St. John the Baptist's Day -  Midsummer - Celebration of his birth.

The Christian Midsummer Festival

Visit this link for the history and traditions associated with this high holy day.

Then doth the joyfull feast of John
    The Baptist take his turn,
When bonfiers great, with loftie flame,
    in every town do burne;
And yong men round about with maids,
    doe daunce in every streete,
With garlands wrought of Motherwort,
    or else with Vervain sweet.

Barnabe Googe (1540 - '94); Foure Bookes of Husbandrie, collected by M. Conradus Heresbachius, Counseller of Cleue; Contayning the whole arte and trade of husbandry, with the ambiguitie, and commendation thereof; quoted in William Hone, The Every-Day Book, or a Guide to the Year, William Tegg and Co., London, 1878; 1825 - 26 edition online