclectic stuff or natural remedies,” Czerwonka said, adding that a lot of the vendors don’t fit in at a traditional farmers market.
For Czerwonka, events like this allow people to learn about things they might not have had exposure to, but were still curious about, like herbs, furs, or making candles. They also allow local small businesses the opportunity to network, help and collaborate with each other.
Kasaundra Sanchez-Dey, another organizer who operates as part of the Centaur Sisters of the Moon, said that over 1,000 people showed up to their Fae Fest event at the park in May. The event planner and small-business owner says she wants to see more community events around Yelm, where she’s from.
“Last year we did the Haunted Witches Market out here in October,” Sanchez-Dey said. “And then we added on Fae Fest and this is Summer Solstice and then we’re doing the Haunted Witches Market again in October and then we’re planning on Yule in December.”
