MARCH 20, 2025:
39th ANNUAL VERNAL EQUINOX SUNRISE DANCE ON LANTERN HILL
The Westerly Morris Men plan to celebrate the Vernal Equinox by dancing at dawn on the summit of Lantern Hill in North Stonington, Connecticut. The Vernal Equinox is the moment at which the center of the Sun lies precisely above the Earth's equator, astronomically marking the beginning of Spring.
Starting in 2020, celebrations occurring during leap years (only) occur one day earlier than they had for the 33 years prior to 2020. That is why last year, in leap year 2024, ths event occurred on March 19. But it is back to March 20 in this year, 2025.
Participants in the hike and festivities will start meeting at the base of the hill at 6:00 A.M. on Thursday, March 20. By 6:20 A.M., all present will start the 15-20 minute hike to the summit. Sunrise will occur at about 6:50 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time (Source: www.timeanddate.com).
Lantern Hill is located on the Ledyard / North Stonington town line, just south of Route 2. The trailhead is located on Wintechog Hill Road.
- To reach Wintechog Hill Road from Norwich, take Foxwoods Boulevard and turn right one road after Lantern Hill Road / Route 214 (the location of Foxwoods Casino).
- From Westerly, take a right on Milltown Road which will wind around and take you straight under Route 2
onto Wintechog Hill Road.
My clue for finding Milltown Road is that when I am driving west on Route 2 and Foxwoods suddenly becomes visible like the Emerald City of Oz, Milltown Road
is very quickly the first road to appear on the right side.
If you miss that turn, take the first exit off of the Route 2 Bypass, then turn left onto Foxwoods Boulevard and right onto Wintechog Hill Road. The trailhead is less than 1/4 mile south of Foxwoods Boulevard.
You may click HERE to see pictures of and from Lantern Hill and read much about it .
On March 3, 2022, videographer and long-retired Squire Terry Crandall released a historic documentary video he produced of the cliff-top festivities on March 20, 1995. This video is available exclusively from this web site.
The Vernal Equinox hike was originally started by Betsy (Oller) Storms of the Pequotsepos Outing Club, of Mystic. Morris dancing was introduced to the event in 1987, making 2025 at least the 39th consecutive year of celebration at this time and place. A newer tradition is that additional dancing and a song occur at the trailhead at the conclusion of the hike, making celebration accessible to those not inclined or not able to make the climb. Part of the song can be heard in THIS video.
The public is invited and welcome to this open annual event. Typically, 40 or more people make this early morning trek. Last year, during 2024, a dozen performers and over 70 other revelers attended. These included kitted dancers from 2 other Morris teams, who joined in the set for some of the dances, which is something we encourage. This event happens during Daylight Saving Time (which starts March 9), making for a relatively later sunrise time than just a couple weeks before.
It was and is the hope of the original and current organizers that this event will go on in perpetuity, with or without the Westerly Morris Men, who are a part of the event, not the event itself. If people have ideas about other appropriate celebratory activities for the event, please come up and test them out. It would also be handy if you let us know in advance, so we can coordinate.
The actual Equinox will occur at 5:01 AM EDT on March 20 (Source: U.S. Naval Observatory via NOAA web site).
This hike traditionally occurs at the dawn of the day in which the Equinox falls in the Eastern Time Zone. The Vernal Equinox occurred consistently on March 20 from 1986 through 2019, then shifted to being one day earlier during leap years only, starting in 2020. According to this web site, the Vernal Equinox celebration will occur on March 19 during leap years only through the year 2052, before things get weird.
The Westerly Morris Men try to practice approximately twice per month on Tuesday nights at various locations in Westerly, Rhode Island. We are seeking new, fully-vaccinated dancers and musicians for the future. Dancers as team members must be men, but musicians have no gender restrictions. To inquire about joining the team, please contact team founder, chief musician, and squire Peter Leibert of Preston, CT, at phone # 860-887-9184. You may also inquire about joining the team by sending an email to the Web Master at westerly-morris-men@cox.netThis event is organized by Assistant Squire & Webmaster Norman Dudziak of Barrington, RI, phone # 401-437-0240.
You can signup for The Westerly Morris Men's occasional email newsletter to let you know about upcoming events, see reports on past events, or see historical photos and stories.
This event occurs regardless of the weather, solely at the discretion and risk of the participants. It is suggested that individuals having any safety concerns related to the weather, expected trail conditions, or their own personal health or fitness, enjoy a good night's sleep, get up a little early, and have their own personal celebration at home.
Happy Vernal Equinox!
Below are some photos from 2024, mostly by the fine photographers from the Hartford Courant, the New London Day, and the Westerly Sun. Left to right in the bottom row, our 3 musicians are Mayada Wadsworth, A.J. Wright, and Peter Leibert. Click the photos to see them full size. You can see all of the many newspaper photos by going to the Press Page and clicking on the links therein.
Copyright © 2025 by E and I Services, LLC, except for photos provided by the Hartford Courant, the New London Day, and the Westerly Sun, as indicated in their file names. All other rights reserved. Entities wishing to publicize or report on this event are welcome to quote extensively.