First of all, yes, Midsummer is bygones for a week now. Nothing Midsummer-like happened here in Berlin, but where it counts, e.g. in Finland, I've heard the circumstances were excellent (see dw's video, for example).

I tried to ask some people about their cultures' customs. A Danish colleague mentioned bonfires and "witch burning" (sounds familiar). From the Germans I only got a bit of a weird eye as response. Apparently Midsummer is no big deal – why should it be, anyway?

Two things, each worth one eurocent come into mind. Firstly, Earth's axial tilt results in dramatic seasonal changes in polar areas, hence the greater importance of solstices. Secondly, in the periphery, a greater deal of the native customs have survived the Christianisation or assimilated into it (or vice versa).

The celebration takes new forms all the time.

In the region I grew up in, there is a military air base. Then it was called the Finnish Air Force Academy. Now it's just the Training Air Wing and in another ten years it will probably be consolidated to Poland altogether.

Every Midsummer since 1945 the air base hosts the all family Midnight Sun Airshow including a healthy mix of bouncing castles, popular music and military equipment on display. It's bonfire, schlager and jet fighters for the masses, baby! Of course we went there a couple of times. Usually about 15000 other people think, that it's perfectly not strange.

The catch of course is the international guests. Look at this clip, it pretty much summarises the whole deal in 23 seconds (mind the soundtrack, too bad there isn't more). This year they had Patrouille de France. Once the Russian And, and... can you mention an air show without mentioning the Red Arrows?

The best act however was completely vernacular. Once they announced for an ill-parked vehicle to be moved. This was repeated several times along the evening. Finally a heavy-duty helicopter arrived. It had picked up a car (like in that James Bond film), flew off the premises and dropped the car off from, say 500 metres.

Then it was time to light the bonfire.