Photos of global celebrations marking the start of the summer and winter solstices
In Romania, dancers wearing crowns of wheat gathered for the Sanziene, or 'Fairies," a pre-Christian, pagan celebration in honor of the tiny, imaginary winged beings who come to earth as a symbol of fertility. Meanwhile, Lithuanians danced in the small town of Kernave and Russians lit bonfires.
In the U.S., a performer danced across the colors of Christopher Janey's 'Passing Light' solar sculpture that aligns each Summer Solstice at the San Antonio airport. In Spain, people watched the sun rise on a Barcelona beach, coined 'The Night of San Juan.'
South of the equator in Bolivia, Indigenous people gathered around fires and held up their hands to receive the first rays of sunlight in celebration of the Andean New Year of 5533, marking the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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The Hill
6 hours ago
- The Hill
In a miniature world, climate change and environmental issues loom large
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Watching his dad make a brand-new miniature train car look old, placing the wooden parts to weather in the sun and rain, pulled Peter Martínez into the world of miniatures. He recalls his father, who made model trains mostly for collectors or hobbyists, wondering why anyone would pay him to do what he thought was the most fun part of the hobby. 'But luckily they did, and we were able to build an industry around it,' Martínez said. The Argentine family business, United Scale Arts, is now partnering with Germany's Miniatur Wunderland, a museum that houses the largest model train set in the world, to develop new exhibits depicting parts of South America, including the Amazon rainforest and Atacama Desert. But with miniature power comes great responsibility — and both Martínez's company and the museum are determined that the miniature world reflect both the good and bad of the real thing. Real world problems So alongside the perfectly shaded rocks and trees, they depict poverty, crime and environmental degradation. In the exhibits already running in Hamburg, built by a team that has grown over the years to hundreds of people, it means that tiny trains pull tiny coal cars into a mining town, but also, on a city bridge, a tiny semitruck hauls the tiny giant blade of a wind turbine. And the builders say it means the new models won't shy away from illustrating real life in the Amazon: they will include scenes of illegal mining, deforestation and forest fires. 'These are social problems that exist in the real world, and we need to show them also in the models, because I think it's important not to make this kind of idealistic view of the world, but also to show reality and to use these tools as a learning experience for everyone that visits the Wunderland,' Martínez said. Replicas of famous landmarks Visitors have a lot to see in the multistory warehouse that is Wunderland. From Las Vegas to Miami Beach, from Rio de Janeiro to Monaco, cars zoom past tiny replicas of buildings as throngs of people, with heads smaller than your fingernail, mill about famous landmarks. Cargo ships dominate the glasslike surface of a tiny bay as they chug in with their deliveries. Planes taxi down the runway of an airport. And of course, plenty of trains roll through every landscape to the delight of kids and adults alike. 'A dream come true' Twin brothers Gerrit and Frederik Braun joined with business partner Stephan Hertz and took out a loan to create Miniatur Wunderland after they left the nightclub business. Frederik had visited a model railroad shop in Zurich, called his brother and suggested they create their own — but a whole lot bigger. Gerrit laughed at first. Unlike his brother, he loved the nightclub. But he eventually agreed and now can't imagine doing anything else. 'It's a dream come true that we sit here 25 years later, and playing all day,' he said, chuckling. Serious work mixed with play But he takes the work seriously. The brothers came up with most of the initial plans for the museum within two weeks, Gerrit said. It's grown in scope and ambition since then. 'Ten years ago, we were looking to the old section and saw the real world has changed in this time,' Gerrit said. They realized they needed to update the exhibits to include technologies like electric cars, wind turbines, nuclear power and more. 'I have children, and I believe in global warming and I'm sure that we have done it … So if you believe in this, and you have the possibility to show the images, why not?' Political issues There's no one process by which the designers and model builders decide what to include in their models, but as they have added to the collection, they haven't shied away from depicting technology or from political or contentious topics. In 2017, when Donald Trump was first elected U.S. president, the Wunderland put up a model concrete wall with barbed wire around the section with the American landscapes. In 2019, Wunderland launched a scathing exhibit on the treatment of animals in large-scale farming that sparked deep criticism from the agriculture industry. Next came weeks of conversation, farm visits and the eventual launch of a special exhibit aimed at depicting the current reality of pig farming, featuring industrial production and organic farms. They're usually striving to depict the world exactly as it is. But building models also reminds Gerrit that 'you can build the world a little bit like you want,' he said. Feelings of nostalgia It's an art form that can have practical purposes but also can capture longing, nostalgia or other feelings about a particular time or place, said Kit Maxwell, a curator with The Art Institute of Chicago, which houses the popular Thorne Miniature Rooms. 'One of the most compelling things about these rooms is that you imagine yourself in them,' he said. Aware of that power of imagination,Martínez also said builders have to be careful not to unfairly cast countries in a bad light as they seek to include imperfections. 'You need to kind of balance, when you show the bad things in contrast with the good things, that they are not overdone or they are not too much,' he said. 'You want also that the people that go there have a good time and not get really sad after seeing this model.' ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ ___
