Summer Solstice 2012 Date: June 21 Marked with Parties at Stonehenge

Revellers celebrate during the summer solstice at the ancient Stonehenge monument on Salisbury plain in southern England(Photo : Reuters)

By Zanub Saeed

June 21 marks the summer solstice, and the longest day of the year in terms of receiving sunlight, so revelers headed to Stonehenge in England to celebrate the hot and rain-filled first day of summer.

Around 20,000 thousand people headed to the historic monument, noted a report in FoxNews, from Wednesday night straight through Thursday morning. People were found pressing their heads against the stones and quietly meditating, while others were shouting at the top of their lungs and singing songs while getting drunk off cheap liquor from plastic bottles, said the report. Either way, pagans, druids, and party-goers celebrated the day at the monumental stone circle.

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"It's magic," Sandy Kay, 37, whose dance troupe participated in the night's opening ceremony, told FoxNews. "It's one of the few times of the year you can go up and touch the stones."

Thousands watched the sun rise at 4:52am on Thursday morning, noted The Telegraph newspaper, and the first sight of sunlight was greeted with fanfare, cheers and applause. Despite the downpour, tens of thousands still chose to stand and party, while drummers inside the Stonehenge circle beat as the rain fell upon them, and pagans danced under the cloudy skies and showers.

"Heavy rain during the night meant this was one of the lowest attendances in recent years," a spokesperson for English Heritage told The Telegraph. "However the rain did stop in time for the sunrise ceremonies and although clouds obscured the sun, loud cheers and applause rang out amongst the ancient stones. There was torrential rain at some points during the evening, but it stopped and although it was cloudy, it didn't rain for sunrise. It has been the wettest and dare I say the muddiest in recent years."

The celebration did not go without its problems, reportedly, 20 people were arrested for theft, drugs, and alcohol-related offences, the local police told The Telegraph. A thunderstorm was forecast for Thursday afternoon in Britain.