Cover In response to the pandemic, the annual summer solstice is going digital for thousands of would-be travellers to enjoy from the comfort of home.(Photo: Courtesy of Hello I'm Nik via Unsplash)

You’ll no longer have to travel to England to witness the momentous summertime event

The annual summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England will look a little different this year. In response to the global pandemic, the usual in-person event is going digital for thousands of would-be travellers to enjoy from the comfort of home.

After consulting with the emergency services, English Heritage, the organisation that manages the world-renowned site in Southwestern England, decided hosting the usual event would be too dangerous and will be hosting a virtual nod to the longest day of the year instead, reinventing an ancient tradition that thousands of travelers and pagans still practice.

“We have consulted widely on whether we could have proceeded safely and we would have dearly liked to host the event as per usual, but sadly, in the end, we feel we have no choice but to cancel,” said Stonehenge director Nichola Tasker, in a statement.

During a typical summer solstice celebration, thousands of travellers, pagans, and druids head to the mysterious site to witness the sun’s unique positioning between the archaeological wonders. “The whole layout of Stonehenge is positioned in relation to the solstices, or the extreme limits of the sun’s movement,” English Heritage explained in a previous statement.

“We hope that our [livestream] offers an alternative opportunity for people near and far to connect with this spiritual place at such a special time of year and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year,” Tasker added.

While a livestream might not compare to witnessing the summer solstice in person, the online alternative will still offer a peek into the wonder of the prehistoric monuments. The livestream will be available as of June 21 on English Heritage’s social media channels.

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