Hamilton Spectator
6 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
In a miniature world, climate change and environmental issues loom large
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Watching his dad make a brand-new miniature train car look old, placing the wooden parts to weather in the sun and rain, pulled Peter Martínez into the world of miniatures. He recalls his father, who made model trains mostly for collectors or hobbyists, wondering why anyone would pay him to do what he thought was the most fun part of the hobby. 'But luckily they did, and we were able to build an industry around it,' Martínez said. The Argentine family business, United Scale Arts, is now partnering with Germany's Miniatur Wunderland, a museum that houses the largest model train set in the world, to develop new exhibits depicting parts of South America, including the Amazon rainforest and Atacama Desert. But with miniature power comes great responsibility — and both Martínez's company and the museum are determined that the miniature world reflect both the good and bad of the real thing. Real world problems So alongside the perfectly shaded rocks and trees, they depict poverty, crime and environmental degradation. In the exhibits already running in Hamburg, built by a team that has grown over the years to hundreds of people, it means that tiny trains pull tiny coal cars into a mining town, but also, on a city bridge, a tiny semitruck hauls the tiny giant blade of a wind turbine. And the builders say it means the new models won't shy away from illustrating real life in the Amazon: they will include scenes of illegal mining , deforestation and forest fires . 'These are social problems that exist in the real world, and we need to show them also in the models, because I think it's important not to make this kind of idealistic view of the world, but also to show reality and to use these tools as a learning experience for everyone that visits the Wunderland,' Martínez said. Replicas of famous landmarks Visitors have a lot to see in the multistory warehouse that is Wunderland. From Las Vegas to Miami Beach, from Rio de Janeiro to Monaco, cars zoom past tiny replicas of buildings as throngs of people, with heads smaller than your fingernail, mill about famous landmarks. Cargo ships dominate the glasslike surface of a tiny bay as they chug in with their deliveries. Planes taxi down the runway of an airport. And of course, plenty of trains roll through every landscape to the delight of kids and adults alike. 'A dream come true' Twin brothers Gerrit and Frederik Braun joined with business partner Stephan Hertz and took out a loan to create Miniatur Wunderland after they left the nightclub business. Frederik had visited a model railroad shop in Zurich, called his brother and suggested they create their own — but a whole lot bigger. Gerrit laughed at first. Unlike his brother, he loved the nightclub. But he eventually agreed and now can't imagine doing anything else. 'It's a dream come true that we sit here 25 years later, and playing all day,' he said, chuckling. Serious work mixed with play But he takes the work seriously. The brothers came up with most of the initial plans for the museum within two weeks, Gerrit said. It's grown in scope and ambition since then. 'Ten years ago, we were looking to the old section and saw the real world has changed in this time,' Gerrit said. They realized they needed to update the exhibits to include technologies like electric cars, wind turbines, nuclear power and more. 'I have children, and I believe in global warming and I'm sure that we have done it ... So if you believe in this, and you have the possibility to show the images, why not?' Political issues There's no one process by which the designers and model builders decide what to include in their models, but as they have added to the collection, they haven't shied away from depicting technology or from political or contentious topics. In 2017, when Donald Trump was first elected U.S. president, the Wunderland put up a model concrete wall with barbed wire around the section with the American landscapes. In 2019, Wunderland launched a scathing exhibit on the treatment of animals in large-scale farming that sparked deep criticism from the agriculture industry. Next came weeks of conversation, farm visits and the eventual launch of a special exhibit aimed at depicting the current reality of pig farming, featuring industrial production and organic farms . They're usually striving to depict the world exactly as it is. But building models also reminds Gerrit that 'you can build the world a little bit like you want,' he said. Feelings of nostalgia It's an art form that can have practical purposes but also can capture longing, nostalgia or other feelings about a particular time or place, said Kit Maxwell, a curator with The Art Institute of Chicago, which houses the popular Thorne Miniature Rooms. 'One of the most compelling things about these rooms is that you imagine yourself in them,' he said. Aware of that power of imagination,Martínez also said builders have to be careful not to unfairly cast countries in a bad light as they seek to include imperfections. 'You need to kind of balance, when you show the bad things in contrast with the good things, that they are not overdone or they are not too much,' he said. 'You want also that the people that go there have a good time and not get really sad after seeing this model.' ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ . ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
