Welcome to the Summertime, Summer Solstice Poetry Party Report,
June 22, 2026
The weather was hot! The sun smiled brightly on the celebration, welcoming Summer for 2026 in the air-conditioned Port Coquitlam Museum and Archives. One brave soul danced to the rousing music selections before the Poetry Show began at 1:00 PM, and the audience took their seats. After the native land proclamation was read, thanks and acknowledgement were given for the NSG grant and Association of Neighbourhood Houses funding, which have allowed Port Coquitlam residents to come together for the third year in a row to bid Winter and Spring farewell and joyfully look forward to the long days and short nights of summer and all the activity that it invites. Poetry selections were diverse as the poets asked the audience to remember summers past at playgrounds, swimming pools, and even Drive-in movies. Bears and mosquitoes got an honourable mention. As promised in the grant application, the poets all got into a serious bent as they read several poems each on the results of climate change. We switched back to party mode with several summer-time jokes to lighten our spirits. As well, three Port Coquitlam guest poets generously shared their personally crafted poetry with us all.
Several educational moments sought to unravel the complex planetary rotations that give us our 4 seasons. Even an apple was commandeered to demonstrate the varying distances from the sun each area experiences over the course of a year. The afternoon concluded with a special poem about the Summer Solstice, the loud ringing of the museum’s Railroad Bell, and everyone gathering to share a special toast to summer 2026. We snacked on chips, Celebration Cookies, juice boxes, water, and the remainder of the sparkling juices, and conversed and mingled with all present. We had a large fabric flower where everyone was invited to leave messages on one petal. We received warm messages such as: Wonderful Day, Really Nice, This Summer Sing, Life Lives on, Enjoy the Day, and Happy Summer Solstice. I look forward to celebrating Summer Solstice again next year, just as all people annually celebrated the longest day throughout time and throughout the world.
Respectfully submitted by Group Leader, Julie Schmidt, Port Coquitlam
