The Ukrainian midsummer celebration traditionally associated with wreaths, herbs and jumping over fire is called Ivan Kupala Night.
Ivan Kupala traditions are observed around the summer solstice and the feast of Saint John the Baptist. The celebration combines older Eastern European seasonal customs with Christian calendar associations, producing a night centered on water, vegetation, fire and fertility symbolism.
Participants may gather flowers and herbs, make wreaths, float them on water, light bonfires and jump over flames. Folklore also tells of the elusive fern flower, supposedly blooming for one night and bringing luck or hidden knowledge to its finder.
The date and name vary across regions and calendars, and the Ukrainian observance should not be treated as identical to every neighboring country’s Kupala tradition. The core motifs, however, are widely shared across Eastern Europe.