New York Post
12 hours ago
- New York Post
More American couples are turning to Italy's ‘dolce vita' in a quest for memorable weddings
James Atkinson and Samantha Fortino toured a Tuscan vineyard and learned to make pasta and a Bolognese sauce alongside their family and friends in Florence. Atkinson discovered a penchant for chianti, while Fortino fell for Italy's hugo spritz — a cocktail that posed no risk of staining her wedding dress on July 24. Italy has hosted a number of star-studded weddings in the past decade, most recently Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez 's extravaganza in Venice. 5 Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez kiss as they leave a hotel for their pre-wedding reception in Venice, Italy, on June 26, 2025. AP Away from the spotlight, tens of thousands of ordinary Americans have set their sights on the country for their special day in recent years. 'Weddings in America can be a little too grand and a little bit too big and it ends up not really being about the couple,' said Fortino, 28, a neonatal nurse from Skaneateles, New York. 'We both just really wanted something intimate and meaningful.' Over 15,000 foreign couples wed in Italy last year, up 64% from 2019, the year before the pandemic, according to market research from the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence. Growth was led by US couples, who account for almost one-third of that total. Italy was the top international destination for American couples after Mexico, according to Maryland-based wedding planning website The Knot. For many Americans, Italy embodies the simple, beautiful romance of a bygone era. Weather is balmy and its varied landscapes, from the sea to the mountains, stunning. 5 Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes with their daughter Suri, who became engaged in June 2005, hold hands as they leave their hotel ahead of their wedding ceremony in Rome, on Nov. 16, 2006. AP The food is familiar and crowd-pleasing. But perhaps the biggest driver of the recent uptick is ample opportunity for a range of outings, which together with the wedding event are alluring for those on a quest for unique, memorable moments — part of a consumer trend termed 'the experience economy.' 'In the United States, everything is just more expensive for one night and we wanted to make an experience, so we did two nights here,' said Atkinson, 31, who owns a concrete company. 'It just seemed like way more worth it to us to do that and make a trip out of it with our family, our loved ones.' 'Nobody cancels' One guest who had never visited Italy was ecstatic about the invite, and took advantage to tack on side trips, first to Venice and then with the wedding crew to Cinque Terre. Another, Gary Prochna, nearly didn't attend because of work piling up at his paving company. He eventually came around and was floored by the venue — a 15th-century villa with a sweeping view over Florence and its famous Duomo. 5 The boat carrying George Clooney and his wife, Amal Alamuddin, is surrounded by media and security boats as they cruise the Grand Canal after leaving the Aman luxury Hotel in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 28, 2014. AP 'I got married in the United States and our venue was very nice. I thought — until this moment — we had the best wedding,' said Prochna, 68, adding that he now hopes his daughters will get hitched abroad. Marcy Blum, a prominent luxury event planner based in Manhattan, said almost 90% of the weddings she plans are in Italy. 'The reason Italy is so popular is because that's where your guests want to go,' she said. 'You send an invitation that you're getting married in Capri or Positano and everybody comes. Everybody. They want to come. Nobody cancels.' Jack Ezon, CEO of Embark Beyond, a luxury travel and destination event service also based in Manhattan, said 60% of his company's events were outside the US before the pandemic. Today it's almost 90%, nearly all split evenly between Italy and France. 5 People look at a couple in wedding clothes posing for photos in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, on Jan. 17, 2019. AP The threat of tariffs under President Donald Trump has given destination weddings a boost. Ezon has moved six events from the US to Europe this year, because people were afraid tariffs on alcohol would cause their bar bill to explode. Cost comparison The shift to destinations has benefited planners with networks across Italy and local vendors. According to Wedding Italy, the husband-and-wife team who put on the Atkinson wedding, American clients spend three times as much as Italians, due to more elaborate wedding decor and other events in their multi-day lineup. 5 A bride poses for photos in front of Rome's Pantheon, on June 28, 2013. AP Average spend on hometown weddings in the US was $32,000 last year, according to The Knot. By comparison, foreigners' weddings in Italy cost an average $70,600 and typically have dozens fewer guests, the Center of Tourist Studies of Florence's data showed. In the garden where the Atkinsons held their service, cypress trees swayed in the wind as the bride emerged from the chapel, beaming in her lace mermaid-silhouette gown. She walked down the aisle as speakers played the theme song to Star Wars. It was her sneaky trick to make the groom cry, and it worked like a charm. Before the exchange of rings, before the lovebirds threw their arms around one another, their officiant said: 'Traditionally I would ask: Is there any reason why this couple shouldn't be married? But for goodness' sake – we all flew to Italy and can't get our points back! So instead I'll ask: Who here approves of this union?' Cheers all around.
