Great Winter Bonfire

The Great Winter Bonfire is a yearly celebration held by snow drifters on December 31 to honor the Sun of the New Year. The celebrations begins at sunset and lasts until sunrise. It's accompanied by drum beats, dances and fireworks visible from afar. Firewood is partially collected from the surrounding forest but the better half of the bonfire is made up of logs brought by attendees.

The Call
Before the celebration begins the Master of Ceremonies at the Great Winter Bonfire invites people to the site repeating an ancient call three times.

 'Come, ye, people to the Bonfire! This night is ours, this night is for all  Everyone is welcome, living or dead  Come and sing, come and dance  Come and greet the First Sun of the New Year  Come to the Bonfire, where enemies become friends  Friends become lovers and lovers become the one Big and small, short and tall Young and old, warm and cold Take your log, add it to the stock Come, ye, people to the Bonfire!' 