Leap Year Date: MARCH 19, 2024:
38th 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.
Participants in the hike and festivities will start meeting at the base of the hill at 6:00 A.M. on Tuesday, March 19. By 6:20 A.M., all present will start the 15-20 minute hike to the summit. Sunrise will occur at about 6:51 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 take straight under Route 2 onto Wintechog Hill Road. 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 2024 at least the 38th 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. This year it also celebrates the founding of the Westerly Morris Men 50 years ago in 1974 by current Squire Peter Leibert! Typically, 40 or more people make this early morning trek. However, last year, during 2023, about a dozen performers and about 100 revelers attended. This event happens during Daylight Saving Time (which starts March 10), 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 11:06 PM EDT on March 19 (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.
| I had thought that maybe the shifting of the equinox date we have been observing had something to do with "the precession of the equinoxes", so I asked my friend Bernie Reim for an explanation. He is a professor of astronomy at the University of Southern Maine and writes the monthly astronomy column in The Portland Press Herald. It seems like "the precession of the equinoxes" is simply a different thing, but I am including his explanation HERE in case anyone else has been wondering what it means. It's well worth a read. Thanks, Bernie! |
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.net
This 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 2023. Left to right are a dance atop Lantern Hill, our 3 musicians atop the hill, and a dance in the roadway afterwards. The latter includes musician Squire Peter Leibert and a dancer from Mystic Garland. Click photos to see them full size.
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