In Denmark, the solstitial celebration is called what?

In Denmark, the solstitial celebration is called sankthans.

The name comes from Saint John the Baptist: “Sankt Hans” is the Danish form of Saint John, while sankthans refers to the broader celebration. Danish tradition observes the festival on the evening before the saint’s day, so the main festivities occur on June 23, or Sankthansaften.

Bonfires are the best-known feature. In modern Denmark, some public fires include a symbolic witch figure, reflecting later folklore layered onto older midsummer and Saint John traditions. Families and communities may gather outdoors, sing, give speeches, and enjoy the long northern evening.

Sankthans is easy to confuse with neighboring names such as Norway’s Sankthans or Jonsok, Finland’s juhannus, and Cornwall’s Golowan. The customs belong to the same broad European midsummer family, but the local names and details differ. “Sankthans” is the canonical Danish term, while “sankthansaften” specifies the celebrated eve.