Here’s why people are gathering around a crack in Noe Valley
SFGate – By Michelle Robertson – June 24, 2021
There are about 10 people gathered on a sidewalk in Noe Valley. Their heads are bent toward the ground. Some hold noisemakers and shakers, one woman stands alone, smudging the gathered with sage.
This cast of characters on Sanchez Street and 30th are stopping to look for something most of us don’t think about on a day-to-day basis. They’re seeking out the light.
To be more precise, they’re waiting for the moment — about 4:25 p.m. in the summer — when the sun peeks through a crack between two houses and aligns with a yellow line painted on the ground.
“Solstice sun crack returns,” the line reads.
The sun crack aligns perfectly with the yellow line on one day of the year — the summer solstice, which fell on Sunday this year.
On this day, the neighborhood gathers to celebrate the longest day of the year. It’s an auspicious time, a time for bonfires and feasts and debauchery — all to celebrate the midsummer season.
Posted by Teri Perticone
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