Exciting Ways to Celebrate Autumn
The last sun rays of summer are slipping away, and as sad as we are to see it go, it can only mean one thing: our favorite season is almost upon us! It’s time for festivals and bonfires, pumpkin spice and everything nice. It’s almost Fall, y’all!
What is the Autumn Equinox?
We can practically smell the apple pie and cider from here, but it’s not officially Fall until the Autumnal Equinox on September 23rd. Twice a year the sun lines up perfectly with the equator, resulting in a day and night that are nearly equal. The Spring, or Vernal Equinox, occurs in March, and signals the start of Spring, when the days start to get longer before peaking on the Summer Solstice. The Fall, or Autumnal Equinox, kicks off the Fall with shorter days and longer nights, culminating in the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice.
How People Celebrate Across the Globe
While the Vernal Equinox joyously celebrates the end of winter and the start of the Spring planting season, the Autumnal Equinox is a bit more reflective. Pagan groups and modern-day Druids in Europe gather at Stonehenge to offer thanks for the end of summer harvests and prepare for the coming darkness of winter. In Japan, equinoxes symbolize the transitions of life, and are marked by visiting the graves of ancestors. In the West, our equinox celebrations are split between Labor Day (celebrating the end of summer), and Thanksgiving (giving thanks for bountiful harvests).
Kick off a night that’s as much fun and long as the day!
On September 23rd, mark the Fall Equinox by savoring all twelve hours of sunshine. As the day winds down, find a cozy spot in to sit back and reflect. It’s been a great summer, after all. Then, head to McCray’s Tavern Midtown!
Enjoy the taste of the harvest season with our Salmon Chopped Salad, featuring tender grilled salmon, garden fresh veggies, and piquant bleu cheese crumbles. Raise a glass of Pinot, or splurge with a glass from our Reserve Whiskey Barrel #4513, and toast those sweet summertime memories before they slip away.
The Fall Equinox is a time to appreciate all that summer had to offer while welcoming all that the new season will bring. Celebrate the start of Fall with McCray’s in Midtown!