Sankt Hans celebrations split between burning witches and honoring them

As Danes gather for Sankt Hans celebrations this evening, some will light bonfires topped with straw witches, while others are rejecting the tradition entirely in favor of honoring witches, reports DR.

In Aabenraa, eight women will meet for a ceremony led by spiritual mentor Malene Mørk, who teaches clairvoyance and everyday magic. The event is deliberately scheduled for Sankt Hans Eve as a counterpoint to the traditional bonfire ritual.

“We’re going to bring out the witch within us—the kind of knowledge about nature and humanity, and the wildness connected to the feminine, that people were once accused of as witches,” Mørk said. She added that the evening aims to empower participants to “stand taller, take up more space, and be stronger in the world.”

Meanwhile, in Stubbæk, hundreds will attend a traditional Sankt Hans event with bonfires—both a large one and a smaller children’s fire—each crowned with a straw witch, according to scout leader Finn Pedersen. “We’ve always felt a witch belongs on a Sankt Hans bonfire. The children love it when it catches fire,” he said.

Not all local celebrations include the witch. Restaurant Knapp in the same municipality will light a bonfire without one, focusing instead on community. “For us, it’s about togetherness at a midsummer festival,” said operations manager Artis Daabeck, though the restaurant will feature other witch-themed decorations.

Freja Toft Møller, a self-identified witch from Lunde, argues the tradition of burning witch effigies is objectionable. “It’s appalling that we cling to a tradition where people were burned. If we could all gather for a midsummer celebration like they do in Sweden, that would be far better,” she said.