The Longest Night in the World

Even though celebrations started before, it was not until 1986 that the festival went national and, ever since, it has been held for three days: from June 20 thru 22.

It is on June 21 that the calendar shows the longest night in the year and the winter solstice takes place in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, this is also the shortest day in the year, on which daytime lasts from 10am to 5pm.

For the first nations, this was about identifying the beginning of the seasons for the benefit of the activities related to agriculture and hunting and to know when to sow, harvest or hunt.

At present, times have changed remarkably and in order to celebrate the longest night in the year, there is a cultural agenda containing various activities in which the denizens of the City of Ushuaia and the thousands of tourists that invade the city take part along with the most outstanding national and local artists that join in.

One of the protagonists of this great festival is known as the “Burn of Obstacles and Impediments” and it consists in writing down all the difficulties that have prevented people from fulfilling their aims. The papers are thrown by the participants into a large bonfire on the solstice night: June 21.