Sumarsdag in Lansdale, PA

We are celebrating the morning sun's victory over the long night, which brings us long days. We are celebrating the victory of life, shown through fertility magic that is abundant at this time of year. We are celebrating our own power and self determination, to be victorious in molding this year to our own will.

Here is the except from AFA founder Stephen McNallen's book "Asatru: A Native European Spirituality" regarding this festival:

"In old Iceland, Sumarsdag or “Summer’s Day” was the first day of summer. For most of us, that’s not particularly relevant. Few of us live in Iceland, and we have another festival—Midsummer—that marks the warmer half of the year. Sumarsdag becomes a piece of exotica, if viewed from this limited perspective.

However, early April was also when sacrifice was given to Odin for victory in the raiding-and-trading season that began with warmer weather. This rite was known as the Sigrblot, or “victory sacrifice.” Many Asatruar combine these two themes into a holy day welcoming the more clement weather, and at the same time invoking Odin for victory. No, not victory in sacking monasteries or raiding coastal cities—times have changed. But
what has not changed is our need for victories in the daily battles of our lives, as individuals and as a community. Victory is good! Winning is better than losing! To Asatruar, victory or sigr is a spiritual quality—and Sigrblot is an ideal time to strengthen this quality in ourselves."